Aruba

Aruba is warm and breezy all year, and the sea is warm enough for swimming in every month. The island lies outside the main hurricane belt, so storms rarely affect a trip. February to July is the driest and sunniest stretch. Short showers are most common from October to December. Carnival, in the weeks before Lent, is the island's biggest event.

Dutch and Papiamento are Aruba's official languages. Papiamento is a Creole blend of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and African languages. It is what most Arubans speak at home and on the street. English and Spanish are also spoken very widely in hotels, restaurants, and shops, so getting around without Dutch or Papiamento is easy.

Prepaid SIM cards from Digicel and Setar, Aruba's two mobile carriers, are sold at booths in the airport arrival hall and at shops around Oranjestad. Coverage is reliable island-wide, since Aruba is small and flat.

Tap water is safe to drink island-wide. Aruba has no natural fresh water. Tap water is desalinated from seawater to a high standard, and many hotels encourage refilling a reusable bottle instead of buying plastic ones.

Pharmacies (called botica in Papiamento) are easy to find in Oranjestad and near the main resort strips, and several stay open late. Dr. Horacio Oduber Hospital, near Oranjestad, runs a 24-hour emergency department. No special vaccinations are required for most travelers. A yellow fever certificate is required only for travelers arriving from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission.

Citizens of the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, the UK, and most of the EU and Schengen area can enter Aruba without a visa, typically for up to 30 days. US citizens can stay up to 90 days. Every visitor, regardless of nationality, must complete Aruba's online Embarkation/Disembarkation (ED) Card before arrival. The ED Card also collects the island's sustainability fee for air travelers.

At the border you will also need a valid passport, a return or onward ticket, proof of accommodation, and enough funds for your stay. The final decision on entry rests with the immigration officer at the airport.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Beachwear belongs on the beach. Cover up with a shirt or shorts when you head into town, restaurants, or shops. Public nudity is illegal in Aruba, and topless sunbathing is not practiced on the public beaches — a couple of private resort islands offer their own adult beach areas for that.

Greetings are warm and unhurried. A simple "Bon dia" (good morning) is appreciated, even from visitors who don't know any other Papiamento. It's polite to ask before photographing people, especially outside the tourist areas.

Public holidays affect banks and government offices more than tourist businesses. Most restaurants, shops, and hotels in the resort areas stay open as usual, including Sundays. Smaller local shops and offices tend to close on Sundays and holidays, so plan ahead for errands outside the tourist strip.

• By bus: Arubus, the government-owned bus operator, connects Oranjestad, the hotel strips, the airport, and San Nicolas. Pay cash on board, or buy a reloadable smartcard or day pass in advance. Arubus routes and schedules
• By taxi: taxis use fixed zone rates rather than a meter — agree on the fare, or check the official rate list, before you get in.
• By rental car or scooter: this is the easiest way to reach the beaches, rock formations, and Arikok National Park on your own schedule. Most of the island's attractions sit well outside walking distance of the hotel strips.
• On foot: the main hotel strips at Palm Beach and Eagle Beach are walkable between resorts, but the rest of the island is spread out and impractical to explore on foot.

Aruban food blends Dutch, Spanish, Caribbean, and Venezuelan influences, shaped by a trading history and a small island with little farmland. Breakfast tends to be light, often bread or pastechi, a fried turnover filled with cheese or meat. Lunch is usually the main meal of the day.

Hearty stews called stoba, made with goat, beef, or conch, are a home-cooked staple, usually served with funchi, a cornmeal side similar to polenta, or with rice and beans. Keshi yena is the island's best-known dish, a legacy of its Dutch cheese trade: a whole Gouda or Edam cheese, hollowed out, stuffed with spiced meat or chicken, and baked.

For something sweet, look for cocada, a coconut candy traditionally served on a piece of coconut shell. Locals wash meals down with Balashi, the island's own beer, or ponche crema, a spiced, eggnog-like drink served at celebrations. Restaurants range from casual roadside stands to fine dining around Oranjestad and the hotel strips.

Oranjestad, the capital, sits on the sheltered southwest coast. Its harbor front, colorful Dutch-colonial buildings and shopping streets are a short drive from the Palm Beach and Eagle Beach hotel strips.

Arikok National Park covers much of the rugged east and interior. It has cactus desert, limestone caves, cave drawings and wild coves, and you can explore it on hiking trails, by 4x4 or on a guided tour.