Aruba

Key facts

• Region: The Caribbean
• Sovereignty: Non-sovereign territory administered by the Netherlands
• Capital: Oranjestad
• Currency: Aruban florin (AWG), pegged to the US dollar
• Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (national), English and Spanish
• Main airport: AUA — Queen Beatrix International Airport, serving Oranjestad
• Best time to visit: December to April; Aruba sits outside the hurricane belt, so it is a reliable year-round option, though it is drier and breezier in the first half of the year

Overview

Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean about 25 km off the coast of Venezuela. It sits outside the main hurricane belt, giving it an arid, sunny climate with steady trade winds. It is the most developed and most visited of the Dutch Caribbean islands, known for white-sand beaches, resort hotels, and reliable diving and snorkelling. The currency is the Aruban florin (AWG), and US dollars are widely accepted.

Airports

Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) is Aruba's only international airport, located on the western edge of Oranjestad, the capital. It handles nonstop flights from the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and several Latin American countries, and serves as the single gateway for the whole island.

Main cities

Oranjestad is the capital and cruise port, with duty-free shopping and pastel Dutch colonial architecture. Noord, north along the coast, is the resort area around Palm Beach, with high-rise hotels and casinos. San Nicolas, in the southeast, is the island's second town, known for its street art and proximity to Baby Beach. Santa Cruz and Savaneta are smaller inland and southern towns.

Places to go

Palm Beach and Eagle Beach anchor the resort strip; Eagle Beach is the wider, quieter one. Baby Beach and Rodgers Beach lie near San Nicolas in a calm lagoon suited to beginners. Arashi Beach and Boca Catalina are snorkelling spots, and Malmok Beach is a common dive entry. Arikok National Park covers roughly a fifth of the island and contains the Ayo and Casibari rock formations, the Guadirikiri caves, and the California Lighthouse at the northwest tip. Popular dive sites include the Antilla shipwreck and the reefs off Arashi and Malmok.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Aruba, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked