What to do, How to Get There, & More
Aruba 2025 Travel Guide
How to Get to Aruba, Things to Do, and More…
Aruba’s nickname is “One Happy Island” – and once you visit, you’re likely to understand why. How can the locals and tourists here be so happy? It probably has something to do with the soft-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and stunning nature, along with much more.
Aruba is an island of the Dutch Caribbean, meaning it’s a territory of the Netherlands, along with neighboring Curaçao and Bonaire. However, you’re far from the canals of Amsterdam here. This is just about as southern as the Caribbean gets, and it’s just 15 miles north of the South American coast.
Sun seekers have flocked to Aruba for years, and it’s among the most visited Caribbean islands visited each year. Its beaches are spectacular for watersports, diving, or simply lounging about. Its interior is rugged and unique, much different from other nearby islands, with nature and scenery that beckon. Luxurious resorts are abundant, and the seafood is as fresh as it gets.
Despite its small size, Aruba is packed with fun and adventure
In this guide to Aruba
Best Time to Visit Aruba
There are many different opinions out there when it comes to the best time to visit Aruba. The good news is that you aren’t likely to find a bad time – the island sits well outside of the hurricane belt, and there aren’t roaring rain storms most of the time.
The high season on this happy island is most of the northern hemisphere’s winter. Starting around the December holidays and continuing into January, February, and March, snow escapers and spring breakers alike fill the dreamy beaches. While this does drive up prices a bit, these months have the most pleasant temperatures – ranging from the mid-70s to high-80s Fahrenheit (roughly 24 to 32 degrees Celsius).
The rest of the year can be considered low season, and prices will cool down while the sun heats up a bit more (but not by much – just a few degrees). April through August see the least rainfall of all, while the fall months see the most. The end of the year is when the region’s notorious winds die down the most, too.
Our advice is to shoot for the shoulder seasons. Traveling to Aruba in April, May, and September will avoid the biggest crowds and enjoy lovely weather conditions. Keep in mind that Aruba is a world-class destination year-round, and you’ll never have the island to yourself – but you are sure to love it here whenever you decide to go.
Things to Do in Aruba
Aruba is certainly the type of place where you can kick back at your resort’s pool, beach, or spa for the whole trip – but it certainly doesn’t have to be. There are a ton of adventures around the island for all kinds of travelers.
Top Aruba Activities
Relax & Play on Aruba’s Best Beaches
Let’s be honest – these are what’s bringing most visitors to Aruba. They are also what the majority of the island’s resorts are based around, so you probably won’t have to go far for one.
Two of the most famous are Eagle Beach and Palm Beach, located on the northwestern coast and serving as the main place to stay. These beaches have powdery white sand, aqua-blue water, and plenty of beach bars and umbrellas to occupy. Eagle Beach is great for watersports like jet skiing and wakeboarding, while Palm Beach is your perfect place to relax and swim.
On the southern tip of the island, a small cove creates a quieter spot known as Baby Beach, which is a favorite for locals. It has calm, shallow water, making it great for families with playing kids, or adults who simply want to cool off. It also beats the crowds of the northwestern hotspots.
Other popular spots on the sand include Manchebo Beach for its relaxing and romantic environment, Hadicurari Beach for its consistent winds, which are great for kitesurfing, and Flamingo Beach for its awesome flamingos (more on them next). You can’t go far on Aruba without finding a great beach – don’t forget your reef-safe sunscreen and snorkel equipment.
Arikok National Park
There’s some spectacular scenery in Aruba’s rugged interior. Arikok National Park is the island’s premier nature preserve, occupying much of the center of the island.
Many of the park’s attractions necessitate a 4×4 to see, so it can be worth looking into a car rental or tour of the park. However, hiking is also an option, and a very popular one; just bring sufficient water and don’t venture too far off of paths.
Cave networks, large sand dunes, and dramatic limestone cliffs are some of the best landscapes to explore here and make for great photography. You can spot Aruban rattlesnakes, iguanas, colorful parakeets, and more roaming around. Arikok National Park should be considered a do-not-miss for anyone who wants to have an adventure in Aruba.
Experienced kayakers can take a tour along the coast of Arikok National Park and get to see some of the beauty hidden below the cliffs.
