Aruba
A 19-mile Dutch Caribbean island 15 miles north of Venezuela — outside the hurricane belt, dry and breezy year-round, and reliably sunny (the local saying is “sun, sand, and sea every day”). Eagle Beach’s photogenic divi-divi trees, Palm Beach’s high-rise resort strip, the otherworldly Arikok National Park (cactus-and-iguana desert covering 18% of the island), the Natural Pool tucked in volcanic rocks, and the colonial Dutch capital of Oranjestad with its pastel architecture. US dollars accepted everywhere; English universally spoken; US Pre-Clearance at the airport.
Tours & Experiences
Bookable tours, activities, and day trips in Aruba
Where to Stay
Compare hotels and rentals in Aruba
📍 Points of Interest
At a Glance
- Pop.
- 108K
- Timezone
- Aruba
Aruba sits 29 km off the coast of Venezuela — the closest Caribbean island to South America. It is technically OUTSIDE the hurricane belt (south of 12°N latitude where most Atlantic hurricanes form), making it one of the only Caribbean destinations with reliable year-round weather and no real hurricane season
Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands — not independent, but self-governing in everything except defence and foreign policy. The Dutch monarch (King Willem-Alexander) is head of state; the official languages are Dutch and Papiamento (a Portuguese-Spanish-Dutch-African creole spoken nowhere outside the ABC islands)
The Eagle Beach divi-divi trees — those iconic windswept trees bent at 45-degree angles — bend toward the southwest because of the constant northeast trade winds blowing 15-25 mph almost every day. They are not damaged or sickly; they grow that way as a natural windbreak
The aloe vera industry built modern Aruba — the island has been the world's largest aloe vera exporter at various points since 1890, with 2/3 of the island once covered in commercial aloe plantations. Aruba Aloe Balm is the oldest continuously-operating aloe processor in the world (founded 1890)
Aruba uses two currencies effectively — the Aruban Florin (AWG, pegged at 1.79 to the US dollar) and US dollars circulate interchangeably. Most prices on the tourist strip are quoted in USD; ATMs dispense both. The Florin coin includes a famous square 50-cent piece (yotin), one of only a few square coins in the world
Aruba has a permanent population of about 110,000 but receives 1.2 million tourists per year — roughly 11 tourists for every resident, the highest tourism-to-resident ratio in the Caribbean. The island's tourism strategy is "high-value, low-volume" with emphasis on US repeat visitors who often own timeshares
Top Sights
Eagle Beach
🏖️Consistently ranked in the world's top 5 beaches by TripAdvisor — a 1.5-km arc of fine white sand with the iconic divi-divi trees that have become Aruba's symbol. Wider, less developed, and quieter than Palm Beach. The Costa Linda, La Cabana, and Amsterdam Manor are the beachfront properties; the public beach access points have free parking. Sunsets here are exceptional.
Palm Beach
🏖️The 3-km high-rise hotel strip — Hyatt, Marriott, RIU, Riu Palace, Holiday Inn, Hilton — backing a wide white-sand beach with calm protected swimming. The most amenity-dense beach (every hotel has its own bars, water sports, and beach loungers) but also the busiest. Reef snorkelling 100m offshore. The pedestrianised hotel zone has restaurants, casinos, and a casino-resort nightlife scene.
Arikok National Park
🌳A 7,907-acre national park covering 18% of Aruba's landmass — desert badlands of cactus and divi-divi, the dramatic Natural Pool (Conchi) accessible only by 4x4 or hike, the Quadirikiri Cave with twin natural skylights, and the Fontein Cave with Arawak Indian petroglyphs. The Andicuri Beach and the eerie Bushiribana gold-mill ruins are along the windward coast. Entry $11 ($5 children), good for the day.
Oranjestad Capital
📌The pastel Dutch-Caribbean capital — colourful colonial buildings, a small downtown that you can walk in 30 minutes, the Aruba Aloe Factory & Museum, the Archaeological Museum, and Plaza Daniel Leo for cafe-watching. The Wilhelminastraat shopping street has the duty-free luxury stores. Far less crowded than the Palm Beach hotel strip — a half-day visit is the right dose.
