Aruba Travel Guide

Aruba is a small, dry and windy island in the southern Caribbean, about 20 miles long and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its resorts are concentrated on the west-coast hotel strip north of Oranjestad, where Palm Beach's high-rises and Eagle Beach's low-rise hotels line the sand, and steady trade winds take the edge off temperatures of 80 to 90°F all year.

The complaints travelers repeat are about cost and crowds: Palm Beach's sand is packed with chairs, palapas are fought over, and restaurant prices run close to US levels. The fix is to leave the strip for a day or two. The south coast, from Savaneta's fishing pier to San Nicolas' murals and the calm bays beside Baby Beach, is where many locals eat and swim, and it's where most of this guide's hidden gems are.

Aruba suits families, snorkelers, kitesurfers and anyone who wants reliable sun with little planning. It's a poor fit if you want lush rainforest: even October, the wettest month, averages only about 1.3 inches of rain. If you're weighing the neighboring islands, see our Curaçao guide.

Aruba's best finds sit off the main resort strip: a fishermen's dock that fries the day's catch, two bars locals have used for decades, a fisherman-owned seafood spot near the high-rises, and three beaches away from the resort crowds.

Zeerovers, Savaneta. Fishing boats tie up beside this pier in Aruba's oldest town, and the catch is cleaned and fried in front of you. Order the whole fried snapper or wahoo with plantains and pan bati at the counter, then eat at the dockside picnic tables. The Infatuation ranks it among the island's best restaurants, and the tourism board calls its prices local. The catch: it's cash only, and the kitchen runs 11am to 9pm and is closed on Mondays.

Local Store, Noord. This former rum shop near the Palm Beach high-rises is now a burger-and-wings bar where locals stop after work. Order the wings or the Chubato burger with fried funchi and a cold beer; the fridges get new IPAs every Friday. It's open daily from 11am to 11pm and gets crowded after work and on Friday afternoons.

Charlie's Bar, San Nicolas. Open since 18 September 1941 and now run by the founding family's third generation, it's part bar, part museum: it first served refinery workers and sailors, and its walls and ceilings are covered in memorabilia left by visitors from around the world. Order a cold beer and the shrimp; the house Creole calamari-and-shrimp dish is called Hoere Hop. Caribbean Journal reported hours of 11:30am to 6pm in 2024, so make it a lunch or afternoon stop on the way to Baby Beach.

Wacky Wahoo's, Palm Beach. A small seafood restaurant owned by a local fisherman, within walking distance of the high-rise hotels, with a menu that follows the catch: barracuda, conch and Aruban fish soup are regulars. The Infatuation reports that it takes no reservations and is always busy, so arrive early.

Tres Trapi, Malmok. Three steps cut into the rock lead into a tiny cove just north of Malmok Beach, and it's free shore snorkeling with no tour needed. Travelers who swim out in the morning report turtle after turtle, while afternoon visits see far fewer. The cushion sea stars that made it famous are now hit-or-miss: the tourism board still mentions them, but a detailed snorkeling guide updated in 2026 describes turtles rather than stars, and a reader comment there says the stars are gone. There's no lifeguard, toilet or snack bar, and the steps are slippery, so wear reef shoes.

Rodger's Beach, San Nicolas. Immediately west of Baby Beach, this reef-protected bay has calm, clear water, a few shady picnic huts and colorful fishing boats at anchor, with the refinery visible across the water. It's rarely crowded on weekdays and fills with local families at weekends. The dive shop next door rents snorkel gear and has a shower and a restaurant.

Boca Grandi, near San Nicolas. Turn left instead of right at the giant red anchor on the way to Baby Beach and you reach the kiters' favorite beach, where advanced riders use winds that build through the day. It's for watching, not swimming: the current is strong, and the tourism board strongly discourages swimming. A small beach bar has opened, but bring water and shade.

Most regrets in Aruba come from paying resort prices for things that are cheaper nearby, and from following lists that are years out of date.

Skip: a Renaissance Island day pass just for the flamingo photo. Instead: a morning snorkel at Tres Trapi. Renaissance Island is one of only two privately owned beaches on Aruba. Hotel guests get in free, but passes for everyone else are limited, don't guarantee access and have changed in price and booking rules over the years, so check with the resort before you plan around it. Tres Trapi costs nothing and is where travelers report sea turtles.