Diving & Snorkeling
Surrounded by colorful reefs, historic wrecks, and infinite Caribbean Sea visibility, Aruba is an underwater explorer’s paradise. The previously-mentioned Palm Beach, Eagle Beach, and Baby Beach are nice to see from below, but a few other spots around the island stand out.
Mangel Halto is a small beach just south of Oranjestad with a mangrove shore and outer reef, both of which are packed with colorful fish. Tres Trapi is another of the most popular snorkel spots on the island, thanks to its calm water and volcanic rock bottom, which sea turtles are known to frequent.
If you’re scuba-certified, there are a plethora of wrecks and reefs in the deeper waters off the coast. The Pedernales Wreck, a World War II-era oil tanker, may be the most famous and most accessible, sitting in around 30 feet of water off Palm Beach. The Antilla is another, in deeper water and much larger for exploring at about 400 feet long.
How to Get There
Aruba is quite well connected to the world by air, thanks to its reputation as a destination for families, couples, retirees, and just about any other type of traveler. Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA), in the capital, Oranjestad, is a busy hub with flights to several continents.
The “big three” airlines of the US- American, Delta, and United– all connect Aruba to many major hubs, making direct or one-stop service possible from just about anywhere in America. Smaller carriers and budget airlines like JetBlue, Southwest, and Spirit serve even more cities. Canadians are connected by several airlines via Toronto.
Being a territory of the Netherlands, the country’s national airline, KLM, operates to Amsterdam, as does leisure airline TUI. London is the island’s other European destination.
Despite the short distance to Venezuela and Curaçao, there are no ferry services to or from Aruba. However, numerous smaller regional airlines connect the island with others in the Caribbean, as well as Central and South America, making it very possible to combine Aruba with other adventures in the area.
Finally, there’s one other major way to get to Aruba – cruising. The island is a major cruise ship port of call. Some of the most common points of departure are in Florida, and you can find itineraries with stops in Aruba on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, and many other lines.
Getting around Aruba can be done by bus, taxi, or rental car. If you’re renting, a 4×4 is a good idea to explore some of the more rugged parts of the island. If you don’t plan on straying far from the west coast, taxis are reasonable and available, and you probably don’t need one. Buses are also cheap and available on this side of Aruba, but don’t rely on them to go much further.
Where to Stay in Aruba
As mentioned, the vast majority of hotels and resorts are clustered around Palm Beach and Eagle Beach, with some in downtown Oranjestad as well. Palm Beach is known for its big, high-rise resorts, while Eagle Beach has smaller low-rise properties. They are just minutes from each other, and it’s probably best to focus more on choosing the best resort rather than the best of these two beaches.
Keep in mind that Aruba is an expensive place, and a “budget” accommodation is relative here. Cheap rentals and hostels exist, but you’re better off going with the most budget-friendly true resort for the best time.
Our Favorite Luxury Hotel: The Ritz Carlton Aruba – Sitting quietly at the end of Palm Beach, this luxurious resort’s posh rooms are complemented by several pools, a world-class spa, and a kids club.
Our Favorite Mid-Range Hotel: Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort, Spa, & Casino – This large resort on Palm Beach has five restaurants, four bars, and the most popular casino in Aruba.
Our Favorite Budget-Friendly Hotel: Brickell Bay Beach Club Boutique Hotel & Spa – While you won’t be on the sand, you’re just across the street from it at this friendlier-to-your-wallet hotel with a pool and perfectly comfortable rooms.
Where to Eat and Drink
A large number of international resorts and a never-ending flow of tourists keep Aruba’s food and drink scene interesting and inspiring. You can find just about any cuisine served somewhere around the island, ranging from high-end Japanese to casual Greek eats. But don’t miss the melting pot of local food – Dutch, Amerindian, Latino-American, African, Asian, and other ingredients and traditions mix here to create unique flavors, especially with seafood, thanks to its abundance.
Here are a few of the top places to eat around Aruba:
Opus Ocean & Grill – Have a night in downtown Oranjestad at this casual but elegant seafood specialist that brings local styles to the freshest fish they can get.
Yemanja Woodfired Grill – Similar to Opus in its spirit of using Caribbean flavors, this iconic eatery brings more international and non-seafood options to the table, including meats like lamb and vegan-friendly items.
