Aruba is a sunny, laid-back Caribbean island with beautiful beaches, warm turquoise water and a surprisingly rugged interior. Spend your days swimming, snorkelling, sailing or exploring Arikok National Park, then head to colourful Oranjestad for restaurants, bars and a bit of local culture. It’s also famously windy, which is why you’ll see divi-divi trees bent dramatically in one direction.
Aruba may be small, but its neighbourhoods offer very different places to stay, from lively beach resorts to quiet coastal hideaways. Palm Beach is the easiest all-round choice, with a long sandy beach, calm water, restaurants, shops and nightlife, plus plenty of big luxury and family-friendly resorts. Eagle Beach is more relaxed, with one of the island’s best beaches and a good choice of low-rise resorts, boutique hotels and romantic stays. Oranjestad, the colourful capital, suits travellers who want restaurants, shopping and local character alongside their hotel. For something more local, San Nicolas is Aruba’s artistic heart, known for colourful street art, galleries and the annual Aruba Art Fair, with smaller guesthouses and boutique stays rather than large resorts. Savaneta, on the south coast, is even more laid-back, with a handful of smaller hotels and guesthouses and some excellent seafood restaurants. From affordable apartments to five-star resorts, adults-only retreats and designer boutiques, Aruba has accommodation for every type of traveller.
Ideal for: Water sports, beach holidays, foodies, nightlife
Palm Beach is the go-to area for first-time visitors, families and anyone who likes to have everything close at hand. Its long stretch of white sand and calm turquoise water is the main attraction, with plenty of opportunities for swimming, snorkelling and water sports. Away from the beach, the area is packed with restaurants, beach bars, shops and casinos, and there’s a lively atmosphere after dark. Most of Aruba’s big-name resorts are here too, from family-friendly all-inclusive stays to smart beachfront hotels.
Did you know? Palm Beach is home to the famous Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort, where the beach is so broad and sandy that it has become one of the island’s most photographed stretches of coastline.
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Ideal for: Sunsets, couples, water sports, beach days, swimming
If your idea of an Aruba holiday consists of sand, sea and sunshine, Eagle Beach is hard to beat. The huge shoreline is the star of the show, with plenty of room to spread out, swim in the calm Caribbean water or catch one of Aruba’s famously stunning sunsets. It’s also home to the island’s distinctive fofoti trees, while the surrounding area has a relaxed mix of low-rise hotels, restaurants and casual beach spots. Couples will particularly appreciate the quieter atmosphere here, especially compared with the busier Palm Beach resort strip.
Did you know? Eagle Beach is one of Aruba’s most important sea turtle nesting sites. Four species nest on the island, and the majority of Aruba’s turtle nests are found along Eagle Beach.
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Ideal for: Sightseeing, shopping, culture, nightlife, foodies
Oranjestad is the best base for culture lovers, foodies and first-time visitors who want to see more of Aruba beyond the beaches. The colourful capital is small enough to explore on foot, with Dutch-colonial buildings, Fort Zoutman, the National Archaeological Museum and plenty of shops and local restaurants. There’s also a waterfront promenade, harbour and easy access to nearby beaches. Accommodation ranges from smart city hotels to more affordable stays, making Oranjestad a good option if you want local character and sightseeing rather than a full-on resort experience.
Did you know? Oranjestad was originally known as Paardenbaai, or “Bay of Horses”, because the area was once used to raise and export Aruba’s horses to neighbouring Curaçao.
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Ideal for: Local culture, snorkelling, street art, seafood, beach days
Savaneta and San Nicolas suit travellers who want to get away from Aruba’s main resort scene and see a more characterful side of the island. Savaneta is a former fishing village with a handful of excellent seafood spots and easy access to coves and snorkelling. Further south, San Nicolas has a livelier, more creative feel, with colourful murals, galleries and the annual Aruba Art Fair, while nearby Baby Beach is popular for its shallow, sheltered water. Hotels here are generally smaller and more affordable, from guesthouses and apartments to relaxed boutique stays.
Did you know? Savaneta was Aruba’s first capital, before the seat of government moved to what is now Oranjestad in the late 18th century.
