Aruba
Aruba Holiday
Aruba, the small Dutch Caribbean island lies only 18 miles off the coast of Venezuela in the azure blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Enjoy the stunning palm-fringed white sand beaches of the southern coast and the dramatic landscapes of the northern coast, as well as the vibrant capital city Oranjestad with it's Dutch story-book style architecture.
An easy to explore island with excellent diving and watersports.
There are many reasons for visiting the romantic little island of Aruba-fast becoming the honeymoon capital of the Caribbean. You'll find water sports galore, shopping bargains from all over the world, attractive scenery, friendly people-and glorious white sand beaches. Snorkelling and scuba fans appreciate Aruba's warm, clear waters teeming with vivid tropical fish. There are spectacular coral formations and even a few sunken vessels to be seen.
First see Oranjestad, the capital, with its colourful, lively market and pastel gabled houses. Then head out into the countryside, or cunucu, as it's called in Papiamento. (This is the language of Aruba, a mélange of Dutch, Spanish and English with a smattering of Carib Indian dialect.) A typical tour will take you through desert terrain, past colourful plantation houses enclosed by cactus fences, to secluded bays shaded by divi divi trees, swaying in the trade winds. Then you'll head back to town for a delicious meal of Aruban specialities, perhaps, or a bountiful Indonesian rijsttafel. Afterwards you might want to try your luck in one of the casinos, or catch the floor show at a hotel nightclub.
The western and southern shores of Aruba are scalloped by the island's best white sand beaches, great for swimming and sunning. Snorkelling and scuba fans appreciate Aruba's warm, clear waters teeming with vivid tropical fish. There are spectacular coral formations and even a few sunken vessels to be seen. You may want to try out a typically Aruban pastime: cart-sailing.
The Arubans are genuinely glad to meet tourists. They're proud of their island, its history and legends (sometimes a little difficult to separate) and want to show it off. So when a local in Aruba says "Bon bini" ("welcome" in Papiamento), you can be sure he means it.