Just off Venezuela's Caribbean coast, Aruba is not a prime scuba-diving destination, but bring your gear, especially if you have time for a jump to Curaçao or Bonaire for much better diving.... Miles of white sand, glitzy casinos, and beaches cater to windsurfers.... For the best deals on lodging and air, ask your travel agent to look into gamblers' packages.... There are several good boat dives, such as the wreck of the Antilla,a German freighter scuttled at the start of World War II. The South Wall, past San Nicholas near the southern tip of Aruba, is also good.... Expect water temperatures in the low 80s most of the time.... Aruba lies south of the hurricane belt...

Red Sail Sports/Marriott, November 1997, Andy Boone, SC. Air Aruba good. Long bus ride from airport to Marriott: hotel nothing but class. Restaurants mediocre, rooms and service excellent. Best views from fourth and higher floors. . . . Red Sail: Good operation, 48' custom dive boat. Boat leaves from the Hyatt, but Red Sail offers complimentary shuttle service (except night dives). Divemasters interested in showing divers the underwater sights. Most were Dutch descent and spoke 4-5 languages. Good dive briefings, safety stressed. Dive your own profile with your buddy or accompany the divemasters. No depth limits (hard to find anything deeper than 100'), but time limits 45-50 minutes. . . . Diving not as good as many other Caribbean locations, but worth doing if you are there. Vis: 40-60 ft. Water: 76-79 degrees. Little current on most dives except at the south end of the island. (We did one drift dive there.) If you are there more than 3 days you will repeat some sites. (Ph: 415-743- 5306 or 800, Fax: 415-981-6203, e-mail: info@redsail.com, Website: www.redsail.com)

Red Sail Sports/Hyatt Hotel, February 1998, Victor A. Bary, Cranford, NJ. High wind and poor visibility. Vis: 15-50 ft. Water: 76-80 degrees. Dive on Antilla (German freighter scuttled by captain when Germany invaded Holland, May 1941) and pilot boat were interesting-6 ft. Green Moray on latter. Hotel is very American and upscale-large, efficient. Restaurants are excellent. Dive operation is large, efficient, and well run. Aruba much more like Miami Beach than Bonaire. Not a diver's destination.

Red Sail Sports/Bushiri Beach, April 1998, Dan and Judy Macy, Hatfield, PA. Two dive boats depart each day on island time. 9:00 boat runs south to a different site each time. 9:30 boat goes to same spot almost every day. Afternoon and night dives. Shuttle bus picked us up every day and dropped us off. Good dive plan but staff not helpful on boat (didn't change tanks or give more than casual assist out of H20). Boats large with heads and ample room. Good wreck diving, visibility 50-100 ft, water: 80 degrees. Many small fish but no large ones. Lots of coral just not very colorful. Resort all inclusive. Staff friendly and helpful. My wife was on a special diet and they accommodated her. Breakfast and lunch very good. Dinner adequate. Rooms clean.

Unique Sports/Sonesta Hotel, May 1998, Clinton Powell, Riverside, CA. Aruba not for experienced nor mildly experienced divers. Two nice wrecks, but corals not in good shape. Vis: 50-70 ft, water 82-83 degrees. Unique Sports is an excellent dive operation. No rinse tank on boat for cameras. (Ph: 011-297-8-23900, Fax: 011-297-8-21941)

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