10 things I wish I knew before going to Aruba

Aruba. The white-sand beaches and crystal clear water of Aruba every year attracts many people from all over the world. Thousands of people have a dream of going to Aruba. If you are one of them, then you are in the right place. In this blog, you will get priceless information before going to Aruba. Of course, If you decide to travel to Aruba, the first question which you should answer is, what to do before going to Aruba? As you can guess, first of all, you should know the facts about Aruba and its culture.

1. No communication problem for tourists

Aruba has two official languages: Dutch and Papiamento. The other two most common languages on the island are Spanish and, of course, English. The majority of people have skills in 4 languages. It means that when you visit Aruba, you will not face any communication problems. If you want to learn some words in the local language before the visit, here are some examples for you: Bon bini - Welcome Con ta bai? - How are you? Mi ta bon! - I am well! Danki! - Thank you Aruba ta dushi! - Aruba is lovely!

2. Which currency to use?

Aruba has its currency, Aruban florin, but sure you can use USD. Furthermore, many exchange offices could be found there. Additionally, you can use credit cards for your shopping and accommodation. All major credit cards are accepted. Sometimes people face some problems during their shopping, and that is why they are offered to use cash. But only one person out of ten faces such kind of troubles. As of 2020, one USD equals 1.80 Aruban florins.

3. Do you like windsurfing, or do you want to try beach tennis?

Undoubtedly, we can say that local people love the sport. One of the most exciting things to know before going to Aruba is that they have their own game, which is called beach tennis. I believe that most of you have never heard about this game. This is something between tennis and beach volleyball. It is interesting to note that the Amateur Windsurfing Championship takes place in Aruba every year. Also, there are some other popular types of sport, such as sailing, kitesurfing, baseball, basketball, and, of course, football. Although they have been participating in the tournament since 1988, they have never won the Olympic medal. This is one of the saddest facts about Aruba.

4. Have you ever tried delicious Aruba meals?

Many people are keen on going to Aruba, because of the food. We can say that their cuisine is rich enough. For example, Cala, Keshi Yena, Funchi, Bolita di Keshi, Cabrito Stoba, Cool Island Soup, Sopi Mondongo are some of the well-known foods. Aruba has its unique bread, which is called Pan Bati. It looks like and cooked like a pancake, but local people eat this with soup or savoury meals. As Aruba is an island in the Caribbean Sea, they have huge access to seafood and fish. Some of the fish which you should try during your visit are mahi-mahi, red snapper, and grouper.

5. Can you imagine the beach without a cocktail?

Undoubtedly, we can say that Aruban people know how to make cocktails. There are plenty of them on this island, and some of which should be mentioned are Melon Popsicles, Blueberry Bramble, Out of the Fire, Rainbow Sangria, Pelican-Rita. Moreover, you should taste the national drink of Aruba, which is called the Aruba Ariba cocktail. This cocktail is one of the most important things to know before going to Aruba. I mean, who doesn’t like cocktails, another drink which you have to try is the local beer of Aruba with a unique name Balashi. Maybe it is not as popular as a German beer, but still, trying new savours is fun.

6. When is the best time to travel to Aruba?

After answering the first part of the question, what to do before going to Aruba, we should talk about the weather and tourism conditions. If your main concern is temperature, then you can visit this island whenever you want. The weather on this island is consistently warm and changes between 25-32 °C (77-89 °F). It means that the best time to travel to Aruba completely depends on your vacation plans. As many people want to run from the cold, it is very crowded from mid-December until mid-April. This time of the period is also known as a high season. During this period, hotel prices are much higher in comparison with other times of the year. When is the best time to travel to Aruba? Probably the most suitable answer will be the low season. If you don’t like crowded places or If you want to make this trip cheaper, the best time to travel to Aruba is the low season, which starts in mid-April and lasts until mid-December. As you know, Aruba is located outside the hurricane belt, far away from the storms. As we mentioned before, you will not face strict weather conditions during your vacation, but still, there might be some rain showers. Mostly, this happens between October and January. You might have a question: Is it safe to travel to Aruba during that period? There isn’t any reason for worrying, because they are not dangerous and last for a short time. One of the most valuable things to know before going to Aruba is that a lot of events take place during the year, and you can consider this during your travel planning.

7. What are the best places to stay in Aruba?

Finally, we reached the last answer to the question of what to do before going to Aruba? We have already got information about the cuisine, culture, weather conditions of Aruba, and now it is time to find the best places to stay in Aruba. One of the great facts about Aruba is that there is available accommodation for all budgets, which makes this place reachable for all people from various parts of the world. When you are looking for the best places to stay in Aruba, you should pay attention to the location. Would you like to stay at the beachside, or maybe you prefer more obscure places? Everything depends on your budget and priorities. If you want to spend your vacation in a five-star hotel, in most cases, their prices change between 200-400 USD, of course, depending on the room. When we take into consideration current prices, the cheapest among beachside hotels is Blue Residences (132 USD). If this is not suitable for you, you can take a glance at apartments, which offer rooms for much lower prices. When we look at this section, some of the best places to stay in Aruba are Quality Apartments, La Felicidad, Aruba Beach Villas, Sea Breeze Apartments. Their prices are nearly 2 or 3 times cheaper than beachside hotels. Also, plenty of vacation rentals are available in Aruba for all types of travellers. You can rent a villa, a luxurious condo, or a studio apartment.

8. What are the best places in Aruba?

If you are looking for mesmerizing places to visit in Aruba, here are some of the best places in Aruba: Alto Vista Chapel, Donkey Sanctuary Aruba, California Lighthouse, Antilla Wreck, Baby Beach, Arikok National Park, and Palm Beach. Oranjestad is the biggest city in Aruba. In addition, this is the capital, so don’t be surprised if the streets are a bit crowded. Here you will find many resorts, shops, bars, colourful colonial buildings. You should go to Fort Zoutman. Nowadays, the fort is the place where the Bon Bini Festival takes place. If you are a nature lover, then you ought to visit Arikok National Park, which covers nearly one-fifth of the island. If you go, you will get a chance to relax and enjoy the 3 famous beaches - Dos Playa, Boca Prins and Daimari Beach.

9. A beautiful place for wildlife lovers

The wildlife of Aruba is rich enough. There are approximately 200 species of birds in Aruba. Besides, you can see a lot of other animals like various lizard types, crabs, turtles. You can find most of them in Arikok National Park, which is one of the best places in Aruba. Furthermore, Aruba is the home of burrowing owls, the national symbol of the island. It is interesting to note that they are in danger because of boa constrictors, which are the types of snake. Additionally, another endangered animal is called the Aruban rattlesnake lives here. Unfortunately, there are only 230 of them left in the world. There are plenty of lizards and snakes, then is it safe to travel to Aruba? There is nothing to worry much about, but still, you must be attentive.

10. Is it safe to travel to Aruba?

Aruba has one of the lowest crime rates in the Caribbeans. Although 90 different nationalities live on this island, they live in harmony. Maybe the world should learn many things from Aruba. However, it is evident that currently, COVID-19 affects all places, and unhappily Aruba is also one of them. The government put a great effort to protect citizens and tourists, but still, the danger has not passed yet. When is the best time to travel to Aruba, or is it the best time to travel to Aruba these days? Because of the coronavirus, it is a little bit dangerous to travel during this period, but if you take all precautions, you can travel to Aruba.