California Lighthouse
📌A 30-metre-tall lighthouse on the northwestern tip of Aruba (1916, named after a steamship that wrecked here in 1891) with the most panoramic view of the island — desert dunes to the south, the wave-pounded windward coast to the east, calm Caribbean to the west. The adjacent La Trattoria El Faro restaurant has the best sunset terrace on the island. A 25-min drive from Palm Beach.
Baby Beach (San Nicolas)
🏖️A protected lagoon at the southeastern tip of Aruba — calm, shallow water perfect for kids and families, snorkelling on the reef edge, and a 10-min drive from the colourful murals of San Nicolas (the "Sunrise City" with the largest collection of street art in the Caribbean). An hour from the high-rise hotels but an entirely different vibe — quieter, more local, and a window into Aruba's industrial past (the closed Lago oil refinery is nearby).
Aruba Aloe Factory & Museum
🏛️The world's oldest continuously-operating aloe vera company (founded 1890) on the island where two-thirds of the land was once aloe plantations. Free 30-minute factory tours show the harvesting, gel extraction, and product manufacturing for the global Aruba Aloe Balm brand. The shop sells products at up to 40% below US retail. Tour daily, closed Sundays.
Natural Pool (Conchi)
🏖️A volcanic-rock natural pool on Aruba's windward coast — protected from the open Caribbean by a ring of black volcanic boulders that the waves crash over but rarely into the pool itself. Inside the rocks, calm clear water 8-10 feet deep makes for excellent swimming. Access requires either a 4x4 (rental tour, ~$80 per person) or a 1-hour hike from the Andicuri Beach trailhead. Inside Arikok National Park.
Off the Beaten Path
San Nicolas Street Art & Carubbian Festival
San Nicolas — Aruba's "second city" at the southeast end — has been transformed since 2016 into the Caribbean's largest open-air street art gallery, with 50+ massive murals on building walls by international artists. The annual Aruba Art Fair (September) brings new works each year. Combined with Charlie's Bar (the legendary 80-year-old institution covered floor-to-ceiling in customer-donated memorabilia), San Nicolas is the cultural day-trip from Palm Beach.
Most visitors never leave the Palm Beach hotel strip and miss San Nicolas entirely. The murals are world-class — the same artists who paint Lisbon's Bairro Alto and Buenos Aires' Palermo. Charlie's Bar is the most authentic Aruban institution.
Zeerover (Savaneta)
A no-frills fish-shack restaurant on the southwestern coast where the local fishermen literally land their catch on the dock and walk it to the kitchen. You order by the pound (mahi mahi, snapper, kingfish), it's fried or grilled with funchi (cornmeal cake) and rice on the side. Cash only, picnic tables on the water, no reservations. Lunchtime queues — get there by 12:30.
Aruba's tourist-strip restaurants are competent but generic; Zeerover is the antidote — Aruban fishermen, Aruban customers, and fish that was in the ocean two hours before you eat it. The ambience is plastic chairs and the Caribbean Sea.
The Old Cunucu House (Yerba Buena)
A 100-year-old traditional Aruban "cunucu" (rural farmhouse) restored as a small restaurant serving authentic Aruban-Caribbean fusion — keshi yena (cheese-stuffed chicken), pan bati (Aruban cornbread), goat stew, and other dishes that have largely disappeared from the hotel-strip menus. Family-run; the patio has the best small-restaurant atmosphere on the island.
Authentic Aruban cooking is harder to find than you'd expect — most "local food" on the tourist strip has been adapted for American palates. Yerba Buena is the real thing, and the building itself is a mini-museum of pre-tourism Aruba.
Hooiberg Hike
A 165-metre conical hill in the centre of Aruba — 562 stone steps to the summit (about 20 minutes of climbing) for a 360-degree view of the entire island, from Palm Beach in the west to San Nicolas in the southeast and the lighthouses at both ends. The name means "haystack" in Dutch. Free; sunrise (around 6:30am) is the best time before the heat.
The single best panorama of Aruba's actual geography — most visitors only ever see the strip view. The hike is short enough that even modestly-fit travellers can do it, and the summit has interpretive signs in English/Dutch/Spanish.
