Booking choice: The Natural Pool jeep safari, from $99 per person. Check dates Tour details
Two swims get called "natural pool" on Aruba tour listings. Conchi, inside Arikok National Park, is the real one. The other is the small cave pool at Bushiribana on the north coast, which several UTV tours used to visit.
One is open when the sea allows. The other can no longer be reached. Here is the state of both, plus the beaches the UTV tours use instead.
The quick answer
Conchi opens or closes with the sea: when waves break over its rock wall, swimming stops, and in July 2024 ACF closed it until further notice during Hurricane Beryl. The Bushiribana cave pool is no longer accessible: Aruba Today reported that its ladder had been removed. Check the north coast wave height on the Meteorological Department's marine forecast the day before.
Is the Natural Pool (Conchi) open right now?
Conchi opens or closes with the sea on the day, and a storm can shut it outright: in July 2024 ACF closed it, and swimming at the park's beaches, because of Hurricane Beryl.
The pool sits on the windward north-east coast, where the open-sea swell hits first. A ring of rock keeps most of it out. When waves break over the rim, the water inside surges and drains, and swimming stops. A full closure made the news in July 2024: Aruba Today carried ACF's notice that Conchi was "closed until further notice" because of the weather and sea conditions caused by Hurricane Beryl, with the park's beaches closed to swimming too.
Outside storm closures, the sea decides on the day. Rough water inside the rim means no swim, even with the sun out. If the swim is the whole point of your trip, keep a second date free.
How can I check sea conditions before my tour?
Use the Departamento Meteorologico Aruba marine forecast and advisories. Look at the line for the north-facing and east to northwest coast.
The marine forecast gives wave heights in feet for sheltered water, the south coast and open water, and it calls out the north-facing sections separately. The advisory page posts small craft advisories for coastal sections, for example for the east to northwest coast.
Our rule of thumb: when there is a small craft advisory for the north and east coast, do not count on a Conchi swim. Free cancellation runs to 24 hours before on every tour on this site, so check the forecast two days out and move your date while it costs nothing.
| What the forecast says | What it means for Conchi | Our call |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth to slight seas on the north-facing coast | Calm pool, easy swimming | Book it |
| Moderate seas, north-facing sections up to 6 ft | Swell can wash over the rim | Go, but expect a short swim or none |
| Small craft advisory for east to northwest coast | Waves break into the pool | Move your date if the swim matters |
| Storm or cyclone advisory | Expect the pool and park beaches to close | Pick a sea day on the calm west coast |
Is the Bushiribana cave pool still open?
No. Aruba Today reported that the ladder down into the cave pool had been removed, so it is no longer accessible.
The cave pool near the Bushiribana gold mill ruins was reached by a ladder, with tour guides helping visitors down. Aruba Today wrote that the ladder has been removed and the pool is no longer accessible because the climb was too dangerous, and officials urged people to "maintain your distance".
The listings are catching up. The Viator itinerary of the 2 to 5 seater UTV tour now marks "Cave Pool Aruba" as a pass-by, and its swim stop is 30 minutes at Andicuri Beach. The overview text of some listings still mentions cliff jumping at the cave pool, so go by the itinerary stops, not the marketing line. One guest on that tour wrote in September 2026 that "what was VERY dangerous was the cave situation". Stay out of it.
Where do UTV tours swim instead?
At beaches and coves along the route: Andicuri Beach on the north coast, Mangel Halto on the calm south coast, or the Tres Trapi steps on the north coast.
Each UTV tour on this site has a different swim stop, and the sea treats them differently. The north coast faces the swell; the south coast is the sheltered side, which the marine forecast lists as "protected".
If you want calm water from a UTV tour, the Fofoti small-group tour spends 45 minutes at Mangel Halto. The Wild Side UTV tour stops at Tres Trapi and adds a cliff jump at a natural swimming spot, and the ABC combo does both Conchi and Tres Trapi. For the full list, read which tours really swim at Conchi.
| Swim spot | Coast | Tour and time there | Status this season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conchi (Natural Pool) | North-east, inside Arikok | Jeep safari 1 h, combo 45 min, De Palm 30 min, horse ride 30 min | Open when the sea allows |
| Bushiribana cave pool | North | Pass-by only on the UTV tour | Ladder removed, not accessible |
| Andicuri Beach | North | UTV tour 30 min, ATV tour 15 min | Beach stop on the windward side |
| Mangel Halto | South (sheltered) | Small-group UTV 45 min | Calm side of the island |
| Tres Trapi steps | North | Wild Side UTV 20 min, combo 30 min | Steps into the sea |
Swim at Mangel Halto on the calm south coast, in a small group capped at 16 guests.
Check dates for the small-group UTV tourWhat is ACF doing about the stairs down to Conchi?
In April 2025 ACF announced work on the stairs and shelters at Conchi, with the projects due to finish in October 2025.
In its April 2025 update ACF said a new railing at Fuente was being finalized and that it would then begin improving the stairs and shelters at Conchi, followed by stairs at Dos Playa, Boca Prins and Quadirikiri Cave. The Aruba Tourism Authority and the Tourism Product Enhancement Fund support the projects.
Either way, the last stretch to the pool is on foot, down stairs and back up again in the heat. Wear water shoes with grip. Our what to wear guide has the full kit list.
Which months have the calmest sea for Conchi?
No month guarantees it. The Meteorological Department says storm systems passing to Aruba's north can cause beach erosion and coastal flooding, so check the forecast for your dates rather than the calendar.
The Meteorological Department's climate page describes steady easterly trade winds all year and warns that storm systems passing to the north can cause beach erosion and coastal flooding. Aruba's rainy season runs roughly from September to January, with showers mostly in the early morning or evening.
Our advice is simple. Book a Natural Pool tour early in your stay, not on your last day, so a rough-sea morning leaves you room to rebook. If the pool is closed for your whole trip, the snorkel catamaran on the calm west coast is the honest backup.
The longest swim at Conchi on this site: about an hour in the pool, snorkel gear included, from $99 per person.
Explore the Natural Pool jeep safari Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
Is the Natural Pool in Aruba open in 2026?
Yes, when the sea allows. Swimming stops on days when waves break over its rock wall, and a storm can close the pool entirely, as Hurricane Beryl did in July 2024.
Can you still swim in the Bushiribana cave pool?
No. Aruba Today reported that the ladder had been removed and the cave pool is no longer accessible. UTV itineraries now list it as a pass-by.
What happens to my tour if Conchi is closed?
No swim that day. Every tour on this site can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before, so watch the marine forecast and move your date early if it looks rough.
Where can I check wave conditions in Aruba?
On the marine forecast and advisory pages of the Departamento Meteorologico Aruba (meteo.aw). Look for the north-facing and east to northwest coastal sections.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD, per person or per UTV as marked, and move with the season.
Arikok & Natural Pool Jeep Safari
The real Natural Pool by open 4x4, without driving
UTV + Jeep to Conchi Natural Pool with Lunch
- UTV for up to 2 people, plus a jeep ride inside Arikok National Park
- About 45 minutes at the Conchi Natural Pool
- Lunch, snorkel gear and refillable ice water
Small-Group UTV Tour: Ruins, Bridge & Beach
- UTV for up to 2 people, priced per vehicle
- Experienced driver-guide, bandana and water refills
- Black Stone Beach, Bushiribana and the Natural Bridge
