●○○○#1 of 9 things to do in Santa Cruz

Donkey Sanctuary Aruba

Name: Donkey Sanctuary Aruba
Rating: 4.6

★★★★½4.6 out of 5 · 1,114 reviews

cultural

1.5h

outdoor

Photo: © 864marlenm via TripAdvisor

Donkey Sanctuary Aruba is a cultural tour rated 4.6/5 by 1,114 TripAdvisor reviewers; lasts 1.5 hours.

About

The Donkey Sanctuary sits inland near Santa Cruz, a 20-minute drive from the resorts, and it's exactly what it sounds like—a working refuge for rescued and retired donkeys. Over a hundred of them roam the property, and they're friendly in the way animals that see people every day tend to be. You can walk around, feed them carrots (they'll sell you a bag), and learn a bit about how they ended up here. It's free to visit, though donations keep the place running. The #1 ranking in Santa Cruz and back-to-back Travelers Choice awards suggest people find it more engaging than expected. The setting is dusty and open, not manicured, which fits the operation. Kids can get close without much fuss, and the intensity level is about as low as it gets—plan on an hour or so unless you're staying to volunteer. Bring water and wear shoes that handle dirt.

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At a glance

Category: cultural
Duration: 1.5 hours
Price: $0
Minimum age: None
Intensity: ●○○○○
Setting: outdoor
Booking partner: direct
Product ID: —

Photos

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Visiting in October?

You're visiting during shoulder season when crowds are moderate and construction is common at several resorts. Weather is warm and humid, with occasional rain showers, but beaches remain beautiful. October sees returning visitors enjoying quieter beaches and Eagle Beach's exceptional calm waters.

Based on 150 traveler reports

Recent Pulse

What travelers are saying.

Steady

Low confidence

Travelers say the Donkey Sanctuary delivers an unexpectedly engaging hour with over 130 friendly, well-cared-for donkeys roaming freely across a dusty, open property. You'll feed them carrots or apples you bring from the grocery (most bring 2–3 bags), or buy $1–$3 buckets of pellets at the visitor center. The donkeys know when you have food and will swarm you — feed them from the shaded porch to avoid the melee. Free admission runs on donations, and the volunteers are warm but hands-off, letting you interact at your own pace. Peacocks, chickens, and adoptable cats add charm. Most visitors return multiple times per trip.

Standing out

Donkeys eat carrots and apples from your flat hand without biting, swarming you the moment they smell food
89 mentions
“Bring three bags of carrots—we ran out in minutes and wished we'd packed twice as much”
Free admission funded entirely by donations, with $1–$3 feed buckets and a gift shop supporting 130+ rescue animals
74 mentions
“No entrance fee, just buy a large bucket for three dollars and support a worthy cause”
Volunteers know every donkey by name and share rescue stories when asked, but mostly let you roam undisturbed
41 mentions
“Tim spent twenty minutes helping us pick our adopted donkey and knows all 127 by personality”
Shaded visitor center porch with cutting boards, hand-washing station, cold drinks, and clean restrooms
38 mentions
“They provide a knife and cutting board for apples, plus a sink to wash hands after feeding”
Peacocks, chickens, roosters, and adoptable cats wander the grounds alongside the donkeys
52 mentions
“Peacocks eat pellets from your hand while kittens nap under the porch to escape the heat”

Watch-outs

Dusty unpaved parking and donkey droppings everywhere require closed-toe shoes you can clean
14 mentions
“Watch every step—droppings cover the property and the parking lot is dirt, not paved”
Donkeys segregated in pens during medical care, not all roam free as first-time visitors expect
3 mentions
“Sad to see some separated in pens—I thought a sanctuary meant total free roaming”
Taxi from cruise port costs $80 round-trip plus $1/minute wait time with no cabs nearby
2 mentions
“Eighty dollars round-trip from the ship, plus wait charges, made the trip impossible for us”

Tips from travelers

Stop at Ling & Sons Market for 2–3 bags of carrots before arrival—sanctuary pellets run out fast
Hide carrots in an opaque bag until you reach the feeding porch or donkeys will mob you
Visit before 10am when temperatures are cooler and donkeys are most active
Feed only from the visitor center porch to avoid being swarmed by 20+ hungry donkeys

Maybe skip if: Travelers bothered by uneven dirt paths, animal droppings underfoot, or expecting polished zoo-like facilities with guided narration should look elsewhere.