Sunday at Mangel Halto
A small mangrove-lined beach south of Oranjestad that locals consider the most beautiful on the island — turquoise water in a small protected lagoon, snorkelling on the reef just offshore, a wooden boardwalk through the mangroves, and the cleanest sand. On Sundays it fills with Aruban families bringing coolers and barbecues; weekdays it's often just a handful of people. No facilities — bring food and water.
Aruba's public beach gem — hidden enough to remain a local secret, beautiful enough to compete with Eagle Beach, and far less crowded. The Sunday family scene is a window into how Arubans actually use their island.
Climate & Best Time to Go
Aruba has the most consistent weather of any Caribbean destination — average highs sit between 28°C and 32°C every month of the year; lows rarely drop below 24°C. The island is technically OUTSIDE the Atlantic hurricane belt (12°N is the latitude where most hurricanes form, and Aruba sits at 12.5°N — but practical hurricane-strike risk is minimal). Constant 15-25 mph trade winds from the northeast keep the island feeling cooler than the temperatures suggest. Annual rainfall is just 470 mm — among the driest in the Caribbean.
Dry Season
January - August75 to 88°F
24 to 31°C
The longer dry period — strong trade winds, very low rainfall (often weeks without a drop), and consistent sun. February-April is the most popular tourist period with lowest humidity. June-August is hotter but the trade winds remain strong.
Brief Rainy Season
October - December77 to 88°F
25 to 31°C
The "rainy" season is mild by Caribbean standards — short afternoon showers most days, the occasional overnight downpour, but rarely a full day of rain. November-December gets the most rain. October-December is the lowest hurricane risk window of any Caribbean island.
Brief Shoulder
September79 to 88°F
26 to 31°C
The transition month — still mostly dry, hottest of the year (lowest trade winds), and lowest tourist crowds (until December). Hotel rates are at their lowest. Excellent if you don't mind heat and humidity.
Holiday Peak
Mid-Dec - Early-Jan75 to 86°F
24 to 30°C
Christmas and New Year — peak North American holiday period, hotel rates at their highest of the year. Reliably warm and dry; the brief rainy season is essentially over by Christmas.
Best Time to Visit
Aruba's consistency makes any time of year acceptable — but January-April is the peak window with lowest rainfall, lowest humidity, and reliably strong trade winds. May-August is excellent value for similar weather minus 30% on hotel rates. September-November is hottest and the brief rainy season; December is festive but expensive.
Holiday Peak (Dec 20 - Jan 5)
Crowds: Very highChristmas and New Year — the most expensive period of the year, with US East Coast snowbirds escaping winter and Bonaire/Curaçao residents visiting for the holidays. Hotels book 6+ months ahead; rates are 50-100% above shoulder season. Reliably warm and dry.
Pros
- + Most festive atmosphere
- + Reliable warm dry weather
- + Bonaire-Curaçao day trips easy
Cons
- − Highest prices of the year
- − Hotels book months ahead
- − Restaurants need reservations
Peak Dry Season (Jan 6 - April)
Crowds: HighThe classic Caribbean escape window — North American snowbirds with the most reliable weather and the strongest trade winds. Easter is a peak week. Hotel prices remain high; restaurants and tours need advance booking.
Pros
- + Most reliable weather
- + Lowest humidity
- + Strong trade winds keep cool
Cons
- − Expensive accommodation
- − Crowded beaches
- − Need restaurant reservations
Summer Shoulder (May - August)
Crowds: ModerateExcellent value with similar weather — strong trade winds continue, temperatures are slightly higher, and rates drop 30-40% from peak. May and August have the best price-weather balance. June-August coincides with US summer break — some North American family travel returns.
Pros
- + Significant price drops
- + Same dry weather
- + Easier reservations
- + Strong trade winds
Cons
- − Slightly hotter than winter
- − July-August: US family crowds return
- − Less of a temperature relief from summer at home
Brief Rainy Season (Sep - Nov)
Crowds: LowThe "rainy" season is mild by Caribbean standards — short afternoon showers most days, the occasional overnight downpour, but rarely a full day of rain. September is hottest and lowest-tourist; October-November starts to cool with returning trade winds. Hotel rates lowest of the year.
