Aruba

Aruba lies about 25 kilometres off the Venezuelan coast, outside the hurricane belt, and is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is arid — cactus, divi-divi trees bent flat by the trade winds, and a rocky windward coast quite unlike the calm western beaches.

Known for Eagle Beach, divi-divi trees, Arikok wilderness, Papiamento and outside the hurricane belt.

Highlights

  • Arikok National Park, Santa Cruz: Nearly a fifth of the island, covering the windward coast, limestone caves with Arawak drawings, and the Jamanota hill at the island's highest point.
  • Eagle Beach, Oranjestad: A wide white-sand beach on the calm western shore, known for the two fofoti trees leaning away from the trade wind.

Places in Aruba

Getting around

Aruba's public buses are run by Arubus, owned by the Government of Aruba, with terminals in Oranjestad and San Nicolas and stops along the hotel strips between them. A single trip costs USD $2.60 (AWG 4.50), a round-trip card $5.00, and a day pass $15.00 — handy for beach-hopping without a rental car.