Aruba
A favourite cruise ship port, the Caribbean island of Aruba has a host of activities and pleasures for its visitors. Long, pristine beaches, water sports, what is considered by some to be the best windsurfing in the world, golfing, fine dining, great nightlife and, of course, the fantastic shopping are all part of the Aruba experience. The excellent visibility of its waters, fascinating coral reefs and sunken wrecks make Aruba a popular destination with diving enthusiasts. Possessing the largest wreck in the Caribbean, the World War II German freighter, the Antilla, lies under Aruba's waters. Golfers enjoy the challenge of Tierra del Sol, an 18-hole championship course and Divi Links, a 9-hole course near the island's capital of Oranjestad. This busy city possesses a very Dutch feel with its colourfully painted buildings in historical Antillean style. Aruba offers abundant shopping opportunities in duty-free stores that contain designer clothing, jewellery, perfumes, linens and liquor. There is a very active nightlife at the many discos, cabarets, nightclubs and eleven resort casinos resident on the island. Aruba maintains an annual average temperature of about 28°C, with lots of warm sunshine, so visitors are sure to take pleasure in all that the island offers.
Language
Dutch and Papiamento. English is also widely spoken due to tourism.
Currency
The Aruban Florin is the local currency.
Electricity
110 volts, similar to Canada and the US
Location
Aruba is located in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea, and is 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela. Aruba belongs to the Dutch Caribbean Island, which also includes Bonaire and Curacao.
Capital city
Oranjestad is the capital
Points of interest
- Oranjestad, the capital, is rich in Dutch colonial architecture, and offers the bulk of the island’s urban activity with its shops, restaurants, and merchants selling fresh fish and produce along the wharf each morning.
- California Lighthouse has become one of Aruba’s trademark attractions, with its picture-postcard view of the western coastline.
- Natural Bridge – one of the most popular tourist attractions, the bridge is one of the largest coral limestone formations in the world.
