Bushiribana
About
Experience remnants of Aruba's gold history at various sites throughout the island, including gold mines and gold mills.
Now known as Aruba, a colourful history of gold prospectors has shaped the island's history, dating back to the 1400s and 1500s, when adventurers roved the Caribbean for wealth and treasure.
Arikok national park houses the remains of historic gold mines at Miralamar. There are also two gold mills on island. On the northern coast sits the abandoned Bushiribana gold mill that once processed ore from mines in the nearby hills during Aruba's gold rush of the nineteenth century.
The second site, the Balashi Gold Mill, was built at the tip of the Spanish Lagoon. Remnants of this once bustling mill are still visible in the picturesque setting near the narrow canyon of rocks known as Frenchman's Pass.
Fun fact: In 1824, gold was finally discovered in Aruba and eventually, the industry produced more than 3 million pounds of gold.