A day in Aruba – white Caribbean beaches

Sun, beach and sea – Aruba has it all. The ABC island of Aruba is one of the Dutch overseas territories. The island off the coast of Venezuela offers wonderful white beaches with little to moderate waves. The capital of the Caribbean island is Oranjestad. Aruba has an area of almost 180 square kilometers and a population of approximately 110,000. This makes the Caribbean island the smallest of the ABC (Aruba, Bonair, Curacao) islands. The length corresponds to 30 kilometers and the width 8 kilometers. The highest peak is the Jamanota mountain at 188 meters above sea level. The national holiday is March 18 and the time zone is -4 UTC (minus 4 hours from Coordinated Universal Time).

The article “A day in Aruba” provides you with all the important information you need to spend a day in Aruba. You will learn the most important sights and helpful tips. No matter whether you travel to Aruba by plane or cruise ship.

Arrival in Aruba

Airplane

The airport is south of the capital. It is served by North and South America as well as Amsterdam (Euroopa). The airport is only a few kilometers from the city center (in fact, within walking distance).

Cruise Ship

Aruba is also served annually by some cruise ships. With up to 5 cruise ships, it has the largest cruise port in the ABC Islands. After all, crusaders are an important source of income for the island. The terminals are all close to the capital and to the city center (approx. 2 kilometers) by tram line. The nearest beach (Eagle Beach) is around 4 kilometers away on foot.

Shopping in Aruba

The prices on the Caribbean island are extremely expensive and can be compared to Switzerland. Supermarkets are also a lot more expensive than the European or American average. Petrol costs on the island are also extremely high.

Sehenswürdigkeiten auf Aruba

Aloe Factory

The Aruba Aloe Factory is one of the oldest companies still in existence today. With free entry, the cutting room and storage room can be visited. The cultivation of aloe plants has been common on the Caribbean island since 1800.

Arikok National Park

Arikok National Park is located in the northeast of the island and is home to the two highest points on the island. The “mountains” Sero Jamanota (188 meters) and Sero Arikok (176 meters). There are also several caves with Indian rock carvings. The streets in the park are unpaved and a four-wheel drive is recommended.

Views and Outlooks in Aruba

California Lighthouse

The lighthouse marks the northernmost point of the Caribbean island. It is 30 meters high and named after the ship California that sank off the coast. The lighthouse can be climbed. In addition to the lighthouse, there are also the Hudishibana sand dunes, which are special.

Hooiberg

At 168 meters, the Hooiberg is the second highest mountain and is close to the Huapt city Oranjestad. It can be seen from all over the island. A total of approx. 560 concrete steps lead to the summit with a wonderful view.

Natural bridge

In Andicun Bay on the north coast is the natural bridge, which collapsed in 2005. Immediately next to it, a smaller natural bridge was created, which still makes it one of the highlights on the island of Aruba for tourism.

San Nicolas

San Nicolas was previously known for its oil refinery. Today there is a restored water tower and numerous paintings on walls and buildings.

Beaches

The ABC Islands are a popular diving and bathing area due to the nature conservation of the water. The underwater world is excellent and many corals can be visited. Rays, seahorses, sponges, sea turtles (but also sharks) are among them. The beach is 11 kilometers long and extends from the outskirts of Oranjestad to the California Lighthouse. The beaches are freely accessible – however, deck chairs and co cost. In Aruba, the average temperature is 27 degrees with pleasantly cooling trade winds (do not underestimate the sun and use sunscreen). The water temperature averages 26 degrees. The water is only waist deep on most sections of the beach and thus ensures a special bathing pleasure.

Eagle Beach

Eagle Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The sand shines in white and feels like powdered sugar. 150 meters wide and several kilometers long – that is pure Caribbean flair. Despite numerous developments in recent years, there are still a few sections with only sand, sea and your isolated shady palm trees.

Palm Beach

The Palm Beach is especially known for windsurfers. Palm beach is divided into two zones. The southern zone is well suited for swimming and is home to most hotels. In the north, on the other hand, the surfing beach begins, also known as Fisherman’s Hut. The beach there is undeveloped for two kilometers. “De Oude Molen” – the old mill – is also located on Palm Beach. It is the only windmill on the island and the landmark.

Baby Beach

Baby Beach is on the southwest tip of the Caribbean island. It is a calm and blue lagoon with a sandy beach largely arranged in the crescent. Unfortunately, despite the most beautiful blue colors, this beach has a strong current between the bay and the sea.

Important information

Public transportation in Aruba

Aruba is operated by Arubus. The routes, times and timetables are also on the website. There are one-way tickets ($ 2.30), round-trip tickets for $ 5 (as of 2020) and day tickets for $ 10. In Aruba, there is also the option of a smart card, which means that the single ticket can be purchased for 2.50 floring (~ 1.25 USD).

There are a total of 10 bus lines, which can be lettered. These letters mean the same start and end point, but a different route (for example, a detour to another city). If you have to get on or off at intermediate stops, you should also consider the letter in addition to the line number. The lines run every 8 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, every hour and only a few times a day. There is a tighter pace in tourist areas, while the remote areas are less frequented.

There is a tram line between the cruise terminal and the city. The Oranjestad tram runs on the 1.9 kilometer single-track section between Port of Call and Plaza Nicky. 9 stops (distance every 200 meters) and 4 vehicles ensure optimal operation every 10 minutes. A special feature here are the historical looking vehicles that are powered by hydrogen. There are two double-deck open trolleys in blue and orange and two closed single-deck trolleys in green.

Language in Aruba

Dutch is spoken in Aruba. In addition to this, the native language Papiamento has been the official language since 2004. About 70% of the population speak Papiamento, 14% Spanish but only 6% speak Dutch. English is spoken due to the importance of tourism.

The official languages in Aruba are:

• Dutch
• Papiamento

Tourism

Tourism has been the main source of income since the end of the ABC Islands oil industry. Every year, an average of more than 1.5 million visitors visit the island, including around 2/3 by air and 1/3 by cruise ships.

Currency

The currency in Aruba is the Aruba Florin, although in most cases you can also pay with US dollars. However, change is often paid out in the local currency (Aruba-Florin). One euro corresponds to approximately two florins, the florin is fixed to the dollar at 1.79 to 1 USD – in everyday life 1.75 (as of 2020).

Weather

The Caribbean island is lucky to be outside the hurricane zone and to have sunny weather all year round with cool trade winds. The climate is extremely dry and the rainy season (very little rain) lasts from October to December.

FAQ Aruba