Aruba is an independent country in the southern Caribbean.
This stunning port of call is approximately18 miles north of the Venezuelan coast.
Local Culture and Flavor
Unlike much of the Caribbean, Aruba has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-dotted landscape. Island visitors can expect warm, sunny weather and sandy beaches on the western and southern coasts. Most residents reside in or around the 2 major city-like districts of Oranjestad (the capital) and San Nicolaas. Aruba features an array of duty-free shops and casinos, along with upscale restaurants, nightclubs and some of the best windsurfing in the world!
Past and Present
Aruba’s original inhabitants were the Arawak Indians. Since then, centuries of wars and revolutions oscillated control of Aruba between the Spanish and the Dutch. Today, it is a cultural melting pot and a constituent country of the Netherlands. Gold, black gold and aloe are among the island’s chief exports and crops, but oil and tourism remain its biggest industries.
