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Aruba is one of the ABC islands of the Lesser Antilles. The island
has a population of 119,428 inhabitants (2020) and an area of ​​180
km². Aruba is quite dry and lacks the lush tropical vegetation that is often
is found in the Caribbean.

The official languages ​​are Dutch and Papiamento – a Creole language based on Portuguese with strong influences from Spanish, English, Dutch and African languages. Aruba uses its own spelling of Papiamento, which differs from that used in Curaçao and Bonaire.

Crime

Petty crime occurs in Aruba, just as in Europe
The Netherlands.

For your safety, take the following precautions:

Be alert and give
thieves no easy motive.

Don't let
valuables in plain sight at the back of your apartment or in your
(rental) car.

Take good care of your money
and possessions.

Carry money,
credit cards and other valuable documents inconspicuously on your body (e.g.
in a suitable thin bag or belt under your clothing).

Also pay close attention
while visiting (tourist) locations.

Keep your passport,
airline ticket and money that you do not need immediately in a safe place.

Make sure you have a copy
of your passport with you.

Have you been mugged or robbed, or has something else happened to you? Do
then always report it to the local authorities.

Travel document

You always have a
valid passport required to travel to Aruba, which allows you to
identify.

The passport must
be valid throughout your stay in Aruba.

You can't with your
Dutch identity card for traveling to Aruba.

Electronic Entry and Exit Card

Before traveling to Aruba, you must complete an electronic entry and
Complete the Aruban government exit card (ED card).

Traveling with Children

Children also have
a valid passport is required to travel to Aruba.

Also for children
an ED card must be completed.

Are you traveling alone with
children under 18? Then check which documents you need
and take it with you. This prevents long waiting times at
border controls.

Money

In Aruba you can
pay with the Aruban florin. In many places, American
dollars (USD) are also accepted. Euros are generally not accepted
accepted as a means of payment. You can withdraw your euros at local banks
exchange for Aruban florins or USD.

On the island are
there are good ATM options.

Make sure you
have sufficient financial resources to deal with unexpected situations during your
to accommodate travel (think of extra costs in case of delay, higher costs
for accommodation and transportation).

Check if your
bank card has been activated for PIN transactions outside Europe (worldwide).

Mobile Phone

Check with your
provider what the costs are for mobile calling and data usage outside the
EU. It may be useful to purchase a foreign package.

Emergency numbers

Aruba is part of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands. This means that there is no Dutch embassy on the island.
In case of emergency, please contact local emergency services:

General
emergency number : 911

Aruba has a tropical climate. There is a lot
sun and little rain. The average annual temperature is 30 °C and the difference
between summer and winter is only about 2 degrees. Also the difference between the
day and night temperature is small, namely around 4 degrees. The sea water is
very warm, with an average of 27 °C. Annual precipitation averages between 50 and 75
cm of rain. It usually rains in the morning in the form of short, heavy showers
that travel across the island. Most rain falls in the months of October,
November and December. The warmest months are August, September and October.
The coolest months are January and February.

Protection from the Sun

The hottest time is between 12:00 and 15:00
time of day. Many shops and businesses are closed between these times.
Try to find as much shade as possible during those hours. The sun is burning
much stronger here than you are probably used to, and you will also be faster
burn. So it is important to apply sunscreen properly.
Standard sunscreen damages coral; 1 drop is enough to 1
football field worth of coral to kill! At the local dive shops you can
buy sunscreen that does not harm coral.

Storm and hurricanes

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1
until November 30. Then the risk of tropical storms is greater than outside the
hurricane season. Hurricanes are almost non-existent on the Dutch ABC islands.

Public transport

Getting around Aruba is quick and easy
easy. Bus services to and from Oranjestad and the resorts are
reliable and cheap.

The Arubus is a daily bus service
that runs along the entire strip. There is a bus every 15 minutes, from 5.45
until 6:00 p.m. After that, a bus leaves every 40 minutes until 11:30 p.m. The
central bus station in the center of Oranjestad is located near the cruise terminal
and next to the Royal Plaza.

Driving license

The European Dutch driving license is valid
in Aruba.

Transport

Explore Aruba by bike or mountain bike
is recommended. Aruba already has several bike paths, and the
Aruban government intends to significantly increase the number of bicycle paths in the future
to expand.

Since 2017 there is a new way
introduced to rent a bike in Aruba: Green Bike . Green Bike
has eight stations and 100 beautiful bicycles available. These bicycles are 24
available for rent per day via a machine.

Queen Beatrix International Airport is the national airport of
Aruba, located near Oranjestad. It is the main airport of the
island and offers connections to various destinations in Europe
(especially the Netherlands), South America, most Caribbean countries, as well as the
United States and Canada. The airport is named after Queen Beatrix,
the former head of state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

It is an important hub for flights connecting the island with the
connecting the rest of the world and playing a central role in tourism and the
trade of Aruba.

