Our Highlights for Aruba
Aruba has, without a doubt, some of the most beautiful beaches in the West Indies — and is also a landscape unlike any other!
Despite its small size, Aruba is a wonderfully diverse Caribbean island. Cacti grow everywhere here, sometimes even doubling as fences. You'll also spot the endemic Divi-Divi trees, easily recognizable by their bizarrely wind-sculpted shapes.
Yes, Aruba even has something of a desert, located south of the capital Oranjestad. In this arid landscape rises Mount Yamanota. At 190 m, it's certainly no mountain, but rather a tall, cone-shaped hill.
On the wild side of Aruba, you'll find rugged Atlantic cliffs and what was once the highest natural rock bridge. Sadly, the sea reclaimed it naturally in 2002 — but smaller natural rock bridges can still be found today.
In the capital especially, buildings tend to be pastel-colored, as they are across the entire island — often fronted by gorgeous flower gardens.
Climate & Best Time to Visit Aruba
Aruba enjoys a mild, tropical climate all year round. Even during the hurricane season from July to October — which largely bypasses Aruba — rainfall remains minimal and the Caribbean Sea never drops below 25 °C. Daytime highs sit between 30° and 33 °C year-round, while lows hover around 26°. Winter rainfall amounts to little more than brief, tropical showers.
Entry Requirements, Vaccinations & Practical Information for Aruba
To enter Aruba, all you need is a valid passport and a confirmed onward or return flight ticket.
Medical care meets Western standards. No vaccinations beyond the usual ones are required.
Tap water on Aruba is perfectly safe to drink, as it is produced by seawater desalination plants.
Getting There & Transportation on Aruba
From Frankfurt, Vienna, and Zurich, Lufthansa and KLM — in partnership with other carriers — offer direct flights to Aruba. Air France flies from Paris with a stopover in the USA. American Eagle connects Aruba to other Caribbean islands.
Aruba is served by Queen Beatrix International Airport, located about 3.5 km southeast of Oranjestad. Both taxis and buses run into town, and car rentals are readily available.
Aruba is well known as a duty-free island with plenty of shopping opportunities.
The port of Oranjestad is visited by numerous cruise lines, including: Barfoot Cruises, Pullmantur Cruises, Princess, Majestic Cruise Line, AIDA Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Lines, Fred Olsen Cruise Line, Sea Cloud, Windstar Cruises, and Hapag Lloyd Cruises.
Note: Taxis on Aruba do not have meters. Always confirm a fixed fare before starting your ride.
Where Is Aruba?
Just 25 km off the coast of Venezuela lies the elongated, narrow island of Aruba, with its capital Oranjestad, where the sun shines virtually all year long. Aruba is the westernmost and smallest of the ABC Islands in the Netherlands Antilles (alongside Bonaire and Curacao). It is just 10 km wide, 31 km long, and covers an area of 193 km².
History of "Little Venice"
- Until 1499, the Arawak Indians were the inhabitants and "owners" of the island.
- After 1499, Alonso de Ojeda claimed Aruba for Spain. He was followed by Amerigo Vespucci, the Florentine explorer (who ultimately gave his name to the Americas). He initially called Aruba "Venezuela" — meaning "Little Venice" — because the coastal villages were built on stilts and reminded him of his home city of Venice! Only some years later did he give the name Venezuela to another island.
- In 1636, the Dutch took control of the island.
- The origin of the name Aruba remains uncertain. Some say it derives from the Carib words Ora (shell) and oubao (island). Others believe it comes from the Spanish ora uba ("gold was found here"). Most likely, however, the name predates the discovery of gold in 1824. The gold rush only lasted until 1913. But "black gold" also played a role: the island's second city, St. Nicolas, was founded in 1929, primarily for Exxon, which built what was then the world's largest oil refinery there. It closed in 1985 — a devastating blow for Aruba.
- In 1986, Aruba became the only island of the Netherlands Antilles to separate from the motherland Holland, gaining Status Aparte — essentially independence.
- Today, tourism is the largest economic sector. Casinos, restaurants, and modern hotels began springing up in the mid-1970s.
