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
Wandering through Havana feels like taking a step back in time with the old colonial-style buildings and classic American cars making their way along the narrow streets. I’ve been wanting to visit Havana for awhile now, and the city certainly didn’t disappoint. The architecture here is beautiful, with many of the buildings painted in vibrant colours. While they may be in various states of crumbling, they certainly have a lot of character. It’s easy to see why Old Havana was given UNESCO World Heritage status in 1982.
Catedral de San Cristóbal, located in Plaza de la Catedral, is a gorgeous Cuban Baroque facade carved from fossil-embedded stone, originally built in 1727.
La Bodeguita del Medio, a short walk from the cathedral, dates back to the 1940s, when Ernest Hemingway used to stop by regularly for a mojito.
Plaza de San Francisco de Asís is located near the waterfront with an ornate Lion’s Fountain (Fuente de los Leones) as the centrepiece and the beautiful Basilica Menor y Convento de San Francisco de Asís at one end. Today, concerts featuring classic and Cuban music are held here.
Just up the street is the Havana Club Rum museum (Museo del Ron Havana Club). We made our way over and took a tour to learn about the history and process of making Havana Club rum. As we made our way through an old colonial building, our guide gave us a brief history of this Cuban rum and then showed us all the tools used in making it. At the end, we met at the bar for a sample of Havana Club 7-year-old rum before heading into the shop where you could purchase the various rums they make here. The tour costs 7 CUC.
We also tried out two local craft breweries – Cerveceria Antiguo Almacén de la Madera y El Tabaco, which is located down by the waterfront, and Factoria Plaza Vieja which is found in the fourth plaza (Plaza Viejo). For more info on them, click 
Near the waterfront is the Mercado de Artesanía San José. This huge market is a great place to find all kinds of crafts and souvenirs.
We made our way across Old Havana to wander a bit of the Prado, one of the prettiest promenades in the city, which marks the boundary between Habana Vieja (Old Havana) and Centro Habana (Central Havana), with colourful buildings, wrought iron street lights and trees.
The Capitolio Nacional building shares a remarkable resemblance to the American White House and is one of Havana’s great landmarks. The building is currently under construction in preparation for the 500th anniversary, but from what you can see from the outside, it’s an impressive building. 
Continuing along, you come to the Gran Teatre de la Habana, another beautiful old building across from Parque Central. With all the old cars parked out front here, you could almost imagine great theatre stars of the 40s and 50s making their way out of the theatre after a night on the stage.
Tales of a Travel Addict 
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