The western, leeward side of Aruba is completely developed around the beautiful sand beaches. The eastern, windward side of the island is completely undeveloped, accessibly only by walking, horses, or four wheel drive vehicles. We opted for the latter and still took hours to go 5 or 10 miles.
Surprisingly, the landscape does not look tropical, but rather like the southwestern U.S. desert, replete with different types of cactus plants. Yet the desert ends at the seashore, often with colorful, abandoned shacks, creating unusual views.