Parasailing

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 Aquatics (tel. 297/586-0505) or De Palm Tours (tel. 297/582-4400; www.depalm.com). Although flight time is only 10 minutes, the exhilaration lasts all day. Expect to pay about $55 for a single-seater, or about $100 for a parachute built for two. Some operators restrict flights to persons 7 and over years of age weighing between 41 and 109 kilograms (90-240 lb.). If underweight, an option is to pair up. Bring a waterproof camera.

Kiteboarding -- With the help of large inflatable kites, about 27m (89 ft.) of flying line, and small surfboards with foot straps, kiteboarders at Malmok Beach and Fisherman's Hut skim across the water at 48kmph (30 mph) and launch themselves 3 to 10m (10-33 ft.) in the air. Kiteboarding has many of the same elements and thrills as snowboarding and windsurfing, but with a relatively steeper learning curve. Aruba's calm, shallow waters and steady winds make the island ideal for giving it a whirl. Kite Surfing Aruba Active Vacations (tel. 297/586-0989 or 741-2991; www.aruba-active-vacations.com) has 2-hour introductory lessons for $100. For the beginner, these lessons normally start with mastering a smaller kite on land before entering the water with a full-size kite, then finally moving to the board in subsequent lessons. Dare2Fly Aruba (tel. 297/586-3735; www.dare2flyaruba.com) offers a 6-hour beginner package, in three sessions, including a kite-control lesson, a body-drag lesson, and a board lesson for $375.