Aruba Travel Information

Don't be fooled by the arid interior landscape of Aruba as you descend for a landing at the Aruba International Airport.  The relaxing warmth of the island extends beyond the weather into its people, beaches and festive air.

Aruba, which lies 15 miles off the coast of Venezuela,  is distinguished for its heavy influence of Dutch culture and its lengthy powder-white beaches.

On our first night there, we sat in the outside space of a restaurant, listened to a live band in the park next to us and were soothed by the relaxing breeze that washed over us.

More Aruba travel information:


Besides the beautiful beaches, Aruba has 42 major scuba-diving spots and the usual array of other water-based recreational activities including deep-sea fishing, parasailing, boating, snorkeling and windsurfing. It also offers numerous resorts, casinos and nightclubs.

Three of the best and most popular land attractions are:

1. Palm Beach, which includes a hotel, shopping and dining district, plus active nightlife
   
2. Oranjestad, again for shopping, dining and nightlife
   
3. The Baby Bridge, a natural bridge at the location of a much larger land bridge that collapsed in 2005

Passports are required of U.S. and Canadian citizens. Cruise visitors simply need to have their ship IDs available when leaving the ship and returning.

The island ranks 11th among the 31 major islands in total tourism visitors, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. The peak months for visitors are April and December. The low months are May and September.

Aruba receives more than 800,000 stop-over visitors a year and another 500,000 cruise visitors.

The best months to go depend on the Caribbean hurricane season. Historically, the island receives the fewest visitors in September at the height of the hurricane season and the most visitors in March and December.

December is a popular month because the island still has temperatures in the 80s Fahreneit despite the winter season.

The best way to get there is by air. For residents of the United States and Canada, Aruba is one of the longest flights to take in the Caribbean because it lies about 15 miles off the coast of Venezuela in the southernmost part of the Caribbean. But the flight time is usually worth it.

Aruba also is becoming a popular southern Caribbean cruise port. Cruise lines that visit the island include Carnival, Princess, Holland America and Norwegian.


Tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation. The average daily temperature is 82 degrees.

The trade winds are wonderfully cooling and just as consistent as the temperatures. The island is part of the southern Caribbean ABC islands -- Aruba, Bonair and Curacao -- and generally escapes the worst of the hurricane season, so there are many good times to go.


The local currency is the Arubab Florin. But we never faced a situation where dollars weren't accepted. A service charge of 10-15 percent is usually added to a bill. A 6 percent accommodation tax is added to hotel bills.


The official language is Dutch, but English and Spanish are widely spoken and understood. The currency is Aruban florin, but U.S. dollars are widely accepted.

Although English is widely spoke, the dominant language is Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect). Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important.

Aruba landscape is flat, riverless and renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. Don't visit Aruba to see lush vegetation like Jamaica. The island is flat with a few hills and scant vegetation. This is an island for enjoying the white beaches, the active nightlife and the appealing Dutch influences.

• Caribbean Tourism Organization
  
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  
• U.S. State Department Travel
  
• CIA Factbook