Miles of beaches, and an annual average temperature of 82 degrees with little rain, make Aruba a popular island with over 1.5 million visitors annually.
The official language is Dutch, but many locals also speak English, as well as a creole language called papiamento, which is a mix of English, Spanish & Portuguese.
Much of the architecture combines Dutch gables and baroque ornamentation with Caribbean colors like pistachio, ochre, pink, and aqua. The result is a sun-drenched gingerbread confection with a touch of theme-park squeaky cleanliness. The currency is the Aruba Florin, but US dollars and credit cards are widely accepted.
The cruise terminal is walking distance to the downtown area. Its waterfront bustles with cruise ships, yachts, fishing boats, and cargo carriers. Wreck diving is one of the most popular excursions, as well as snorkeling and other water sports. All beaches are public…the most popular ones being on the Southern and Western Coasts. Palm Beach is the best known, but W. Indies Eagle beach is also nice and less crowded. It is appox. 10 minutes from the downtown area.
Popular shore excursions are the Jeep Adventures, scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and Natural Wonders of Aruba
Several 10+ day Caribbean cruises visit Aruba. Some 7 day cruises also visit Aruba, however you will usually have 3 days at sea, which some people love, but others prefer to have more ports of call. To get the most out of Southern Caribbean cruises, consider sailing out of San Juan. Best prices are found for sailings November through March.
