The basin
A pool inside a ring of lava rock. Waves wash over the rim in sets and keep the water moving. Calm inside on a calm day, and closed when the sets come over the top.
Things to do in Aruba › Places › Natural Pool (Conchi)
Natural Pool (Conchi)
$22 park pass · 4x4, horse or on footChecked October 21, 2026 park fee, hours and rules from the Aruba Conservation Foundation; access rules from the Aruba Tourism Authority; distances from OpenStreetMap and OSRM; sea from today's marine forecast; tour prices from Viator
A rock basin on Arikok's north coast, filled by the sea over a rim of lava. Islanders call it Conchi, the bowl. You reach it on about 5 km of dirt track from the San Fuego gate, on a horse, or on foot. A regular car isn't allowed past the checkpoint. The park pass is $22, and kids under 17 go free. Swimming is on when the sea is calm and the rangers' advisory allows it. Conditions change quickly, so the answer comes on the day.
Today: Airport wind at 1 a.m.: 10 mph from the east. Meteo Aruba has the north coast at 5 ft today. Rangers close the Natural Pool when the swell is up. 2 ships in port today. Book the jeep a day ahead.
Visiting
Natural Pool (Conchi): fee, hours and how you get in
| Entry | the Arikok day pass, $22 for adults and free under 17. You buy it at the San Fuego or Vader Piet gate, card or cash. Some tours include it and some add it at the gate |
| Hours | the park's visitor centers: San Fuego 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Vader Piet 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., every day. Swimming follows the rangers' advisory of the day |
| Where | the north coast of Arikok National Park, in Santa Cruz. Plus code G3FC+QH. About 5 km of dirt track from the San Fuego gate |
| Vehicle | 4x4 only. Regular cars aren't allowed past the park checkpoint on the way to the pool. ATVs, UTVs and motorbikes aren't allowed in the park at all |
| On foot | 7.7 km out and back from the visitor center along the coast, about 2 hours 40 minutes of walking. That's 4.8 miles. Rated moderately hard. Take 2 liters of water each |
| The last stretch | cars stop at a parking spot 240 m from the pool. From there you walk and go down natural stone steps. Not for wheelchairs, strollers or weak knees |
| Swimming | only in calm seas, and only when the rangers' advisory allows it. Conditions change quickly, so follow the posted warnings even when it's open. Water shoes: the rim is lava rock |
| Food | a small stand at the top of the steps sells drinks and snacks most days. Nothing else. Bring water |
| Park rules | 20 km/h on park roads, marked parking only, no pets, no drones, no rock stacking. Fines run up to $100,000 under the park law |
| Time at the pool | tours stop here for 20 to 60 minutes. Shared jeep tours take 4 to 6 hours in all, ABC's full day 8, and private jeeps 3 to 8 hours as you book them |
Which way in
- Jeep tour, from $78 A driver and a 4x4 built for the track. Shared tours take 4 to 6 hours, the full day 8. You don't drive.
- Horse, from $155 Rancho Loco rides you to the pool and back: 3.5 hours in all, about 2 in the saddle. Gold Mine Ranch rides first and takes you into the park by jeep.
- On foot, free with the pass 7.7 km out and back from the visitor center. Start at 8, when the gate opens. The sunrise hike tour starts earlier for $59.
- Your own 4x4 Allowed with the pass. Read your rental contract before you take it on the track: this one is rough.
Map
Where is Natural Pool (Conchi)
Natural Pool (Conchi): 12.5244° N, 69.9287° W Directions in Google Maps Apple Maps OpenStreetMap
How to get there
- By jeep tour The driver has the vehicle for the track, and you sit in the back. Most tours pick you up at the hotel or the port. Some prices include the $22 pass and some add it at the gate, so read your option. From $78 with a driver.
- By your own 4x4 From the San Fuego gate it's about 5 km of dirt track, and the park limit is 20 km/h. Regular cars stop at the checkpoint. Read your rental contract before you take a 4x4 in. From the parking you still walk 240 m and go down stone steps.
- On foot The trail from the visitor center runs 7.7 km out and back along the coast, about 2 hours 40 minutes. That's 4.8 miles. It's rated moderately hard. Go at 8, when the gate opens, with a liter of water each.
- On horseback Rancho Loco rides you all the way to the pool, from $155 and 3.5 hours in all. Gold Mine Ranch rides first and then takes you into the park by jeep, 5 to 6 hours.
- By rental car or taxi Only to the San Fuego gate: 20 minutes from Palm Beach, 17 from the cruise terminal. From the gate you continue by 4x4, on foot or not at all. Ask your taxi to come back for you.
Inside
What you find at the Natural Pool
The basin
The steps
From the parking you walk about 240 m and then go down natural stone steps to the water. Uneven and steep. Water shoes or closed shoes, not flip-flops.
The rangers' board
The park's sign stands above the cove with the rules and the day's advisory. When it says no swimming, that's the answer, however the water looks.
The open side
The rocks outside the rim take the full sea. Spray comes over in sets, and on rough days the rangers close the pool.
