Aruba
Aruba [1] is a Caribbean island 15 miles north of the coast of Venezuela. The island is an autonomous dependency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is 19.6 miles (30 kilometers) long and 6 miles (9 kilometers) across, at its widest point, with an area of approximately 70 square miles (184 square kilometers). This flat, riverless island is renowned for its white sand beaches. Its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. The temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit).
Regions
From the tourist point of view, Aruba can be considered to be divided into the southeast and northwest coasts. The southeast has the white sand beaches, turquoise seas, and warm waters. The northwest coast, exposed to the Atlantic, has a few white sand beaches, rough seas with treacherous currents and rocky coastline.
Cities
Other destinations
- Natural Pool (Conchi) - On the northern side of the island and only accessible via ATV or Trail Rated 4x4. This is a small pool of water hidden in natural rock formation that jut into the ocean, just off the shore of Aruba. This location makes for a great day trip - make sure you vehicle has a spare tire.
- California Lighthouse - On the northern most tip of the island. Many scenic views and also the location were you can access the dirt trails to travel down the northern shores of Aruba.
- Our Lady of Alto Visto Chapel - On the northern side of the island. The chapel is very picturesque and historic.
- Aruba Aloe Factory [2] – You can take a short tour and learn some interesting facts about aloe farming, production and uses.
- Casibari Rock & Ayo Rock Formations – You can climb and explore these formations, the tops of which provide a great view of the countryside.
- Natural Bridge @ Boca Andicuri – There are 7 "Natural Bridges" in Aruba. The original (biggest and most famous bridge that people are referring to when they say Natural Bridge) collapsed in 2005 leaving a pile of rubble in the bay. Bridge Collapse Press Release There is a smaller bridge right next to the fallen bridge that still stands.
- Bushiribban Gold Mill / Smelting Station – The ruins of the smelting station are the way to the Natural Bridge. Climbing the ruins you can get great photos of the coastline.
- Aruba Ostrich Farm [3] – The tour walks you around the ostrich pens and incubator. The Aruba farm is more for educating people, while the meat that is used for food in Aruba actually comes from the sister island of Curacao. (Ostrich is a red meat, which is high in protein and low in fat.)
- Boca Catalina and the Antilla Shipwreck – These are 2 of the many sites snorkel tours will take you. The Antillla Shipwreck is the remains of a scuttled 400-foot German cargo ship that was anchored off of Aruba during WW2. It was thought that this ship was supplying German U-Boats in the Caribbean and after Holland was invaded in 1940, the captain was given notice to surrender the ship. Instead of surrendering the ship to the Dutch Marines the captain sunk the ship by blowing up the boilers. (The crew swam to shore, and were taken POW and shipped to Bonaire.) The joke you will hear is "They did not want to surrender the cargo and they also wanted to provide future tourists with a site to see." The remains are off of Malmok beach. After the war, the kaptain and his crew purchased their former POW camp and converted it into a hotel. Today the site is the Divi Flamingo resort.
- Arikok National Park [4]
- Guadirkiri Caves
- De Palm Island [5]
- Hooiberg (Haystack Mountain) a.k.a simply "the Haystack" – Standing over 500 feet, the haystack is in the center of the country and provides a breathtaking view of Aruba. People suggest going on a cool & clear day because it will be easier to climb the 1000+ steps required to reach the top and you can see the coast of Venezuela to the south!
- Butterfly Farm
- Bubali Bird Sanctuary
- Beaches
- Baby Beach - Southern Tip of the island. It's called Baby Beach because it is no more than five feet deep at any point - like a giant wading pool. This beach also has some of the best snorkeling on the island.
- San Nicolaas Beach
- Eagle Beach – Often called "1 of the 10 best beaches in the world"
- Hadikurari Beach a.k.a Fisherman's Huts. This is where the High Winds Pro AM windsurfing world championship is held every June.
- Palm Beach White sand and excellent swimming conditions in calm water. Nearby hotels allow you to use public areas for changing. Accessible by bus, car or taxi.