Skip: driving out to see the Natural Bridge. Instead: the Baby Bridge right beside it. Aruba's famous Natural Bridge collapsed on 2 September 2005, and only its remains are left to see. The smaller Baby Bridge next to it still stands, can be reached in a regular rental car and has a shop with food, drinks and restrooms.

Skip: taxis for short hops along the strip. Instead: the bus. Since 20 May 2026, a taxi between Palm Beach and Eagle Beach costs a fixed $16, plus $5 on Sundays, holidays and between 11pm and 7am. An Arubus ride costs $2.60, and a day pass is $15.

Skip: Baby Beach on cruise-ship days. Instead: Rodger's Beach next door, ideally on a weekday. Forum regulars describe Baby Beach as very crowded when ships are in port and with locals at weekends. Rodger's is a short walk west, has the same calm water and is rarely crowded on weekdays.

Skip: hunting for a free palapa on Palm Beach. Instead: Eagle Beach, with your own beach chair. Palm Beach is the most crowded stretch, with chairs packed close together, and Aruba's 2026 beach guidelines treat a hotel-assigned palapa as in use even while its guest is swimming. Eagle Beach is wider and quieter, and any unoccupied public palapa on a public beach is yours to use if you bring a chair.

Go in April for the driest weather, or any time from mid-April to mid-December for lower hotel rates. Aruba lies well south of the main Atlantic hurricane belt, so hurricanes are extremely rare.

Seasons. The tourism board splits the year into a dry season (January to April), a windy season (May to October) and a rainy season (October to December). "Rainy" is relative: October, the wettest month, averages about 1.3 inches of rain and April about 0.4 inches, and temperatures sit between 80 and 90°F all year.

Prices. High season runs from mid-December to mid-April. One UK tour operator says room rates drop 20 to 50 percent the rest of the year, and The Points Guy advises booking December-to-April stays six to 12 months ahead.

Wind. The trade winds almost never stop. They keep the heat bearable and make the windy season prime time for kitesurfing at Boca Grandi, where summer winds build to 15 to 25 knots, but they also keep the windward north and east coasts rough, so swim on the west and south coasts.

Carnival. The season starts after New Year and ends at midnight on the eve of Ash Wednesday (10 February in 2027), with parades, street parties called jump-ups and steel-pan performances. San Nicolas is considered its birthplace.

Use buses and taxis if you're staying on the Palm Beach and Eagle Beach strip, and rent a car for one or two days to reach the south coast, San Nicolas and Arikok National Park.

Bus. Arubus routes L10A, L10B and L10C link the main Oranjestad bus station, across from the cruise port, with the hotel areas as far as the Marriott and Arashi. L1, L2 and L3A run to San Nicolas, L900 continues from San Nicolas to Baby Beach, and only L2 stops at the airport. A ride costs $2.60, a two-ride retour card $5 and a day pass $15 (fares checked in October 2026); passes are sold at resort gift shops and the Oranjestad station booth.

Taxi. Taxis have no meters. The government sets fixed fares by zone, and the current table has applied since 20 May 2026: from the airport it's $26 to Oranjestad, $37 to the Eagle Beach low-rises and $40 to $41 to the Palm Beach high-rises, plus a flat $5 on Sundays, holidays and from 11pm to 7am. Only cars with TX plates are licensed taxis, and the official fares are listed at taxi.aw.

Rental car. Major firms such as National and Sixt rent only to drivers aged 23 and over. Driving is on the right, limits are 30 km/h in town, 60 km/h outside and 80 km/h on faster roads, and cars already on a roundabout have priority. Most gas stations are full-service, with government-set prices. A regular car handles Savaneta, San Nicolas, Baby Beach, Boca Grandi and the Baby Bridge, but the Natural Pool (Conchi) can only be reached by 4x4 or on a tour.

Arikok National Park. Buy the conservation pass at the San Fuego visitor center (daily 8am to 3:30pm) or the Vaderpiet booth (daily 9am to 3pm). Published prices disagree, so check the current fee with the Aruba Conservation Foundation before you go.

On foot. The Linear Park path runs about two miles along the water between the airport and the cruise terminal in Oranjestad, with outdoor workout equipment at Surfside Beach.