In Aruba there are several events that
tourists should not miss. Some of the most popular are:

Aruba Carnival (January to March) - The
Aruba Carnival is one of the largest and most exciting events
of the year. It includes colorful parades, parties and cultural
events taking place throughout February and early March

Boatsfest (January 21, 2024) - This
event is a vibrant celebration of Aruban water and beach culture.
Visitors can enjoy music, water activities and festivities
at the iconic Surfside Beach Bar​

Bon Bini Festival (weekly on
Tuesday evening) - This folkloric festival
offers tourists a chance to experience Aruban culture, with live music,
dance and local dishes

International Regatta (June) - One of
the largest sailing events in the region, where international sailors
compete in a lively and sporty atmosphere

In addition, there are also national holidays,
such as King's Day (April 27) , and other cultural events such as the Aruba
Art Fair and Easter festivities, all of which contribute to the
unique character of the island

"The name Aruba is probably
originating from the Arawak language, which is now completely extinct. The
The name Aruba first appeared in a historical document from 1526. It is
It has never been clear whether the island owes its name to her
residents or vice versa.

On January 1, 1986, Aruba was separated from
the Netherlands Antilles and became a fully independent and autonomous country
within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (special status): Aruba, like
The Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles, the status of a full-fledged country
within the Kingdom. The first elections took place on 6 January 1989
since obtaining the separate status. These were won by the MEP,
who won 10 of the 21 seats.

In June 1990, Prime Minister Nelson Oduber
and Minister Hirsch Ballin decided to continue the 'Status Aparte' after 1996.
In 1994, the previously intended independence was finally abandoned
of Aruba in 1996. From then on, the Netherlands would no longer insist on the
independence of Aruba. Aruba retained the Status Aparte, and the
opportunity to choose independence in the future. On 10
In October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved as a country, and
Curacao and Sint Maarten, like Aruba, are independent countries within the
Kingdom."

Dishes

A typical Aruban dish is the pisca
hasa (fried/baked fish) with fried slices as a side dish
plantain, pan bati (a type of pancake made with sorghum flour) or funchi
(thick corn porridge similar to Italian polenta), criollo sauce (a
sauce based on tomatoes, onions and vinegar) or pica den vinager .

Stoba ,
stews of stewed meat, fish or vegetables. For example Kabritu
Stoba (goat meat stew), Galina Stoba (goat meat stew)
chicken meat), Papaya Stoba (non-vegetarian stew with papaya),
etc.

Sopi , various
soup dishes. Sopi di karni (beef soup), Sopi di
Yuana/Iguana (iguana meat soup), Sopi di Kabritu (soup with
goat meat), Tamarind soup , Sopi rabu di baka (oxtail soup),
Sopi di Kadushi (this cactus soup is a variation on the Yambo dish,
where the okra is replaced by the Kadushi cactus).

Yambo, Guiambo or Okra is a dish of okra, salted meat (and/or pig tail), fish,
cheese, shrimp and karko (shellfish).

Savory snacks

Well-known savory snacks in Aruba are Pastechi (fish pastries,
meat, cheese or ham and cheese filling), Palito (sausage in dough) and Johnny
Cake (a flat, oil-fried, round pastry made from flour, milk and
butter). Antillean croquettes are a variation on the Dutch
version, but firmer and smaller. Other popular snacks include cheese balls
and pika balls .

Sweets

Bolo (all types of cake)

Tèrt (related to apple pie or flan,
but with coconut or plums)

Pumpkin Pancake (Pumpkin Pancake)

Peanut Letters (sweets in a
S-shape with sweetened almonds in it)

Kokada (grated coconut delicacy)

Koi lechi (sweet milk candy)

Other traditional sweets, kos di
boka dushi or ko'i dushi , called, are: tentalaria , kakiña
and panseiku .

Bolo pretu is a
dark fruit cake made from fruits soaked in alcoholic syrup
such as plums, dates, raisins, currants, figs, almonds and candied peel.

Drinks

Various cold drinks such as Awa di Lamunchi , Awa di Tamarijn , or Awa
in Sorsaka , and peanut chukulati (chocolate milk made from
peanuts).

The description of the flag of Aruba that you
you have given matches the official symbolism of the flag. Here is a short
overview of the symbols and their meanings:

Light Blue : The predominant light blue
color symbolizes the sea and sky that surround Aruba, which is the
reflects the island's natural environment.

Red star : The four-pointed star
represents Aruba itself and the four languages ​​spoken on the island
become (Spanish, Papiamento, Dutch and English).

Yellow stripes : The two yellow horizontal
stripes represent Aruba's special status within the Kingdom
of the Netherlands and also emphasize the important sectors of tourism
and industry .

White border around the star : The white border
around the star symbolizes the surf of the waves that wash over the island
surround and helps make the star stand out visually.

This design and its associated symbolism
were introduced on March 18, 1976, when the flag was officially adopted.