Nestled in the Southern Caribbean Sea, just off the shores of Venezuela, lies the beautiful island of Aruba. Part of the ABC Islands, along with Bonaire and Curacao, Aruba has something for everyone.
Oranjestad, the island’s capital, is easy to walk around and while there aren’t many tourist attractions, there are some great photo stops and the old colourful colonial buildings are a must see.
Here, you will also find lots of shopping, from high end to souvenir stands, as well as a variety of restaurants, bars and coffee shops.
While there isn’t much still standing, Fort Zoutman dates back to the 18th century. The best preserved part is the Willem III tower, which was built to watch for approaching pirates.
For a local treat, stop by The Pastechi House for a delicious pastechi. They are typically filled with cheese, meat, chicken, or vegetables, and can be enjoyed as a breakfast or snack.
If your feet need a break, you can also explore part of Oranjestad by taking the Aruba Trolley.
The trolleys offer free transportation to and from the main downtown area in a loop with the cruise ship terminal. The streetcars can be boarded right outside the cruise port’s main gate. They run from 10 am-5 pm, Monday to Saturday.
Just be aware that the schedule seems to run on ‘island time’, and if there’s any construction or events going on, the trolley will not do the full loop as we found out the hard way!
Just outside Oranjestad, you will find the resort area where most of the big hotels and resorts on the island are found along the beautiful white sand beaches here.
The long white sand stretch of Eagle Beach regularly makes the list of one of the world’s best beaches. The turquoise waters are great for swimming and depending on the time of year, you may find sea turtle nests in protected areas along the beach.
While there is little shade, there are areas to rent chairs and umbrellas.
This beach is also home to the Fofoti trees, some of the most photographed trees on the island! These famous trees are a natural wonder sculpted by the island’s winds and always point towards the sea.
There is a great boardwalk that connects the beaches between the low-rise resorts and the high-rise resorts and gives you the perfect spot to get out for a morning stroll.
As you continue along, you’ll come to Palm Beach. This one tends to get very busy as there are a number of resorts lining it.
Near the high-rise hotel area, there’s a great strip of restaurants, bars and shops that get very busy in the evenings. If you are looking to go for dinner, be sure to make a reservation.
We enjoyed a great Italian meal at Gianni’s. It’s a busy place, with live entertainment and delicious homemade pasta.
At the other end of the island, not too far from San Nicolas, (and past the eyesore that is the refinery) is Baby Beach, a curved beach with shallow, calm, crystal clear water, perfect for families.
There are some palapas that are free and on a first come, first serve basis. You can also rent umbrellas and chairs, although they are not cheap. You’ll find beach bars at both end- Big Mama Grill, which has a Flintstone theme at one end and Rum Reef at the other.
For those looking for excursions, there is no shortages of things to do on the island from ATV rentals and jeep tours, to scuba diving and snorkelling tours, to kayaking or parasailing or enjoying either a daytime or sunset catamaran cruise, there’s an activity for everyone.
You can also board the Atlantis submarine for an hour long journey 30m under the sea or go visit the flamingos at two private islands, Flamingo Beach on Renaissance Island and at De Palm Island. Guests at Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort, have access to Renaissance Island, but otherwise you can purchase day passes to either place.
Another great spot is The Butterfly Farm, located in the high-rise hotel area. Inside the lush tropical foliage of this large meshed enclosure, you can see hundreds of exotic butterflies from around the world flying freely amongst the colourful flowers and trees. There are also a couple of ponds filled with fish and a trickling waterfall. Such a peaceful place to spend some time.
Included in your ticket is a guided tour which lasts about 20 minutes and gives you all kinds of information about the farm, the butterflies found there and their journey from caterpillers to chrysalis to butterflies often including a new butterfly’s first flight!
Our guide told us if a butterfly lands on you, it’s a sign of good luck!
There is also a gift shop with some unique items and a small cafe.
- Admission- $19.00 Adults, $16.00 Seniors & Students (with ID)$10.00 Children 4-17 years old ( Free under 4) *prices in USD
- Entrance includes a free return pass for the duration of your vacation, valid for one month maximum.
- Open all year, daily 8.30am – 4.30pm. The last guided tour of the day starts at 4pm.
And of course, no trip would be complete without seeking out a colourful sunset or two!!
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing beach vacation or want to keep busy with excursions and shopping, Aruba has something for everyone!
Info and Tips:
When to go- Average temperature is 28 degrees C year round and is quite dry, averaging only 2.5cm of rain a month. December-April is considered high season and cruise ships are busiest from October- April.
*Worth checking to see how many cruise ships will be in port on a given day if you are looking to spend time in Oranjestad or do any tours as the more ships in port, the busier and more expensive things will be.
Getting around the island
- Car rentals are available at the airport and many hotels, but during high season these tend to sell out.
- You can also easily get around the island by bus. A single trip is $2.60 USD (4.50 AWG) or you can get a day pass which allows unlimited rides for 24hours for $15USD (26.25 AWG). If you are going to be making several stops, the day pass is definitely worth it!
- Currency is the Aruban Florin, but USD is also accepted pretty much everywhere.
- In Aruba they speak English, Spanish, Dutch and Papiamento.
- The whole island is only 181 sq km
- Population is 107,359
While most people travel to Havana to spend their time exploring the beautiful old city, just east of all the glorious old architecture is a series of white-sand beaches, known as the Playas del Este.
On a recent trip, we decided to stay in the beach area and have the best of both worlds as our resort provided a free shuttle into Old Havana.
The string of beaches stretches 24 kms along the north coast. While the beaches here are a gorgeous white sand, palm tree-lined, turquoise water heaven, the accompanying resorts aren’t exactly luxurious. Many of them have a worn down appearance as most are over 50 years old, but for those wishing to spend their time in the city or enjoying the beaches, they are just fine.
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