Sasarawichi Dunes

The Sasarawichi dunes on Aruba's northwestern corner are a field of white sand blown inland off the windward shore and piled against the scrub, bright enough against the dark volcanic rock and the green of the divi-divi trees that the contrast is what people come for. They shift with the trade wind. The California lighthouse stands nearby and the coast is rocky all along here. The divi-divi trees around the dunes all lean southwest, bent permanently by the same trade wind that moves the sand.

What you actually see

• The white dunes - sand blown inland and piled against the scrub.
• The colour contrast - pale sand against dark rock and green scrub.
• The trade wind - the constant blow that keeps the dunes moving.
• The lighthouse - the California light standing nearby.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. The trade wind blows constantly. Late afternoon light shows the sand best.

Honest expectations

The dunes are smaller than photographs suggest. There is no shade and the sand gets very hot. Vehicles driving on them cause damage and should stay off.

Nearby

The California lighthouse is northwest, and Arashi is west.