Bonbini to Aruba

Located 15 miles north of Venezuela in the warm waters of the southern Caribbean, Aruba is home to beautiful white-sand beaches, 82-degree days, and some of the warmest people in the world.

Our island is 19.6 miles long and 6 miles across, with a total area of 70 square miles. We’re located just below the hurricane belt, and unlike many islands in the Caribbean, our climate is dry, so we rarely have a rainy day. On the south and west coasts of Aruba, you’ll find Oranjestad, our capital city, and miles of beaches that have been named some of the best in the world. Here, you’ll find most of the hotels and all-inclusive resorts in Aruba, and Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA).

In the interior of the island, you’ll find Arikok National Park, a desert like preserve with a variety of wildlife, cacti and dramatic rock formations. You’ll also find some of Aruba’s most striking views, as the ocean crashes against the rugged shoreline below.

On the northeast coast, along the windward shore, you’ll see our island’s unofficial mascots, the fofoti trees. The constant trade winds have permanently sculpted them into graceful, southwesterly bending forms.

History

History

The Caquetio Indians of the Arawak tribe from the South American mainland were Aruba's first inhabitants. They were fisherman and hunters and gatherers who depended on the sea for survival.

When explorer Alonso de Ojeda discovered Aruba in 1499, he claimed it for Spain, naming it “la isla de los gigantes,” or “the island of giants” after our tall inhabitants.

Aruba’s strategic location was recognized by the Dutch who initially occupied the island in 1636 to protect their salt supply from the mainland and establish a naval base in the Caribbean during their 80-year war with Spain.
 
Further economic development continued through the Dutch West India Company located on the neighboring island of Curaçao. Aruba remained in Dutch hands, except for a brief hiatus under English rule from 1805-1816, during the Napoleonic Wars.

Additional Information

Additional Information

Size: 19.6 miles (32 kilometers) long and 6 miles (10 kilometers) across
Population: ±102,000
Languages: Dutch and local language Papiamento are the official languages of Aruba, but Arubans speak a minimum of four languages including English and Spanish.
Currency: Aruban florin. American dollars are readily accepted everywhere on the island.

 

 

Need to know
Activities & Events

There are fun events and activities on Aruba all throughout the year, starting with Carnival and Tumba Festival at the start of the calendar year. Our island also hosts sporting events, film festivals and big musical events.

Click here for event calender.

Cruise Information

The Port of Aruba is conveniently located in Oranjestad, within walking distance of restaurants and luxury shopping. Here, right outside the Aruba Cruise Terminal, you can join a shore excursion around our happy island, get a taste of local Aruba food or relax on one of our award-winning white-sand beaches.

Local Food

More than 90 nationalities influence Aruba’s cuisine, with local dishes like gouda-glazed keshi yena joining South American, European and Caribbean favorites on menus around the island.