- Malmok Beach
- Renaissance Island - A private island accessible by ferry only if you stay at the Renaissance Resort and Casino. The island is divided into 2 beaches: Iguana Beach and Flamingo Beach. (When you visit each side it is clear which is which!) The Iguanas are fed on the dockside by Iguana Beach while the Flamingoes congregate on the other beach.
Culture and History
Climate
The climate is tropical marine, with little seasonal temperature variation. Because of its location south in the Caribbean there is very strong sun, but a constant light breeze keeps the temperature pleasant. (These persistent winds out of the east shape the island's distinctive, lop-sided divi-divi trees.) The weather is almost always dry, with most rain showers coming at night and lasting only a little while. It lies outside the zone usually affected by hurricanes.
Landcape
The island is flat with a few hills, arid with mostly desert vegetation and neglible natural resources other than white sandy beaches. Highest point: Mount Jamanota (188 meters).
History
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceeded from the Netherlands Antilles (Bonaire and Curacao, the ABC-Islands)in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level.
Electricity
Officially 120V 60Hz, which is identical to the U.S. and Canadian standard. Outlets are North American grounded outlets, identical to standard U.S. and Canadian wall outlets. Occasionally non-grounded outlets may be found, which do not accept the third, round pin present on grounded plugs, and require an adapter. Older North American outlets may not be polarized (with one slot wider than the other). Otherwise, adapters are available which accept a polarized plug and adapt it for use with a non-polarized outlet.
Travel to Aruba, visa requirements
Flights to Aruba, airtickets
Aruba no longer has a national airline. American Airlines is a popular carrier that schedules flights from the gateways of New York, Boston, Miami and San Juan. Other major carriers from the US include United (Chicago, Washington/Dulles), US Airways (Philadelphia, Charlotte), Continental(Newark,Houston) and Delta(Atlanta).
Beginning September 15, 2006, JetBlue Airways will begin daily nonstop lowfare flights between Aruba and New York/JFK airport.
Air 2000 flies charter flights from the UK, and KLM flights to Amsterdam connect to most of the rest of Europe. Avianca and Aires connect Aruba to Colombia.
Daily connections to Venezuela include Caracas, Maracaibo, Las Piedras and Valencia, by Aeropostal, Aserca, Santa Barbara Airlines and Avior.
By boat
Get around
Cabs are available at the airport and at hotels. You can also rent a car or jeep at the Queen Beatrix airport or through the hotel concierge. Additionally there is a bus system called "Arubus."
Because Aruba is small consider not renting a car until you know what you want to do. Many activities are central to the resort area of the island and are within walking distance. Renting cars/jeeps are easy and many rental companies provide pickup service from area hotels.
Driving in Aruba
The most important thing to remember is that there are no turns on red. Also, there are several roundabouts, which can be frustrating to some drivers but are quickly gotten used to. Aruba uses international road signs, which generally have no words or obvious relation to their meaning. Happily tourist maps usually contain quick references to these road signs if you are unfamiliar.
The major road is LG Smith Blvd, on which people usually drive at about 40 mph, though that is a very rough guideline. Because the island is so small, everything of interest is close to everything else of interest, and it takes special talent to get lost - if you don't know where you're going, you can basically just keep driving, and statistically speaking you are likely to end up where you need to go eventually. it should be noted, however, that most of the roads are not identified by signage.
Talk
Languages spoken are Dutch (official), Papiamento, (a creole of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch origin), Spanish, and English (widely spoken).
Shopping, Aruba souvenirs
Above all, it appears that Arubans are very aware that their economy is completely dependent on tourism - so Arubans are polite to tourists, and even street vendors don't generally seek to rip off their customers (though as in all traveling, don't let advice like this lull you into a sense of complacency). This may be helped by the fact that Aruba is a relatively expensive place to go to, so it tends to attract the reasonably well-off. If you plan to do a lot of activities and/or dine out a lot, it's a good idea to purchase a VisitAruba discount card. With this card you can get deals in a lot of places, sometimes a 5-10% discount. You can also take a look at Free Discount Coupons to save some money.
