ARUBA
Aruba was part of the Netherlands Antilles until 1986 and since then it has ‘separate status’ as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Dutch is still the official language, but in everyday life people speak Papiamento, English and Spanish. The population of Aruba consists of no fewer than 40 different nationalities. The island has a warm and dry climate where almost always the north-east trade wind blows.In the tiny Wilhelmina Park in Oranjestad there is still a statue of the former Dutch Queen Wilhelmina, who can remain quietly at her lookout post. In 1960, a Dutch mill was even imported and rebuilt in the salt pans near Palm Beach, where the Bubali bird sanctuary can be visited.
Aruba is visited by cruise ships. When a ship is in the port of Oranjestad, American tourists storm the jewelry and souvenir shops. There are plenty of luxury brand items for sale. Palm Beach and Eagle Beach form a chain of high rise hotels. The two Renaissance Hotels even have a private island, Renaissance Island, exclusively for their own guests. There are also time-share apartments, intended for wealthy Americans who occasionally spend a weekend gambling in the casinos.
Dutch tourists visit Curaçao and Bonaire before Aruba. Aruba is more expensive than other islands, due to a mandatory tipping system, which means that every bill is at least 15% higher. The salary of the staff consists largely of tips.
The first stone building on Aruba was Fort Zoutman (1798) and in 1859 the Willem III tower was built, now the Historical Museum. In the past, Aruba was less important than Curaçao and it was only in the 20th century that the island became prosperous thanks to the oil refinery at San Nicolas, at the eastern tip of the island. There were once gold mines, the ruins are at the Spanish Lagoon (Balashi) and on the north coast at Bushiribana. The gold production was a short-lived success.
In three historic buildings of the Ecury family you will find the Museo Arqueologico Arubano in Oranjestad. The island was once inhabited by Arawak indigenous people. They have been absorbed into the rest of the population, but their pottery has been excavated and petroglyphs are still there.
Aloe (a succulent plant) was an important agricultural product. The leaves of the plant are cut and boiled, which produces medicinal powder. Aloe is a well-known ingredient in skin and hair products. There is an Aloe Factory that can be visited (Aruba Aloe Factory).
Today, tourism is the most important sector of the economy. Unfortunately, most beaches are the private domain of hotels. At Malmok the beach is rocky and the western tip of the island consists of dunes and the lighthouse, Californa Lighthouse. The wind creates ‘walking dunes‘, an ideal place to celebrate parties and barbecue! At the lighthouse you have a view of the beaches with the hotels and the north coast. It is rough and rocky and too dangerous for swimming. Paragliding is done here and there. Snorkeling and diving is possible at Malmok and at the coral reefs of Baby Beach, at San Nicolas, a beach where locals go on weekends. If you want to see some marine life in a unique way, you can book a submarine tour with Atlantis Submarine.
$166,-
Currency
| Capital | Oranjestad |
|---|---|
| Population | 110.000 |
| Language | Dutch, Papiamentu, English and Spanish |
| Aruban florin and American dollars | |
| Visa required | www.visum.nl |
| Vaccination(s) | no |
| Voltage | 120 V |
| Traffic | Right-hand traffic |