Base yourself on Eagle Beach for space and quiet, on Palm Beach to walk to restaurants and bars, or in Oranjestad if you'll rely on buses. Stay on the south coast only if you'll have a car.

Palm Beach (high-rise hotels). Calm water, watersports and the island's densest strip of restaurants and nightlife, but also the most crowded sand and slightly higher prices. Local Store, Wacky Wahoo's, The Old Cunucu House and Bugaloe are all close by.

Eagle Beach (low-rise hotels). A wide, quieter beach lined with boutique hotels and condos, at slightly lower prices. The trade-offs: the water can be wavier, and only a few restaurants are within walking distance, though a taxi to Palm Beach is a fixed $16.

Oranjestad. The capital has the main bus station, the marina restaurants, Café Chaos and the Linear Park, and it's $26 by taxi from the airport. Guests of the Renaissance resort get free access to Renaissance Island, the private island that is hard for non-guests to visit.

Savaneta and San Nicolas. The quiet south puts you near Zeerovers, Mangel Halto, Rodger's Beach and Boca Grandi, but only one bus route (L3A, on its return leg) passes through Savaneta, so plan on renting a car.

Eat beyond the resort strip at least once. The fish dock in Savaneta, the Caribbean kitchens around San Nicolas and the Oranjestad spots locals use serve Aruban and Caribbean cooking, often for less than a resort dinner.

Zeerovers (Savaneta). Whole fried snapper, wahoo and head-on shrimp with plantains and pan bati, eaten on the dock. Cash only; the kitchen is closed on Mondays.

Kamini's Kitchen (Seroe Colorado, near Baby Beach). Kamini, who is from Trinidad, serves handmade roti with curry goat, chicken, shrimp or vegetables; roti start at $19 and curry goat is $30 on the October 2026 menu. It's open noon to 7:30pm and closed on Tuesdays.

Red Fish (Orange Plaza, Oranjestad). A local fisherman opened it in 2013 to sell fried fish and shrimp by the pound, and it now adds Aruban dishes such as keshi yena and okra soup; half a pound of fish is Afl 32 on its menu. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 10pm.

Coco Plum (Caya G.F. Betico Croes, downtown Oranjestad). An open-air spot just outside the tourist shops for Aruban home cooking, such as stoba, pan bati and whole fish, plus fresh juices; one traveler noted that many of the diners were locals.

The Old Cunucu House (Noord). A roughly 150-year-old country house serving Aruba's national dish, keshi yena (gouda stuffed with spiced chicken), plus goat stew and oxtail soup; ask for the iguana soup, which isn't on the menu. Open daily, 11:30am to 11pm.

Lima Bistro (Oranjestad marina). Peruvian cooking on the harbor from chef Teddy Bouroncle: order the ceviche of the day and a pisco sour, and expect a line of walk-ups.

Flying Fishbone (Savaneta). The splurge: seafood at tables set on the sand, close enough to the water to get your feet wet.

Pastechi. These fried pastries filled with cheese, ham or ground beef are the classic island snack; The Pastechi House in downtown Oranjestad serves them at breakfast and lunch.

Drinks. Start with Local Store or Charlie's Bar (see Hidden gems). Bugaloe Beach Bar on De Palm Pier has live music on Tuesdays (6:30 to 9:30pm) and on Fridays and Saturdays (6:30 to 10pm), with happy hours from 5 to 6pm and 10 to 11pm. Café Chaos on L.G. Smith Boulevard in Oranjestad is an old-school pub popular with locals, open 5pm to 1am (3am at weekends) with live music at weekends; it's closed on Sunday and Monday. Bodegas Papiamento, a family rum and vodka distillery in a former ice factory near the cruise terminal, pours tastings and cocktails from noon to 11pm Monday to Thursday and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Most first-trip mistakes in Aruba involve paperwork, cash and swimming on the wrong coast, and each has an easy fix.

Leaving the ED card until the airport. Air travelers need an online ED card, and since July 2024 everyone aged 8 and over arriving by air also pays a $20 sustainability fee, which must be paid before airline check-in. Fix: complete both at edcardaruba.aw a few days before you fly; the fee is charged once a year.

Expecting US dollars from ATMs. Travelers have been caught out because ATMs generally dispense florins, even though dollars are accepted almost everywhere. Fix: bring small US bills for cash-only places such as Zeerovers.

