You can ascend 180m (591 ft.) above the sea in a boat-towed parachute after making arrangements with one of the watersports centers along Palm Beach or by calling Caribbean Parasail (tel. 297/586-0505), Island Watersports (tel. 297/593-5436), Pelican Adventures (tel. 297/587-2302; www.pelican-aruba.com), or Red Sail Sports (tel. 877/RED-SAIL in the U.S. and Canada, or 297/586-1603 in Aruba; www.redsail.com). Although flight time is only 10 minutes, the exhilaration lasts all day. Expect to pay about $50 for a single-seater, $90 for a parachute built for two. Some operators restrict flights to persons over 6 years of age weighing between 41 and 109 kilograms (90-240 lb.). If underweight, an option is to pair up. Bring a waterproof camera.
Kitesurfing
With the help of large inflatable kites, about 27m (89 ft.) of flying line, and small surfboards with foot straps, kite surfers at Malmok Beach skim across the water at 48kmph (30 mph) and launch themselves 3 to 15m (10-49 ft.) in the air. Kitesurfing has many of the same elements and thrills as snowboarding and windsurfing, but with a relatively easier learning curve. Aruba's calm, shallow waters make the island ideal for giving it a whirl. Kite Surfing Aruba (tel. 297/586-5025 or 733-1515; www.kitesurfingaruba.com) has 2 1/2-hour introductory lessons for $100. Only comfortable swimmers at least 10 years old need apply. Vela Windsurf and Kite Surf Center, next to the Marriott, is a joint operation of Pelican Adventures (tel. 297/587-2302; www.pelican-aruba.com) and Vela Windsurf (tel. 800/223-5443; www.velawindsurf.com). It offers a suite of introductory classes that break the art into specialized segments (which means more instruction time and a higher price tag).