Pros
- + Lowest prices of the year
- + Empty beaches
- + Best chance of upgrades
Cons
- − Some afternoon rain
- − September is hottest with weakest trade winds
- − Some restaurants close for owners' vacations
🎉 Festivals & Events
Carnival
January-FebruaryAruba's 2-month carnival season culminating in the Grand Parade through Oranjestad — calypso music, soca, elaborate costume bands, and the Lighting Parade through the streets. Smaller scale than Trinidad but the most colourful Aruban event of the year.
Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival
May (Memorial Day weekend)Major US R&B and soul music festival on Eagle Beach — past lineups have included Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, John Legend. Hotels book months ahead.
Aruba Art Fair (San Nicolas)
SeptemberAnnual three-day street art festival in San Nicolas — international artists paint new murals on building walls, joining the existing 50+ works. The most active week of San Nicolas' renaissance.
Aruba Hi-Winds Windsurfing Championship
JulyWorld-class windsurfing and kitesurfing competition at Hadicurari Beach — Aruba's constant trade winds make it one of the world's best windsurfing venues. Free spectator access; the event has run since 1987.
Safety Breakdown
Very Safe
out of 100
Aruba is among the safest destinations in the Caribbean for tourists. Violent crime is rare; petty theft (unattended belongings on the beach, hotel-room incidents) is the most common issue. The island's tourism economy depends on its safety reputation and the local government, police, and tourism authorities work hard to maintain it. Walking around Palm Beach, Eagle Beach, and Oranjestad is comfortable day and night.
Things to Know
- •The tourist zones (Palm Beach, Eagle Beach, Oranjestad downtown) are heavily policed and safe day and night with normal precautions
- •San Nicolas has been transformed by the street art renaissance and is safer than its previous reputation suggests; visit during daytime hours and stay in the mural districts
- •Hurricane risk is essentially zero in Aruba — the island sits south of the main Atlantic hurricane track and has not had a direct major hurricane strike in modern memory (the closest was 2007's Felix)
- •Sun is intense — Aruba sits 12 degrees north of the equator and the dry, low-humidity air means you don't feel the burn until it's done. SPF 50 and a hat are essential, even in winter
- •Rip currents on the windward coast (eastern side) are dangerous and unpredictable; do NOT swim at Andicuri, Boca Grandi, or any windward beach. The leeward (western) beaches are calm and safe
- •Rental cars: drive on the RIGHT (Dutch tradition); street signs are in Dutch and English; speed limits are 60 km/h on highways. Police speed enforcement is strict
- •Hospitals: Hospital Dr. Horacio Oduber is the main hospital in Oranjestad; quality is high (European Dutch-influenced standards), with English-speaking staff
Emergency Numbers
Emergency (all services)
911 or 100
Police
100
Ambulance
911
Fire
911
Costs & Currency
Where the money goes
USD per dayBackpacker = hostel dorm + street food + public transit. Mid-range = 3-star hotel + neighbourhood restaurants + transit cards. Luxury = 4/5-star + fine dining + taxis. How we calibrate these numbers →
Quick cost estimate
Customize per category →Estimates based on regional averages. Flight prices vary by season and airline.
