Some happen at sea.
Some happen around the dinner table.
And some begin with a maraca in one hand and a cocktail in the other.
At Aruba Wine & Dine, we've always believed the best vacations don't end after the beach.
They're just getting started.
For years, we've been bringing people together through restaurants, memorable evenings and island experiences. Today, that family includes Jolly Pirates and Kukoo Kunuku.
For nearly 30 years, Kukoo Kunuku has been responsible for questionable dance moves, spontaneous singalongs and convincing perfectly sensible adults that one more stop was always a great idea.
Somewhere between the first maraca shake and the last dance move, strangers become friends.
And somehow your name ends up riding through Aruba on the side of a bright red bus.
So when Kukoo Kunuku celebrated its 30th anniversary...
...we thought, why stop there?
Not by changing what everyone already loves.
But by creating two new ways to experience Aruba after the sun goes down.
Aruba's evenings can be every bit as memorable as its days.
You can watch the sunset over dinner, explore the island's food scene, discover San Nicolas after dark, listen to live music or spend an evening meeting people you might never have crossed paths with otherwise.
For Kukoo Kunuku, two very different evenings grew from that idea.
Wine and tequila weren't destined to be friends.
So we introduced them anyway.
If you loved our original wine tour, we've uncorked its delicious next chapter.
Island Sips & Night Bites is a progressive dinner experience where each stop introduces a different atmosphere, food and drinks.
The evening begins with a handcrafted cocktail at KOKOA Restaurant & Beach Bar before continuing through Aruba Wine & Dine restaurants for an evening of food, wine, cocktails and good company.
Bring your appetite.
We'll take care of the rest.
Because one great restaurant was never going to be enough.
Meet Taste of San Nicolas.
Creating this experience became one of the projects I'm most proud of.
I began spending more time in San Nicolas while researching its murals and stories. But the more I walked its streets, the more I discovered beyond the artwork: artists and entrepreneurs, old refinery stories, galleries, local flavors, neighborhood conversations and people who seemed to make every visit different from the one before.
I created Taste of San Nicolas to bring those pieces together.
As the sun begins to set, we explore the murals and the stories behind them, discover the history and character of Aruba's Sunrise City, and experience the food and culture of a community many visitors otherwise pass on their way to Baby Beach.
It's relaxed.
It's personal.
It's delicious.
It's deeply local.
And no two evenings ever seem to unfold quite the same way.
San Nicolas feels different as daylight begins to fade.
The murals take on a different character, music drifts into the streets, restaurants and local businesses come alive, and the city begins to settle into its evening rhythm.
That's exactly why I wanted Taste of San Nicolas to take place at twilight and into the evening.
The murals may introduce you to San Nicolas.
The people and stories are what make you remember it.
If your idea of a wonderful night revolves around restaurants, cocktails and discovering different flavors, Island Sips & Night Bites was created for exactly that.
If you're curious about Aruba beyond the beaches and want to discover the art, history, food and people of San Nicolas, Taste of San Nicolas takes you into the Sunrise City after the daytime crowds have begun to disappear.
And if you still have energy afterward?
Well, this is Kukoo Kunuku.
Questionable dance moves are officially encouraged.
Because you didn't come to Aruba to go to bed early.
We've saved you a seat.
Explore Island Sips & Night Bites
Carla Cavallaro
Brand Manager, Kukoo Kunuku & Jolly Pirates | Creator of Taste of San Nicolas
Carla Cavallaro has called Aruba home since 1989 and helped launch Jolly Pirates in 1997. She created Taste of San Nicolas after spending months exploring the murals, history, food and people of Aruba's Sunrise City. She works with both Kukoo Kunuku and Jolly Pirates and contributes stories to Yummy Aruba, part of Aruba Wine and Dine, sharing Aruba's people, food, culture and the experiences visitors might otherwise miss.
Read more of her stories at Kukoo Kunuku and Jolly Pirates.
