Recommended Sailing
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Visiting from United States? 
Visiting from United States?
Cruises to Aruba bring you to a tropical paradise in the far south of the Caribbean, fringed by dazzling white sand beaches giving way to the sparkling turquoise sea. The clear waters here are a paradise for snorkelers and divers, while the island’s rugged, desert-like interior is thrilling to explore.
Caribbean cruises calling at Aruba dock at Oranjestad, the island’s pretty capital, dotted with brightly colored colonial Dutch architecture. Shop, dine, and explore the city, or head to one of the surrounding beaches. Go on a desert adventure to see natural rock formations and ruined gold mines, or get to know the island’s wildlife at the Aruba Donkey Sanctuary and the Butterfly Farm. Aruba dubs itself “One Happy Island,” and after a day here, you’ll see why.
Eagle Beach consistently ranks as one of the world’s best beaches. Bone-white sand, shady trees, and water that’s an astonishing shade of aquamarine make an enticing combination. Don’t forget to capture that iconic shot of the wind-twisted fofoti trees that grow here. From March to November, you could spot turtle hatchlings, too, as this is a nesting ground for four different sea turtle species.
Gold was discovered in Aruba in 1824, and some three million pounds of the precious metal were mined in the 19th century. You’ll see the ghostly remains of mines and mills dotted around the island, but one of the most impressive is Bushiribana, a mill that processed the ore extracted from the nearby hills. Explore the site by following the scenic trail, which has spectacular views down over the glittering Caribbean, and learn about the history of Aruba’s brief gold rush.
Aruba’s limestone coastline has been chiseled into dramatic shapes by the wind and the waves over the millennia. The Natural Bridge, on the east coast, is a great photo opportunity, the rock arch framing the indigo sea beyond. The bridge is the former entrance to an ancient, long-disappeared sea cave. An adjacent bridge was bigger, but collapsed in 2005, so you’ll hear locals referring to this one as “Baby Bridge”. Nonetheless, it’s a spectacular sight.
A unique habitat for thousands of butterflies, moths, and tropical plants from all over the world, the Aruba Butterfly Farm is a fantastic day out for nature lovers. A guided tour will walk you through the entire caterpillar-to-butterfly transformation. Observe brilliantly colored butterflies and moths flitting around plants endemic to the tropical dry forest as well as the rainforest. There are wonderful photo opportunities here.
Discover the underwater world on a thrilling snorkel experience from De Palm Island, a strip of white sand fringed by coral reefs. The waters are warm and shallow, and you could see butterfly fish, striped sergeant majors, and curiously shaped trumpetfish milling around the corals on your adventure. There are also opportunities to try a helmet dive, fun for all levels of experience, and snuba, which is diving without a tank.
Discover the miraculous powers of aloe, the spiky succulent you’ll see growing all over the island, grown commercially to make soothing skincare products. At the Royal Aruba Aloe Factory, you’ll see how the plants are harvested and hand-cut to extract the healing gel inside the leaves. Learn how beauty products are made, and buy some for yourself in the factory shop; the cooling after-sun lotion is great after a day under the tropical sun.
Aruba’s cuisine has been influenced by the Netherlands, Latin America, and the wider Caribbean. You’ll find excellent seafood here, unsurprisingly, with mahi-mahi, lionfish, and grouper on most menus. For something local, try keshi yena, a hollowed-out Edam cheese stuffed with meat, or pastechi, pastry parcels filled with meat, cheese, fish, or vegetables.
You’ll also find Dutch pancakes, chocolate, and coffee all over the island. The signature island cocktail to try is the Aruba Ariba, a fruity concoction of pineapple and orange, vodka, white rum, crème de banane, and grenadine.
Aruba was originally inhabited by the hunter-gatherer Archaic people, who migrated from what’s now Venezuela and Colombia some 2,500 years ago. Around AD 1000, the Caquetios people arrived and established larger communities. You can see a replica of one of their houses at the National Archaeological Museum.
The Spanish arrived in 1502, and although they considered the barren island useless due to a lack of anything obvious to exploit, they did abduct 2,000 Caquetios and put them into slavery. The island was then occupied by the Dutch, who used it as a naval base, then briefly, the British, and then the Dutch again.
In the 20th century, Aruba accommodated big oil refineries, processing crude oil from nearby Venezuela, until the last one closed in 1985. Now, tourism is the mainstay of the island’s economy, and Aruba is officially a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The official languages are Dutch and Papiamentu, although most people speak English, too.
Getting around compact Aruba is easy. There’s a good bus service linking Oranjestad with various points on the island, as well as multiple self-drive options. Rent a scooter, an ATV, a bicycle, or a car, or take a taxi. The roads are paved and generally in good condition, and you can easily drive around the island in a day, incorporating various stops for swimming and eating.
The port is centrally located near shops and restaurants, so it’s an easy transition to go from ship to shopping. Here, you’ll find mostly strip malls and shopping centers like the Renaissance Marketplace. Things to buy include aloe products, Cuban cigars, and Dutch delicacies, from tins of caramel stroopwafel to cheeses. You’ll find duty-free shops and high-end fashion brands, too.
For more arty gifts, browse the boutiques of San Nicolas, where you’ll find clothing, local crafts, and jewelry.
The official currency of Aruba is the Aruban florin (Afl), but U.S. dollars are commonly accepted in most places. ATMs are prevalent on the island, and many restaurants will accept credit cards, too. Tipping isn’t a very common practice in Aruba, but leaving 10% for your taxi driver and 15% for your server at a restaurant is polite. There may already be a service charge included in your restaurant bill, but this goes into a tip pool, not directly to your server.
