Aruba is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful blue waters, sandy beaches, and Caribbean
lifestyle. However, it's not just a place for tourism. For many years, Aruba's major source of income was
the aloe plant, specifically aloe vera.
During our visit while on a recent cruise, we had the opportunity to explore Aruba's only aloe vera
"factory" that is still in operation. Our guide told us that aloe vera was first introduced to the island in
the 1840s and became one of the country's primary exports. However, due to decreasing prices, the
plant was no longer profitable to grow, and most farmers stopped raising aloe, causing the plants to die
out. Eventually, the prices returned to profitability, and today, the only active aloe farm in Aruba
continues to produce aloe products.
The farm is open to visitors, and hundreds of people visit it every day. At the edge of the aloe field,
guests can watch an employee introduce the aloe plant, demonstrating the harvesting process and how
the aloe gel is extracted. Visitors can then tour the processing areas inside the plant and see how various
aloe-based products are made. At the end of the tour, visitors can buy several hundred packaged aloe
products from the sales area.
Overall, we learned a lot about the aloe plant and its many healthful properties during our visit.
Although we have used aloe lotions and gels before, we now have a better understanding of it and how
Aruba plays a significant role in supplying a large part of all aloe products worldwide.
Rick McCormick, and his wife Susan, love to travel and have enjoyed journeys that have taken them to just about every corner of this big, beautiful world. They are passionate about helping others discover their own ideal travel destinations and to appreciate the diversity of people and places they encounter. Rick has been providing travel planning services since 2015 and is a certified Master Cruise Consultant. You can contact him at 423-665-6005 or via email at Rick@TailoredTravel.Vacations.