Oranjestad is filled with nearly identical shops and stalls selling souvenirs. Ironically, many of these souvenirs are imported from the United States, only to be purchased by Americans and brought back to America. Some shops carry cutesy little statuettes that depict acts of sexual intercourse among stylized, cartoony animals, so keep an eye out if you opposed to your children seeing that sort of thing.
Also in Oranjestad is the Renaissance Mall, which contains various American and European major apparel brands (i.e. Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Gucci) at essentially the same prices as in the United States.
American dollars are accepted virtually everywhere at a decent exchange rate - if you are coming from the United States there is no need to change money into the local currency, the Aruban florin. The current exchange rate (as of May 2006) given in shops is about 1.75 florins to the dollar. Because the island is a Dutch dependency, one would assume that Dutch currency is also easy to spend.
Groceries and other supplies are all imported from elsewhere, so prices tend to be high. Ling & Sons Grocery is the closest to the resort area, is not badly priced, had high quality produce and meat and possibly one of the least known to tourists. Ling and Sons is also the only grocery store on Aruba that offers online shopping. Two other major supermarkets are Super Food (LG Smith Blvd) and Kong Hing (various locations). In fact all these (big) supermarkets are in walking distance of each other.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Stoba di Bestia Chiquito - a hearty goat meat and vegetable stew
Keshi Yena - chicken or seafood with Dutch cheese
Restaurants
El Gaucho - located in downtown Oranjestad. Considered by many a high quality steak house. El Gaucho also sells online gift certificates.
Iguana Joe's - located in downtown Oranjestad. One of a few restaurants to offer authentic Aruban dishes. It has American influenced dishes as well. Very reasonably priced and fresh ingredients.
Blossoms - located within the Westin hotel. Offers Chinese and Japanese cusine. Very good sushi and great asian ambiance. Worth the slightly higher price.
The Flying Fishbone - located south Oranjstead and the beer brewery but north of San Nicholas on the beach. This restaruant has excellent food and ambiance. The service is very slow and the prices are high. The best time to go as sunset as you can enjoy it at your table on the private beach. The drinks and food are very good.
An excellent (though a bit pricey) restaurant is Madame Janette, which combines European and Aruban influences to create dishes that taste wonderful. Attentive service and a dining area that is completely outside are extra plusses. The restaurant does not advertise and it's located away from LG Smith Blvd (the main road in Aruba), but it's worth the trip.
Many chain restaurants, both fast food and upscale, from the United States are present in Aruba (i.e. Texas de Brazil, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Hooters, Subway, Tony Romas). The upscale restaurants vary in quality as there are a limited number of them and they have a steady stream of tourist customers, as they advertise in pamphlets available in the hotels. The fast food places are essentially no different than their American counterparts.
Find the right restaurant based on reviews, cuisine, seating or happy hours at the Restaurants Aruba Dining Guide
Aruba nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Balashi Beer - Aruba's National Beer. It's a must-drink beverage, perfect after spending all day at the beach. Founded in 1996, the name Balashi is derived from the words Bala Bala and Balana and means "near the sea." It is the only beer brewed on the island of Aruba. Daily tours of the brewery are available with an open-aired bar and restaurant on the premises. Balashi Brewery / Tel. 592-2544 / 523-6544. Balashi Gardens open from 6:30 am - 4:00 pm. Tours Monday - Friday.
Night Life
- Stellaris Casino @ The Aruba Marriott - This is the largest casino in Aruba. They have 30 table games, about 500 slot machines, a race and sports book and a live band every night. Also, there is a giant projection TV which is great for watching the game. The VIP Club offers comps and there is cash back for slot play. They have bingo 3 days per week. It seems to be the most popular on the island.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
- Paradera Park Apartments, Aruba [8] T. +297-5823289/5823278 F.+297-5823261 Email info@paraderapark-aruba.com .