Swimming where the current is strong. Boca Grandi's current is strong enough that swimming is strongly discouraged, and even sheltered Mangel Halto has strong currents on its reef. Fix: swim on the calm west and south coasts, and stay inside the marked zones at Baby Beach.

Taking a regular rental car to the Natural Pool. Conchi can only be reached by 4x4 or on a tour. Fix: book a jeep, UTV or guided hike, or rent a proper 4x4 and check what the rental contract allows.

Sitting under a hotel's palapa. Under the 2026 beach guidelines, hotel-assigned palapas and loungers count as in use even when their guests step away, and some beach sections are hotel leasehold reserved for guests. Fix: use an unoccupied public palapa with your own chair, or rent a chair and umbrella from a watersports hut.

Packing oxybenzone sunscreen. Aruba banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone in 2020 to protect its reefs. Fix: bring a zinc oxide or titanium dioxide formula, or buy one at a local grocery store or pharmacy.

Turning up on closing day. Zeerovers' kitchen and Red Fish close on Mondays, Kamini's Kitchen closes on Tuesdays, and Café Chaos is shut on Sunday and Monday. Fix: plan your south-coast food day for Wednesday to Sunday.

Getting into an unlicensed car. Only vehicles with TX plates are licensed taxis, and every licensed driver must display a QR code linking to the official fares. Fix: check the plate and confirm the fare on taxi.aw before you ride.

One day

Start at Tres Trapi before 9am to snorkel with the turtles, then head back down the coast for lunch at Local Store (wings or the Chubato burger). Spend the afternoon on Eagle Beach, where the sand is wider and quieter than on Palm Beach. At sunset, walk out to Bugaloe on De Palm Pier (live music on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays), then get to Wacky Wahoo's early, since it doesn't take reservations.

Two days

Spend day one as above. On day two, rent a car (not on a Monday or Tuesday) and head south. Have an early lunch at Zeerovers in Savaneta when the kitchen opens at 11am, then drive to San Nicolas to see the street murals and have a beer at Charlie's Bar, which closes around 6pm. Swim at Rodger's Beach, watch the kiters at Boca Grandi, and finish with roti at Kamini's Kitchen before it closes at 7:30pm.

Three days

Spend days one and two as above. On day three, be at the Arikok visitor center in San Fuego when it opens at 8am, before the midday heat, and book a 4x4 tour if you want to see the Natural Pool. In the afternoon, walk the Linear Park in Oranjestad, take a rum tasting at Bodegas Papiamento (closed on Sundays), and have dinner at Lima Bistro or Red Fish before live music at Café Chaos, which is liveliest at weekends.

Do I need a car in Aruba?

Not for a stay on the hotel strip: Arubus buses run between Oranjestad and the hotel areas for $2.60 a ride ($15 for a day pass), and taxis charge fixed fares. Rent a car for a day or two to reach Savaneta, San Nicolas and the south-coast beaches, and book a 4x4 tour if you want the Natural Pool.

Is it better to stay on Palm Beach or Eagle Beach?

Palm Beach suits travelers who want calm water and restaurants and bars within walking distance, but it's the most crowded beach on the island. Eagle Beach is wider, quieter and slightly cheaper, with fewer places to eat on foot; a taxi between the two is a fixed $16.

How expensive is Aruba?

Restaurant and spa prices run close to US levels, and resort-strip dining is where costs add up. Budget for the $20 sustainability fee, $37 to $41 for a taxi from the airport to the hotel strip and $2.60 per bus ride. Local spots such as Zeerovers, Red Fish and Kamini's Kitchen, where roti start at $19, are the easiest way to cut food costs.

When is the rainy season in Aruba, and do hurricanes hit?

The rainiest stretch is October to December, but even October averages only about 1.3 inches of rain, and showers are usually short. Aruba sits well south of the main Atlantic hurricane belt, so hurricanes are extremely rare.

Can I use US dollars in Aruba?

Yes. Hotels, restaurants and shops accept dollars, usually at 1.75 to 1.80 florins to the dollar, and taxis use a fixed rate of 1.80. ATMs generally dispense florins, so bring small US bills for cash-only spots such as Zeerovers.