budget
$130-200
Off-strip apartment or budget guesthouse, supermarket meals + Zeerover lunch, Arubus transport, free public beaches, occasional taxi
mid-range
$280-450
Mid-range Palm Beach hotel (Holiday Inn, Riu) or Eagle Beach low-rise resort, sit-down restaurants, rental car for 2 days, museum entries
luxury
$650-1500
Bucuti & Tara (adults-only Eagle Beach), Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach, fine dining (Madame Janette's, Wilhelmina), private excursions, 4x4 Natural Pool tour
Typical Costs
| Item | Local | USD |
|---|---|---|
| AccommodationOff-strip studio/apartment | $80-150 | $80-150 |
| AccommodationMid-range Palm Beach hotel double | $220-400 | $220-400 |
| AccommodationBucuti & Tara (adults-only luxury) | $500-900 | $500-900 |
| AccommodationRitz-Carlton Palm Beach | $700-1500 | $700-1500 |
| FoodLunch at Zeerover (fish + sides) | $15-22 | $15-22 |
| FoodMid-range restaurant dinner (3 courses) | $45-80 | $45-80 |
| FoodBalashi (Aruban beer) | $5-7 | $5-7 |
| FoodAruba Ariba cocktail | $10-15 | $10-15 |
| TransportTaxi airport to Palm Beach | $32 | $32 |
| TransportArubus single fare | $2.60 | $2.60 |
| TransportRental car (compact, daily) | $40-65 | $40-65 |
| AttractionArikok National Park entry | $11 | $11 |
| AttractionAruba Aloe Factory tour | Free | Free |
| AttractionNatural Pool 4x4 tour | $80-110 | $80-110 |
| AttractionDe Palm Island day pass | $110-170 | $110-170 |
💡 Money-Saving Tips
- •Use the Arubus Line 1 instead of taxis between Oranjestad and the hotel strips — $2.60 vs $14-22 by taxi
- •Free public beach access at Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, and Mangel Halto — even the 5-star resorts cannot privatise the sand
- •Eat lunch at Zeerover, dinner at Yerba Buena, and skip half the tourist-strip restaurants — better food, half the price
- •Aruba Aloe Balm products at the factory shop in Hato are 30-40% below the duty-free prices in town and US retail
- •Rent a 4x4 for one day to do Arikok yourself ($110/day) instead of the Natural Pool tour ($80 per person — pays off for 2+ travellers)
- •Travel September or May (shoulder seasons) for 30-40% off accommodation rates with essentially the same weather
Aruban Florin
Code: AWG
Aruba uses the Aruban Florin (AWG, pegged at 1.79 to the USD) — but US dollars circulate freely and are accepted everywhere. Most tourist-strip prices are quoted in USD; restaurants, shops, taxis, and hotels all accept USD. Change is sometimes given in florins; ATMs dispense both currencies (choose USD if you don't want to convert back later). The famous Aruban Florin coin is the square 50-cent piece (yotin).
Payment Methods
Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard) accepted everywhere; American Express widely but less universal. Apple Pay/Google Pay work at chain restaurants and resort properties. Cash useful for the bus, beach vendors, taxi tips, and Zeerover (cash-only). ATMs at Aruba Bank, RBC, and Caribbean Mercantile Bank throughout downtown and Palm Beach.
Tipping Guide
Most restaurants automatically add a 15% service charge to the bill — check before adding more. If not included, tip 15-20%. The service charge does not always reach the staff; rounding up cash on top is appreciated.
$1-2 per drink at bars; 15% on a tab. Beach bars often add a service charge.
15% standard. Round up for shorter trips.
$3-5 per day left on the pillow.
$1-2 per bag.
$10-20 per person for a half-day; 15-20% of tour cost for full-day.
How to Get There
✈️ Airports
Queen Beatrix International Airport(AUA)
4 km from Oranjestad, 12 km from Palm BeachTaxi to Oranjestad $22 (10 min); to Eagle Beach $25 (15 min); to Palm Beach $32 (20 min). The Arubus Line 1 has a stop near the airport ($2.60 to anywhere on the strip). The airport has a US Pre-Clearance facility — when flying back to the US, you clear US Customs and Immigration in Aruba and arrive in the US as a domestic passenger. Arrive 3 hours early for US-bound flights.
✈️ Search flights to AUAGetting Around
Aruba's transport options are taxis (no Uber on the island), the Arubus public bus system (cheap, scheduled), rental cars (drive on the RIGHT, Dutch tradition), and walking around Oranjestad and the hotel strips. The Arubus Line 1 runs the full length of the western coast from Oranjestad through Eagle Beach to Palm Beach every 15-30 minutes — useful, cheap, and direct.
Taxi (Cocodriver)
$10-32 per typical metro tripFixed-zone fares with no meters — Airport to Palm Beach $32, Airport to Oranjestad $22, Palm Beach to Oranjestad $14, Palm Beach to Eagle Beach $10. Per-car rates (1-4 passengers); after 11pm a 25% surcharge applies. There is NO Uber in Aruba — the taxi cooperative has government protection. Order by phone (582-2116) or at hotel taxi stands.
