Arashi Beach Aruba

Arashi Beach punches well above its weight when it comes to underwater wildlife. Even just a few meters from shore, you’re swimming alongside an impressive variety of tropical fish, invertebrates, and the occasional larger visitor that makes snorkelers stop dead in the water.
Fish you’ll see almost every visit:
The reef around Arashi is home to a reliable cast of characters. Parrotfish are everywhere  you’ll hear them before you see them, their beaks crunching loudly on coral. French angelfish cruise slowly along the rock formations, completely unbothered by snorkelers, making them easy to observe up close. Trumpetfish hover vertically among coral branches, camouflaging themselves with eerie patience. Schools of sergeant majors those small, boldly striped fish dart around in tight formations near the surface, and blue tang (yes, like Dory) are a constant presence along the rocky sections.
Look closer at the sandy patches between rocks and you’ll spot flounder lying completely flat and nearly invisible, and the occasional spotted moray eel poking its head from a crevice. Moray eels look intimidating but are harmless if you don’t reach into holes  just admire them from a respectful distance.
The bigger encounters:
Swim south from Arashi toward Boca Catalina and the sea grass beds become the habitat of choice for hawksbill and green sea turtles. Turtle sightings at Arashi are common enough that you shouldn’t be shocked to see one but common enough that you absolutely might. They graze slowly and tend to ignore snorkelers entirely, so just keep your distance, don’t touch, and enjoy the moment.