Tres Trapi

Tres Trapi means three steps in Papiamento, and that is exactly what it is: three concrete steps cut into the limestone shelf on the Malmok shore giving access to the water, with no beach to speak of. It has become popular because of what is in the water rather than what is on the land: green turtles come in to feed on the seagrass, cushion starfish sit on the sand in the shallows, and the visibility on this sheltered coast is generally good. It is small, there is nowhere to sit, and it gets crowded quickly, but it is one of the more reliable places on Aruba to see turtles from shore.

What you actually see

• Green turtles - feeding on the seagrass close to the steps.
• Cushion starfish - on the sandy patches in the shallows.
• The limestone shelf - the shore, with no sand to speak of.
• The clear water - sheltered leeward coast with good visibility.

When to go

Year-round; mornings are calmest and quietest before the wind and the crowds. Turtles feed through the day. Weekends are busier. There is no shade at any hour.

Honest expectations

Turtles are protected and must not be touched, chased or blocked from surfacing. Lifting starfish out of the water kills them and people still do it. It is very small, gets crowded, and parking is on the roadside verge. There is no shade, no facilities and the limestone is sharp.

Nearby

Malmok and Boca Catalina are alongside; Arashi is north.