Paradera Park, locally referred to as the "Tropical Oasis", is a high quality, intimate apartment resort with Deluxe Studio and 1-bedroom apartments, centrally and conveniently located only a few carminutes from Oranjestad and the major beaches. Tropical gardens, large swimming pool, cabanas and hammocks add to the tropical ambiance and comfort of Paradera Park's guests. All apartments very well furnished, fully equipped kitchen, bathroom (h/c water), airco, telephone, cable t.v., complimentary in-room safe and private terrace/balcony. Daily housekeeping. Property wide high speed wireless internet connection free of charge. Paradera Park .... offers high quality accomodation and services at affordable prices (winner TripAdvisor "Travellers Choice" Award 2005 and 2006).
- Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino Tel: 011 297 5 836000 Fax: 011 297 5 834389 . The all-new Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino features 558 newly renovated rooms and suites and the finest amenities and activities on Aruba. Two distinctive lodging options at this Aruba hotel offer both style and a tropical elegance. The Renaissance Marina Hotel is a hip destination for couples and the Renaissance Ocean Suites is perfect for families. Both Aruba resort options have pools or you can enjoy the 40-acres of private beach on Renaissance Island, which features inviting hammocks, a casual restaurant and bar, and many sporting activities. For a special treat, book a massage at our exclusive Spa Cove on the Island. Spa Cove includes a private cabana with a 2-person lounge chair and 2-person hammock. Aruba's best shopping; dining, casinos, and nightlife are all at the Renaissance Aruba Resort. For groups, the Renaissance Convention Center offers 22,000 sq ft of function space as well as special themed events on Renaissance Island. The Renaissance Aruba Resort is a Caribbean vacation from the ordinary.
- The Westin Aruba Resort J.E. Irausquin Blvd 77. Tel: 011 297 5 864466. Fax: 011 297 5 868217. The former Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort & Casino is the perfect island destination offering the charm of the Dutch Caribbean, a magnificent beach, glittering casino and a host of outdoor pleasures.
- Aruba Vacation Rentals Over 40 vacation rentals on Aruba ranging from one bedroom condos to 7 bedroom luxurious villas. Aruba vacation rentals are a quality lodging option.
- Aruba Marriott Located right on Palm Beach, this resort is definitely one of the most luxuriant on the island. Besides having the most spacious rooms of any hotel on the island, all the rooms have large private balconies to admire the Caribbean and tropical gardens. The stretch of Palm Beach outside the hotel is great for scuba diving, snorkeling or just laying in the sun. Also great for relaxing is the lagoon-style pool that has a peaceful waterfall and swim-up bar. Guests of the resort also have access to the spa facility at the Marriott Ocean Club. Connected to the hotel, the Stellaris Casino, the largest on the island, has good gaming and live entertainment. For such an expansive property the whole resort has a very relaxing exotic atmosphere.
Learn
Work
Stay safe
Aruba is generally a very safe place at any time of day or night. Contrary to the sensational media circus surrounding the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in 2005, that was an isolated incident and completely unrepresentative of the island; it could have happened anywhere.
However, it would probably be wise to stay away from the area surrounding the Valero refinery on the southeast part of the island at night (in the words of a Valero employee, "you will get some undesirables down there at night"). There is generally no reason for a tourist to go there at all anyway, so this likely will not be an issue.
Stay healthy
The running water in Aruba is absolutely safe to drink; the island's desalination plant is the second largest in the world.
Respect
Nature is very cherished by the Aruban people. 18% of their island is dedicated to the Arikok National Park [9].
Contact
China travel tips: Language / pensions culture in Barcelona / cheap youth hostels singapore / hotels and hostels in Trastevere in Rome / Major Morocco tourist attractions / South Africa political attractions / Vancouver visitors guide, culture & youth hostels / Las Vegas hotels, top casinos, tours and shows
