Baby Beach, Aruba
Coordinates: 12°24′50″N 69°52′47″W / 12.4138°N 69.8796°W
Baby Beach is a shallow, sheltered man-made lagoon located in Seroe Colorado, on the southeast end of the island of Aruba, and is frequented by locals and tourists alike. It is named Baby Beach as the water is so calm it is safe for very small children. The snorkeling at this location is great for children or travelers new to snorkeling.
The beach is popular mostly due to the lack of waves and the shallow water. The Valero oil refinery is within sight of Baby Beach. However, because of the direction of local currents, Baby Beach still has very clean, clear water. In the past, Baby Beach's popularity led it to become somewhat littered. However, clean-up programs have largely restored the beach to a pristine condition.
The water level is generally waist high on the inside, but towards the inlet, it deepens significantly. Marine life in the lagoon include barracuda, squid, parrot fish, blowfish, angelfish, eels, and many other small fish. The range of most of these animals is limited to the inlet.
At the beach there is a small snack stand, and chairs and umbrellas for rent. Four-wheel drive cars are also available for rent in which to ride around the beach.
It is one of two beaches in Aruba that allow nudity, the other being Eagle Beach.
History
In the 1950s, the Aruba Esso Club was built as a part of Lago Colony (present-day Seroe Colorado), at Baby Beach (on the west side of the lagoon).[1] The club included a restaurant, dance floor, and a baseball stadium. In the lagoon, there was a dock, and there were small shacks (one of which is still standing). Today, it is no more than a large, abandoned building (with one business, a dive shop, still in operation).