With guaranteed sunshine, white-sand beaches and clear blue seas, the Caribbean island of Aruba is one of the places meant for a beach holiday. However, this Dutch Caribbean island has also many historical and natural attractions to please your eye, as well as excellent water sport facilities to suit the taste of the active outdoor people.
Cultural heritage. For cultural and historical attractions, you can stop by at a local ostrich farm, visit the goldmine ruins of the island, or explore the charming chapels and lighthouses of Aruba. Moreover, you can also find popular butterfly and numismatic museums on Aruba, or explore the colorful houses and the Dutch colonial architecture of Oranjestad, the best place for shopping on Aruba, and the town where most of the lively nightlife on Aruba is found. Overall, Aruba is a popular and lovely destination with relaxed atmosphere, excellent beach holiday facilities, and a number of diverse attractions, making this Dutch Caribbean island a popular travel destination.
How to get there. Aruba is best reached through the main airport of the island, with flights to Aruba best available from the United States or the Netherlands. In addition to airways, Aruba is also reachable on several Caribbean cruises, which stop by at the island's main harbor. However, there is no scheduled ferry traffic to Aruba. For moving around on the island, rental cars in Aruba are available, in addition to which you can also use the few buses on the island, or local taxis that are available at all main resorts.
Beaches and water sport facilities: Attractions of Aruba
Small and mostly flat island facing the best of the Caribbean sun and enjoying the presence of popular white-sand beaches, Aruba is an excellent spot for a relaxing beach holiday. Palm Beach, Eagle Beach and Baby Beach are among the popular beaches on Aruba. Water sports such as snorkeling and diving in Aruba are great in the middle of the clear blue water and the fascinating shipwrecks of the Caribbean Sea. If you are searching for natural attractions, the tropical Aruba pleases you with countryside attractions such as Hooiberg hill with fascinating views over the island, and Arikok National Park that offers lovely trails for hiking on Aruba. There are also astonishing rock formations, natural pools and bridges such as Boca Andicuri to be explored on Aruba. Possibilities for golf on Aruba are also available.Cultural heritage. For cultural and historical attractions, you can stop by at a local ostrich farm, visit the goldmine ruins of the island, or explore the charming chapels and lighthouses of Aruba. Moreover, you can also find popular butterfly and numismatic museums on Aruba, or explore the colorful houses and the Dutch colonial architecture of Oranjestad, the best place for shopping on Aruba, and the town where most of the lively nightlife on Aruba is found. Overall, Aruba is a popular and lovely destination with relaxed atmosphere, excellent beach holiday facilities, and a number of diverse attractions, making this Dutch Caribbean island a popular travel destination.
Tropical and quite safe: Practical information for your trip to Abuba
Climate on Aruba is tropically warm and dry with quite warm temperatures and pleasant sea breeze around the year. Most of the rainfall on Aruba occurs between September and November, and the high season for tourism on Aruba is from December to April. However, the island is worth a visit anytime, especially if you want to avoid the crowds.How to get there. Aruba is best reached through the main airport of the island, with flights to Aruba best available from the United States or the Netherlands. In addition to airways, Aruba is also reachable on several Caribbean cruises, which stop by at the island's main harbor. However, there is no scheduled ferry traffic to Aruba. For moving around on the island, rental cars in Aruba are available, in addition to which you can also use the few buses on the island, or local taxis that are available at all main resorts.
Photo: Salvatore88, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
American dollars are accepted everywhere in Aruba.
Tourist services on Aruba are highly developed with a wide variety of beach hotels on Aruba, as well as a good amount of restaurants on Aruba. Aruba is also a quite safe destination, especially if compared with its more dangerous South American neighbors. However, this small Caribbean island suffers from drug dealing, which causes occasional problems also to visitors, and which is why you should never leave your baggage unattended when traveling to and from Aruba. When staying on Aruba, you will probably be okay if you avoid some suburbs. You should also be aware of hurricanes, which are not very common in Aruba but are sometimes met between June and November.
Spanish and Dutch colonialism: History of Aruba in brief
Once inhabited by the indigenous Caquetio people, Aruba was conquered and settled by Spanish explorers in the end of the 15th century, followed by their Dutch counterparts in the 17th century. Therefore, Aruba is familiar with multiple European influences. The island has been under Dutch control for centuries, through the Gold rush of the 20th century and the oil findings of the early 20th century, after which Aruba has started to live mainly from tourism. Today, Aruba is a free-governing part of the Netherlands.hint See also these nearby destinations: Curacao, Bonaire
