Are you happy? Travel is certainly something that can make you happy! Have you been to Aruba yet? If not, I highly recommend it! Aruba’s actual slogan is “One Happy Island”, and anyone who has visited this island knows this to be true.
Here are 5 facts about Aruba that may help you consider this as your next island destination:
- Aruba is one of the most re-visited islands in the Caribbean
- Aruba is outside of the hurricane belt making it a great year round destination
- Average year round temperature is 82°
- Aruba has the most sunny days of any of the Caribbean Islands
- Aruba has a booming culinary scene influenced by more than 92 nationalities (aka foodie’s paradise!)
Aruba is among the livelier, more developed islands in the Caribbean. Aruba has low- and high-rise resorts, great restaurants, and glitzy casinos lining the white-sand beaches and the downtown boulevard. You’ll find plenty of things to do on Aruba, too: sunbathing, world-class windsurfing and water-skiing by day, and discos, cabarets, dinner shows and high-stakes gambling at night.
Aruba is located just 15 miles off the coast of Venezuela; Aruba is the farthest west of the Dutch Caribbean islands known as the ABCs (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). It is 19 miles long and 6 miles wide, and the land is mostly flat and arid with scattered fields of cacti and aloe plants. If you prefer lush rain-forest-type destinations, Aruba may not be your preference. It’s more like Arizona or New Mexico than Puerto Rico or St. Croix.
Aruba’s foremost attractions include beaches, shopping, casinos, water sports, excellent restaurants, high-energy nightlife and very friendly people. If you enjoy good beaches, ethnic food, gambling and quality shopping, Aruba is for you.
Except for the Arikok National Park Foundation (the largest national park in the Caribbean Islands), you won’t see an abundance of natural attractions in Aruba. Nor is Aruba covered in lush foliage. It’s about as close to a desert island as you’ll find in the Caribbean, with stands of cacti and aloe vera dotting the dusty terrain. In fact, Aruba is so dry; goats eat the cacti in search of something resembling leaves. Still, Aruba has one of the world’s most threatened tropical ecosystems—its mangrove forests.
Aruba is well known for its bent-over trees; I’m sure you’ve seen them in pictures. Those unusual-looking trees bent over by the wind are watapana (divi-divi) trees, and they make it impossible to get lost on Aruba. All of the trees are bent to the southwest, where the majority of the hotels and resorts are located.
Aruba has a wide range of accommodations ranging from deluxe high-rise properties located along Palm Beach to smaller, low-rise hotels and inns lined up along Eagle Beach. If you prefer to stay in town will want to make reservations at the upscale Renaissance, which has a private island reached by complimentary boat shuttle. Aruba is one of the destinations that I do not necessarily recommend an all-inclusive resort. As mentioned above, Aruba is a culinary mecca, I encourage you to get out of your resort and try the many great dining establishments!
Aruba is an easy destination for US Travelers in many ways. There is convenient flight access from most the major US Gateways, including season non-stop flights from Houston. While the official currency of Aruba is the Aruban Florian, the US Dollar is widely accepted throughout the island so no currency exchange is required. To change florins to US dollars, divide florin amount in half and add 10%. This formula will be especially useful when shopping in supermarkets. While Dutch is the official language, English is widely spoken on the island. Actually, most Arubans speak 4 languages!
Remember, Aruba is One Happy Island!
Happy Travels,