More activities

Palm Pleasure Sailing and Snorkeling trips

OutdoorFrom $75© Management via TripAdvisor

De Palm Tours

De Palm Tours runs a private beach club on the west coast near Oranjestad, and it's built around water activities — think slides, banana boats, snorkeling gear, and a roped-off swimming area. The #5 ranking among Oranjestad transportation reflects that this isn't just a shuttle service; most visitors book the half-day beach package that includes cabanas, towels, and food service. The back-to-back Travelers Choice awards suggest consistency, and the 4.8 rating across 26,000+ reviews backs that up. The setup skews family-friendly. Kids get underwater activities in shallow zones, parents get palapas with shade and beverage service. It's beach entertainment, not wilderness — no natural pools or cave hikes like the UTV tours that head into Arikok. Duration runs around four hours, which is enough for the slides and a meal without burning the whole day. Note that the flamingo interactions cost extra, and cabana rentals are mandatory with the package. If you want inland exploration, this isn't it. If you want a contained beach day with activities included, it does the job.

water

Explore Aruba like never before with AGW Tours

AGW Tours & Services

AGW Tours & Services runs one of the most booked full-island tours on Aruba — four hours that hit the Natural Bridge ruins, the Bushiribana gold mill, and a climb up Hooiberg if you're game for 560 steps. The #14 ranking among outdoor activities in Oranjestad reflects what you'd expect: a solid loop with a decent guide, stops at the postcard spots, and enough off-road driving to feel like you saw more than the hotel strip. The 4.8 rating across 2,200+ reviews suggests consistency. Most groups run in open-air Land Cruisers, which means dust and sun — bring a hat. The intensity sits at moderate; you'll walk short distances and climb if you choose, but nothing technical. At $85, it's priced in the middle of the UTV and bus tours, and AGW handles booking direct rather than farming it out to a reseller. If you want the northern coast, the volcanic formations, and a guide who knows the roads, this does the job without gimmicks.

land

EL Tours

EL Tours runs land-based excursions out of Barcadera, just southeast of Oranjestad, and the #6 ranking among transportation options in the capital tells you it's doing something right. With over 1,700 reviews holding a 4.7, that's volume with consistency — not easy when you're shuttling tourists through a four-hour tour at moderate intensity. The $75 price point puts it in the accessible middle, and the direct booking setup means you're dealing straight with the operator, not a reseller. Expect to be outside the whole time, likely hitting a mix of natural sites and viewpoints around the island. Four hours is enough to cover meaningful ground without turning into an endurance test, and the moderate intensity suggests some walking or light activity without requiring serious fitness. If you want a structured way to see Aruba's interior without renting a car, this is a credible option that handles the logistics for you.

land

Torn between this and somewhere else? Settle it →

Pairs well with

AGW Tours & Services

EL Tours

Arikok National Park

Arikok covers nearly 20% of Aruba's landmass on the rugged east side — limestone cliffs, caves, and the island's only national park infrastructure. It's ranked #3 in Santa Cruz and holds back-to-back Travelers Choice awards, which makes sense once you've seen the coastline from the lookout above Boca Prins or walked into the bat caves near the visitor center. Entry is $15, and you can drive yourself if you rent a 4x4 (UTVs aren't allowed). The roads inside are rough but navigable, and the self-guided setup means you set the pace — families stop for bathroom breaks at the visitor center, couples spend an hour at the natural pool, solo travelers hike the trails without a schedule. If you want narration and logistics handled, guided jeep tours run the same routes for around $150, but the DIY approach works fine if you're comfortable with dirt roads and basic maps. Windy days kick up sand near the coast. Bring a bandana if you're sensitive.

Beaches nearby

Savaneta

Mangel Halto Beach

Mangel Halto sits on the southeast coast near Savaneta, away from the resort strips. The #2 ranking among things to do in Savaneta lines up with what you get: calm inner reef waters and natural tree shade right at the waterline, which matters when the sun is overhead. No facilities, no rentals, no food trucks—just park and walk in. The snorkeling here works because of the protected reef. The water stays calm, and you're in quickly without wading through shallow flats. It's not Baby Beach's channel-level marine life, but it's enough if you're looking for reef fish without the crowds that pack Palm Beach. The tree cover is the real differentiator—Eagle Beach has better sand, but you're baking unless you're under a palapa you paid for. Bring what you need. Cash for parking. Water. Snorkel gear if you have it. The quiet is the point.

Source: TripAdvisor · view on TripAdvisor →

Photos by individual contributors as credited above.

Review summaries are AI-paraphrased from public traveler reviews.