Best for: Airport transfers, evening returns, group of 3-4 (cheaper than per-person bus)
Arubus Line 1
$2.60 one-way / $10 day passThe main bus line runs from Oranjestad bus terminal up the western coast through Eagle Beach to Palm Beach to Malmok — every 15-30 minutes from 6am to 11pm. $2.60 one-way (cash, exact change preferred), $5 round-trip, $10 day pass. The bus stops at every major hotel and attraction along the strip. Excellent value for budget travellers.
Best for: Strip-to-Oranjestad shopping/sightseeing, budget travellers, multiple beaches in a day
Rental Car
$40-120/dayEssential for Arikok National Park, the windward coast, San Nicolas, Baby Beach, and any off-strip exploration. Major chains (Avis, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty) at the airport; rates $40-65/day for compact, $80-120/day for 4x4 (needed for Natural Pool access). Drive on the RIGHT. Roads are good; parking at most attractions is free.
Best for: Arikok Park, San Nicolas, Natural Pool (4x4), windward coast, multi-day independent exploration
Walking
FreeOranjestad downtown is walkable (1 sq km, all in 30 minutes); Palm Beach's pedestrianised hotel zone is walkable end-to-end in 15 minutes. Walking between hotel strips and Oranjestad is too far in the heat (4-5 km).
Best for: Oranjestad downtown, Palm Beach hotel strip
Walkability
Walking is good within Oranjestad downtown and along the Palm Beach pedestrian strip. Between districts requires bus, taxi, or rental car. The trade winds and shade make daytime walking pleasant despite the temperatures.
Travel Connections
Curaçao
The largest of the ABC islands (Aruba-Bonaire-Curaçao) and the most architecturally distinctive — Willemstad's pastel Dutch colonial buildings (UNESCO 1997) line the Sint Anna Bay channel, the Queen Emma floating bridge swings open to let cargo ships through. More cultural depth than Aruba; less tourist density. A 30-min flight or a quick island-hop.
Bonaire
The B in ABC — the world's top shore-diving destination with the entire coastline designated a marine park (since 1979). 60+ dive sites accessible from a parking spot on shore; flamingo nesting grounds at Pekelmeer; Washington Slagbaai National Park covering the northern third of the island. Quieter, less developed, and dramatically different from Aruba — divers, snorkellers, and nature people only.
Cartagena, Colombia
Colombia's walled colonial city on the Caribbean — UNESCO 1984, with the most beautiful preserved colonial centre in the Americas. From Aruba, Cartagena is closer than most other Caribbean islands. Avianca and Copa offer connections; some travellers combine Aruba + Cartagena into a single trip for the Caribbean-meets-South-America experience.
De Palm Island
A small private island day-trip destination off Aruba's southwest coast — calm protected swimming lagoon, snorkelling on the reef (parrotfish, blue tangs), zip line over the water, and an all-inclusive day-pass model with lunch and unlimited drinks. Excellent for families looking for a slightly more curated beach day than the public beaches.
Entry Requirements
Aruba has one of the most permissive entry policies in the Caribbean — visa-free entry of 30 days for most Western passport holders, extendable to 180 days. Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands but has its own immigration policy (separate from Schengen). The Aruba Embarkation/Disembarkation card (ED card) is required for all visitors and must be filled out online before arrival.
Entry Requirements by Nationality
| Nationality | Visa Required | Max Stay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Citizens | Visa-free | 30 days (extendable to 180) | No visa required. Passport must be valid for the duration of stay (the previous 6-month rule is relaxed for US citizens). Aruba ED card required online before flight (free, electronic at edcardaruba.aw). |
| UK Citizens | Visa-free | 30 days | No visa required. Passport must be valid for entire stay. ED card required online before flight. |
| EU Citizens | Visa-free | 30 days | Aruba is NOT in Schengen — your 30 days here do not count against the Schengen 90/180 limit. ED card required online. |
| Canadian Citizens | Visa-free | 30 days (extendable to 180) | No visa required. ED card online before flight. |
| Dutch Citizens | Visa-free | Indefinite (constituent country of the Kingdom) | Dutch citizens have full residency and work rights in Aruba — Aruba is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. |
Visa-Free Entry
Tips
- •Aruba airport has a US Pre-Clearance facility — when flying to the US, you clear US Customs and Immigration in Aruba and arrive in the US as a domestic passenger; arrive 3 hours early for US-bound flights to use it
- •No vaccinations required for entry from most countries; yellow fever certificate needed if arriving from a yellow-fever country (most of Africa and parts of South America)
- •Aruba is NOT in the EU customs union — duty-free shopping rules apply on departure to the EU and US
- •Customs limits: 1 litre of spirits, 200 cigarettes duty-free into Aruba; US-bound returnees can bring back $800 worth of duty-free goods
- •Onward/return ticket required — immigration does verify; book a return flight before arrival
Shopping
Aruba is a duty-free port — luxury goods (jewellery, watches, perfumes) are sold without import duty and prices on premium brands can be 20-30% below US retail. Oranjestad has the duty-free shopping concentration; the Palm Beach strip has resort boutiques and the Renaissance Mall. Aloe vera products, Aruban rum, and locally-made pottery are the authentic souvenirs.
