Aruba is the smallest, but also the best known of the three ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao). This island is a popular destination for dream vacations, especially among American tourists. The island offers beautiful sandy beaches, clean, blue water and perfect weather.

Locals are friendly and welcoming, and there’s a reason Aruba prides itself on being “One happy island”.

Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about 29 kilometres north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná.

While Dutch is the sole language for all administration and legal matters, Papiamento is the predominant language used. Papiamento is a Portuguese- and Spanish-based creole language, spoken on all three ABC-Islands. That also incorporates words from Dutch and various West African languages.

The official currency is the Florin. Now that you know so much about Aruba, explore seven destinations worth visiting.

Aruba was the last of the ABC islands we visited during our trip and the most memorable were the wide beaches, the market place in Downtown and the colorful city center of Oranjestaat.

The island also has a quite large harbor where we could admire the huge cruise ships that called every now and then.

#1 Oranjestad

Aruba’s capital is a town full of colorful buildings, shopping areas, bars and… blue plastic horses.

They represent the important historical moment where the horses jumped from the ship deck into Caribbean Ocean, and swim to the bay. In the city you will encounter 8 horses that represent Strength, Nobility, Grace, Beauty and Freedom. Each hores got his name, and they are all beautiful sculptures.

Stroll the streets, shop, drink in the many bars, sample the local cuisine, play in the casino and admire the beautiful sunsets. Hop on the orange tram and take a tour of the city. These are just some of the things this city has to offer.

#2 Downtown Marketplace

This is a must visit place. Besides numerous restaurants, ice cream parlors, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, souvenir shops, it also has a movie theatre and a casino.

We did not fail to take advantage of both, and while the cinema will remain our love forever, the casino was just a one-time thing. If you are looking for a break from the beautiful beaches you should not miss this place.

#3 Rennaisence Beach

This is a city beach that belongs to nearby hotels. Unfortunately not everyone can use it, but it is worth a walk, admiring palm trees and nearby hotels.

#4 Surfside Beach

This beach is only 15 minutes by foot from downtown Oranjestaad. It is divided into a part with trees and shallow water which is used by locals, and a wide beach with bars and music playing from morning till evening.

In this part, an additional attraction are landing planes at the nearby airport, which create an amazing background for photos.

The beach is free, on site you can rent beds and order a drink from the nearby bars.

#5 Manchebo Beach

This is one of the widest beaches with incredibly light and fine sand and crystal clear water, inviting you to take a dip. The beach is divided into a hotel area and a public area. On site you can rent beds and umbrellas, order drinks and use the restroom.

In our opinion this is the most beautiful beach we have seen on Aruba. So without a doubt it should be on your list of places to visit.

#6 Eagle Beach

Another wide beach which is located right next to Manchebo beach, so they don’t differ much. Maybe only that on Eagle beach you will find several places to rent jet skis, for water sports. And a place where you can play beach volleyball with a group of friends.

The beach is wide, clean, with soft sand and turquoise water. On site you can rent beach beds and umbrellas.

#7 Divi Divi Beach

This is a tiny beach located at the end of the coastline, characterized by a few Divi Divi trees and a rocky shore. It is therefore not an ideal beach for swimming, but it is certainly a very quiet and nice one,

To get from the airport to the bus station you have to cross a parking lot, a dry patch of land, and a pretty busy street (locals are happy to help you further),

It is worth it, because the ride costs only $2 per person. If you will travel with a local shuttle, they may charge you another $2 for your bags.

Aruba has the best organized public transportation. We got to every place by public transportation without any problem. Buses called Arubus leave from the main station in Oranjestad and tickets cost about $2.

The other option for cheap travel are the local shuttle buses, their price is the same and they take you almost everywhere, including the airport.

There is also the possibility to buy a return ticket. In our experience, however, this is rather not worth it. If you buy one, you can only use it with the Arubus, and not with the shuttle bus. The price advantage is in the cent range, so it is rather not worth it.

Best time to visit is from April to November, at this time the prices are also the lowest. And since the island sits well outside the hurricane belt, there’s very little threat of tropical storms at this time.

January to March the weater is the best, but also the prices are the higehst at this time.

Aruba has a wide range of hotels to choose from, most of which are located by the beaches, making life easier if you’re looking for a beach vacation.

However, if you are on a budget, Airbnb in Downtown is an option for you. Downtown prices are definitely cheaper, and the added bonus is that you can walk to the city center and the market place.

And you can easily take the local bus or shuttle to the beach just for a $2 one way.

A standard visa is valid for all 6 islands and allows multiple entry for a maximum period of 90 days within 180 days. The maximum uninterrupted stay in one of the individual countries is 30 days.

To stay as mobile as possible on the road, it is important to have a SIM card with which you can have internet almost everywhere. We used the Digicel offer and were very satisfied with it.

You can buy an appropriate SIM card at the airport directly after passport control and get online right away. You can check the latest offers online at Digicel .

The prices are per person, except for the accommodation, which we rent for 2 people.

Accommodation: $45 / night

Restaurant: $10 – $30 / meal

Snack: $9 / meal

Pleasure: $3 – $20 / event

Bus: $2 / ride