Discover essential travel tips for a memorable Caribbean experience in Aruba. From beaches to local insights, plan your perfect island getaway.
Aruba is a beautiful island located south of the Caribbean Sea within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The small island is surprisingly only 20 miles long, which makes it a special and unique place to explore just within a week. Before you book your trip to Aruba, learn about the entry requirements, travel tips, and a couple of the best tourist attractions.
What Are the Aruba Entry Requirements?
To enter Aruba, there are specific credentials you will need. Here are the Aruba entry requirements:
- Depending on where you are coming from, you need an Aruba visa for entry into the island.
- A valid passport.
- An Aruba ED card.
Countries such as those in the European Union, the United States, Argentina, Colombia, and others do not need an Aruba visa to enter the island. They can stay for 90 days or less in Aruba without a visa. Any country not listed on the list will have to apply for a visa for successful entry into Aruba.
Rent a Car Rather Than Hailing a Taxi
Rather than having to hail a taxi every time you want to visit a new place in Aruba, rent a car instead. You could drive on your own time, plan your itinerary accordingly, and not have to wait around for a taxi driver to come pick you up. Waiting for taxi drivers could eat into your precious travel time because you never know how busy the taxi company is, which could cause a delay in your pick-up time.
For renting a car in Aruba, you could pay about $30 per day and go as many places as you want, as long as you fill it up with the necessary gasoline. Hailing a taxi five times in one day could be the same $30 spent on one day’s car rental.
Pack a Few Water Bottles And Save Money On Beverages
Aruban water plants distill the seawater so that it’s safe to drink for citizens and visiting tourists. Go ahead and pack a few plastic reusable water bottles that you can fill with water in your hotel room. Hence, you will save on the cost of purchasing disposable plastic bottles.
You can fill up as many water bottles as you’d like before visiting the places on your itinerary. Remember to stay hydrated during your adventures on the island.
Beware Of Petty Crimes
Keep all your valuables, such as passports, currency, jewelry, hotel room cards, and vehicle keys, on your person at all times. Petty crimes are normal throughout Aruba, where you may face pickpocketing or robbery of your vehicle or hotel room.
Make sure the bag holding your valuable belongings is zipped up and possibly locked up so pickpockets do not attempt to grab anything from there. Don’t stuff your pockets with a wallet or something else noticeably big that could attract pickpockets.
While the hotel safes may lock up your personal belongings, robbers can crack the code if given the time. Hence, it’s better to have all identification credentials and high-value belongings with you at all times rather than leave them in your vehicle or hotel room.
Aruba Tourist Attractions
Of course, the Aruban island is filled with many beaches to explore. However, there are many more outside activities you can do because of the island’s naturally warm climate in the 80s year-round.
The Butterfly Farm
You can visit The Butterfly Farm twice during your stay because the entrance fee you pay also makes you eligible for an additional visit before you leave the island. Come to the mesh enclosure, where you can view many species of beautiful and unique butterflies, including the ever-popular around the world Monarch butterfly.
This may be one of the quickest attractions you can explore, as guided tours last up to 20 minutes. Plus, you can take a trip to the gift shop at the end of your tour to pick up a butterfly-themed souvenir to take home with you.
Eagle Beach
Eagle Beach is one of the most popular beaches on the Aruban island, with not too many visitors and quiet enough for a delightful day at the beach without too much commotion. When you aren’t relaxing on the beach sand, you can go snorkeling, jet skiing, swimming, or on a boat tour to see the sights. Don’t be surprised if you see newlyweds getting their wedding photoshoots done at Eagle Beach, too, which is a popular destination for this activity.
Aruba Aloe Factory
Aruba Aloe Factory is a special venue, as not many places in the world grow their aloe in the same place they sell it. See the aloe growing in the fields, visit the store for aloe hair, skin, and other products, and view the museum to learn about the history of the factory. You are even allowed inside the factory to see the overall manufacturing process.
Are You Ready To Travel To Aruba?
Though it’s a small island, there is so much to do when you visit Aruba. Take into consideration these tips for visiting the Caribbean Island and consider one or more of the attractions we mentioned to get you started in planning your itinerary!