White sandy beaches and cobalt blue waters, tall coconut palms, constant
14-20 mph tradewinds, an average year-round high temperature in the mid-80s
with lows in the 70s, and a location outside of the hurricane belt--all
combine to make the southern Caribbean island of Aruba a favorite port of
call.
An autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with its own
democratic government, the island is nearly 20 miles long and almost 6 miles
wide. The mountains of Venezuela, only 15 miles off the coast, can be seen
on clear days.
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Considered one of the most tourism-friendly islands in the Caribbean, Aruba
has an English-speaking population, accepts the U.S. dollar, offers driving
on the right side of the road, and serves up pure drinking water.
Cruise ships dock in Oranjestad, the capital. It is only a short walk to
town, and a short taxi ride ($6) to one of the island's best beaches--Palm
Beach. Car rentals average $35 a day. A jeep goes for $60-70 and rental
bicycles for $10.
CLICK FOR PIC Seaport
Village
Shopaholics will be pleased with their options in Oranjestad. Nearby Smith
Boulevard, the main street, is loaded with stores, and close by is Seaport
Village and Central Plaza. While Aruba is not duty-free, tariffs for
imported goods are low. But don't spend your whole day in port shopping or
you'll miss all the beauty this tropical island has to offer.
Take a short hike in Arikok National Park, strolling along neat trails around
huge rocks. Goats run along narrow stone walls and bleat at tourists from
overhead rocks. Beautiful blue lizards scamper all around. One section of
the park, called Cunucu Arikok, has ancient Indian drawings under a rock
ledge that thousands of bats call home. Still standing is one of the humble
19th-century adobe houses with fences made of live cactus, where people still
lived just 50 years ago.
CLICK FOR PIC Natural Bridge, Aruba
The best-known geological feature in Aruba is a natural bridge along a rocky
stretch of coast, more than 100 feet long and soaring 25 feet above the waves
that created it. It is wide enough to walk across and quite safe to do so.
On the eastern coast, look for secluded sandy beaches created by narrow
channels where the heavy-pounding surf has broken through the rock shelf.
Then there is the hilly coast, which is desolate and difficult to walk along
due to the rough black rock on the beach.
Most of Aruba's hotels are on the western coast, a level terrain on a
seven-mile stretch of pure white sand beaches. The azure waters are calm and
filled with water cyclists, snorkelers and scuba divers. Thanks to the steady
trade winds, windsurfers and parasailers enjoy one of the world's best sites
for these sports. While there are no nude beaches, topless bathing for women
seems to be the accepted norm.
Gambling is not promoted heavily, but many of the better hotels have casinos.
There are wonderful restaurants. Be sure to try the Iguana soup at Joey's,
but, of course, familiar chains like Pizza Hut and Wendy's are the most
popular with the locals.
The island also has a Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course. The price to
play runs about $120, but there are discounts for packages, or for playing
more than one round.
Another popular sightseeing attraction is the Atlantis Submarine ($68, with
discounts for seniors and honeymooners) that goes to a depth of 140 feet to
view the incredible beauty beneath the sea.
Nearly 500,000 cruise ship passengers are expected to visit Aruba this year,
and the tourism bureau boasts that there are no dangerous parts of this
island. Visitors can roam freely without fear. Moreover, you'll find none of
the desperate poverty seen on other Caribbean islands, and the cleanliness
only enhances the island's charm.
So if your cruise itinerary takes you to Aruba, be prepared to remember it as
one of your favorite ports.