Agrigento – Simple, excellent Italian food in the beautiful setting of the private Aruba Racquet Club.
As great as the food is, some people swear that the drinks are even better in Aruba – and there are plenty of places to get them. Kick back with a casual cocktail or party the night away at these bars and clubs:
Gusto Nightclub – This is probably Aruba’s most popular nightclub, and you’ll find it hosting parties and serving cocktails until the wee hours of the morning, just across the street from the Hilton.
HIDDEN – A close runner-up, this club is barely a block away from Gusto (across the street from the Barceló); it opens a bit later in the evening and stays closed two days per week.
The Casino at the Hyatt Regency – Combine the music, drinks, and good people with fun that could pay for your next trip; the Hyatt’s casino is open late-night and is a place for slots, blackjack, roulette, and more.
What to Know Before Going
Whether you’re planning a day of excursions from your cruise or many days at one of Aruba’s many world-class resorts, there are a few things to know about the island. Being aware helps make for a memorable trip.
A Short History
Aruba is a country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has the same status as some of its island neighbors, such as Curaçao and St. Maarten; they are often collectively referred to as the “Dutch Caribbean.” However, the island’s history stretches back thousands of years, well before the Dutch were sailing in this part of the world.
Indigenous Amerindian people called the Caquetios, part of the Arawak Indians of Venezuela, have inhabited the island since around 2500 BC. Their hunter-gatherer and fishing society was strongly based on the sea, and rock drawings and carvings from these times are still present. Spanish explorers “discovered” Aruba in 1499 and colonized it for over a century.
The island became Dutch in 1636 for its strategic location. The British took it briefly in the early 1800s, but it returned to Dutch rule again, and it’s been this way ever since. Interestingly, Aruba voted to become independent and seceded from the Netherlands in 1986, first becoming an “autonomous country” – but the plan was completely dropped in 1995, and its status remains.
Current Travel Information
Today, Aruba is Dutch with its own special, distinct identity. The tourism economy is the island’s main business driver and has been booming for decades. Visitors come not only for the fantastic beaches, unique scenery, and luxurious resorts but for this interesting culture and friendly people.
Aruba functions mostly as its own country, with the Netherlands handling things like defense and foreign policy. Most locals are very multilingual and can speak Papiamento, Dutch, English, and Spanish, so you should never run into a language barrier here. The currency is the Aruban Florin, which has a fixed exchange rate to the US Dollar: $1 USD equals 1.79 florins. You’ll find many places happy to accept US dollars, and credit cards are widely used.
Aruba is notoriously dry and not in the hurricane belt, so you don’t have to worry about the weather too much. Days can be very hot, but the ocean temperature is always pleasant. There is no natural water source on Aruba – tap water comes from a desalination plant, and it is safe to drink.
The US Department of State classifies Aruba as Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions for safety. It’s a very safe place, with a small amount of opportunistic theft. After all, this is “one happy island!”
Tips for Travel
- Aruba’s currency is the Florin ($1 USD = 1.79 AWF), but you’ll find plenty of shops and restaurants that will accept US dollars.
- English is widely spoken on Aruba, as is Spanish; the official languages are Dutch and Papiamento (the local native language).
- The most common type of wall plug is US-style, although European outlets exist in some places. It’s usually safe to leave your adapters at home for Aruba.
- They drive on the right-hand side of the road in Aruba.
- Many of the resorts in Aruba are all-inclusive or offer this option.
What We Loved and Didn’t Love
We loved the beaches, both big and small, around Aruba. While Palm Beach is resort central, it is truly breathtaking. The smaller coves and snorkel spots around the island are surreal, too.
It’s hard not to love the watersports like kayaking, paddleboarding, jet skiing, and, of course, diving around Aruba. We loved the accessibility of the Pedernales Wreck and the number of other wreck and reef dive sites.
We loved the happiness of the island that gives it the “one happy island” nickname!
We didn’t quite love the price of a trip to Aruba – the hotels are beautiful, but you’ll need to save up to stay at one. We didn’t love the prices of taxi rides around the resort areas and the capital, either, so consider renting a car if you plan to explore.
We also didn’t love the crowds in the high season, so consider our advice about traveling during the shoulder months.
Overall, Aruba is awesome, and we’ll be back!