Renaissance Mall & Marketplace (Oranjestad)
duty-free shopping mallThe flagship duty-free shopping centre — Tiffany, Bulgari, Cartier, Coach, Salvatore Ferragamo, Diamonds International, plus a casino and the boat for Renaissance Private Island. Genuine duty-free pricing. The adjacent Renaissance Marketplace has Aruban-owned shops (Aruba Trading Company, Caribbean designs) and excellent restaurants. Open daily.
Known for: Luxury jewellery, watches, designer fashion
Caya G.F. Betico Croes (Main Street)
shopping streetOranjestad's pedestrianised main shopping street — duty-free perfumes (Maggy's), Cuban cigars (Aruba Trading), tobacco, swimwear, and Aruban Aloe Balm shops. The atmosphere is calmer than the cruise-port hours when the avenue is mobbed; weekday afternoons are best.
Known for: Duty-free perfumes, Cuban cigars, beachwear, Aruba Aloe products
Palm Beach Plaza Mall
shopping mallA modern mall at the north end of the Palm Beach hotel strip — designer stores, Cinemas Megaplex, and a food court. Convenient for tourists already in Palm Beach who do not want to take a taxi to Oranjestad. Smaller selection than Renaissance Mall but useful.
Known for: Designer brands, cinema, food court
🎁 Unique Souvenirs to Look For
- •Aruba Aloe Balm products — sunburn gel, skincare, lip balm — bought at the factory shop in Hato (40% below US retail), the world's oldest continuously-operating aloe vera company
- •Bottle of Aruban Coecoei (a sweet, aloe-cactus-based liqueur traditional to Aruba) or Palmera Rum (locally distilled) — only available on the island
- •Cuban cigars from Aruba Trading Company — Aruba is one of the few "Western" places where Cuban cigars are legal to buy and the prices are excellent
- •Locally made Aruban pottery — Cosecha Aruba in Oranjestad sells authenticated work from Aruban artisans (look for the Cosecha hallmark)
- •Aruban driftwood art and seashell jewellery — Eagle Beach has independent vendors with hand-crafted pieces; smaller scale than the Bahamian Straw Market but more curated
- •Diamonds International or Diamonds International Aruba — major US brands with genuine duty-free pricing on certified diamonds; comparison-shop online before purchase
Language & Phrases
Aruba is officially bilingual in Dutch and Papiamento — the latter is a creole language spoken nowhere outside the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao), incorporating Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and West African elements. English and Spanish are universally spoken in tourist areas (Venezuela is 30 km away). Using a few words of Papiamento is wildly appreciated and immediately marks you as more than a cruise tourist.
| English | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (informal) | Bon dia / Bon tardi | BON DEE-ah / BON TAR-dee |
| Good morning | Bon dia | BON DEE-ah |
| Good evening | Bon nochi | BON NO-chee |
| Please | Por fabor | POR FA-bor |
| Thank you | Danki | DAHN-kee |
| You're welcome | Na bo ordo | na BO OR-do |
| Yes / No | Si / No | see / no |
| How much? | Cuanto ta? | KWAN-toh ta |
| The bill, please | E cuenta, por fabor | eh KWEN-ta, por fa-BOR |
| A beer, please | Un cerbes, por fabor | oon ser-BES, por fa-BOR |
| Where is...? | Unda ta...? | OON-da ta |
| Cheers! | Salud! | sah-LOOD |
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