The pool
Natural Pool (Conchi): how to get there and what it costs
5 ways in, lowest price first. Each row is the lowest price on a tour with at least 30 reviews and a 4.5 rating. Some tours sell per adult and some per vehicle. Read on Viator October 15, 2026.
| On foot, sunrise hike with a swim | $59 per adult | Sunrise Hike & Swim in Natural Pool 119 reviews, 4.9 · park fee and your ride there extra · on Viator ↗ |
| Shared jeep with a driver | $78 per adult | Aruba Signature Jeep Tour: Natural Pool and Baby Beach 1,675 reviews, 4.9 · $22 park fee at the gate · on Viator ↗ |
| On horseback from a ranch | $155 per adult | Horseback Ride Tour to Natural Pool 1,263 reviews, 4.9 · park fee and pickup in · on Viator ↗ |
| Your own UTV, then a jeep into the park | $290 per UTV | UTV and Jeep Island Adventure Mix Up 136 reviews, 4.9 · park fee in · on Viator ↗ |
| Private jeep, 3 hours | $423 per jeep | Private Open-Air Safari Jeep Tour, Arikok and Conchi 377 reviews, 4.9 · 1 to 6 of you · park fee not in the price · on Viator ↗ |
The catch: Rangers close Conchi when the swell is up. Ask your operator what the tour does on a closed day before you book. Keep a spare day after yours in case the pool is shut.
From the desk
- If the question is which day to book, I'd say not your first one. Book the pool for a day with a spare day behind it. A closed pool on your last morning has no fix.
Tours
Tours to the Natural Pool
Jeep tours to the Natural Pool
12 tours · from $78 per person
A driver, a 4x4 and the pool track. 20 to 60 minutes at the pool, 4 to 6 hours in all. ABC's full day adds Baby Beach and lunch in 8 hours.
Horseback riding 10 tours · from $110 per personRanch rides along the north coast. Rancho Loco rides you all the way to the pool, from $155. Gold Mine Ranch rides, then goes in by jeep.
UTV and ATV tours 10 tours · from $90 per personThey stay outside the fence. 2 listings promise the pool: ABC's switches you into a jeep or truck at the park line, and Fofoti's pairs a UTV with a jeep.
Know before you go
Know before you go
Open or closed
The rangers post the day's advisory at the pool, and conditions change quickly. Ask at the San Fuego visitor center or ask your operator on the day. Ask them too what a closed pool means for your tour: a different stop or a different date.
The sea today
The line at the top of this page carries today's wave height for the north coast from Meteo Aruba. A low number helps your odds. The rangers still have the last word, on the spot.
Shoes and gear
Closed shoes for the steps and water shoes for the pool: the rim is lava rock. A towel and water. Snorkel gear if you have it, the basin has fish.
The drive
About 5 km of rough track each way from the San Fuego gate, at 20 km/h or less. In a jeep tour that's the fun part. In a rental 4x4, read your contract first.
Kids
Under 17 go free on the park pass. The steps and the lava rim need care, and so does the water: kids swim only when the rangers' advisory allows it. On a closed day there's no swim at all, so keep a beach in reserve.
The other pool
The small cave pool near the Bushiribana ruins is a different place, outside the park. The ladder down to it has been removed, so don't try to get in. If a tour names a cave pool, ask the operator what the swim stop is now. Conchi is the one inside Arikok.
Good to know
People also ask
- Can you drive to the Natural Pool in Aruba?
Only in a 4x4. Regular cars aren't allowed past the park checkpoint on the way to the pool, and the last 5 km are dirt track. The track ends at a parking spot 240 m from the water, then stone steps. A jeep tour from $78 per adult solves it. With a rental 4x4, read the contract before you take it in.
- Is the Natural Pool in Aruba open today?
The rangers post an advisory at the pool by the sea of the day, and conditions change quickly. When the swell sends waves over the rim, swimming is off. Ask your operator or the San Fuego visitor center on the day, and follow the sign when you get there.
- How much does the Natural Pool cost?
The Arikok day pass, $22 per adult and free under 17. It covers the whole park, caves included. The lowest tour price with the pool is $59 per adult for the sunrise hike, plus the pass and your ride to the park. A shared jeep starts at $78 per adult plus the pass at the gate. Some tours include the pass, so read your option.
- How do you get to the Natural Pool without a tour?
On foot from the visitor center: 7.7 km out and back along the coast, about 2 hours 40 minutes, with the $22 pass. That's 4.8 miles. Or in your own 4x4 on about 5 km of track from the San Fuego gate. Regular cars stop at the checkpoint.
- Can you swim in the Natural Pool?
Only in calm seas, and only when the rangers' advisory allows it. You swim and snorkel inside the ring of lava rock. Follow the posted warnings even when it's open: conditions change quickly. Water shoes help, the rock is sharp.
- How long does a Natural Pool tour take?
Shared jeep tours take 4 to 6 hours with 20 to 60 minutes at the pool. ABC's full day takes 8 hours with an hour at the pool. Private jeeps run 3 to 8 hours as you book them. Rancho Loco's horse ride takes 3.5 hours and the hike about 3.