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General
Information
Perfect
weather, gorgeous beaches, shimmering seas, duty-free
shopping, and friendly Dutch West Indies hosts
shouting "Bon Bini" (welcome) will greet
you upon arrival in Aruba. The island will capture
your heart as you experience friendly hospitality
in the hotels, dive centers, restaurants, casinos,
and shops throughout the island.
Diving in Aruba is famous for the spectacular
shipwrecks and interesting coral formations that
dominate Aruba’s underwater realm. This includes
the 400 foot Antilla wreck, which is the largest
wreck in the Caribbean.
Most of Aruba’s dive sites lie along the protected
western and southern coasts, a short distance
from the hotels along the famed Palm Beach. Aruba’s
waters are rich in exotic marine life, including
stingrays, moray eels, manta rays, barracudas
and yellow tail. A large, shallow sand plateau
surrounds Aruba making boat travel the most convenient
method of reaching the off-shore reefs. Interesting
coral formations are found from shallow water
depths of 20 to 100 feet, with little or no current
and flat surface conditions.
Climate 75 - 85F 24 -29C Water Temp 75 - 82F 24
- 28C Visibility 50 - 100+ ft 15 - 30+ m
Getting
There
The
following airlines have Aruba on their route:
-
Air Canada
- Aires
- American Airlines
- American Eagle
- ArkeFly
- Aserca Airlines
- Avianca
- Avior Airlines
- Continental Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Dutch Antilles Express
- Insel Air
- JetBlue Airways
- KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines
- Martinair
- North American Airlines
- Santa Barbara Airlines
- Skyservice Airlines
- Surinam Airways
- Tiara Air
- United Airlines
- US Airways
- USA 3000 Airlines
Check
the Aruba Airport website for live arrival
times and live departure
times.
Entry Requirements
For complete entry requirements, please visit
http://www.aruba.com/sigma/Entry_Req-Eng.pdf
Getting Around
Taxis
Rates, set by the Government, are based on destination
rather than mileage traveled and are for the total
number of passengers in the car or van.
Rental Cars
There are a number of international and local
rental agencies. It's nice to be able to explore
the entire island at your leisure. But many of
the roads are rugged and not suitable for a car.
Make sure that your spare tire is full of air
before heading out into the rough rugged terrain.
Many 4-wheel drive rentals often have no roof,
so make sure you put on sun block because the
sun shines brightly in Aruba! 4-wheel drive vehicles
are numerous but they are often hard to get because
they are used for "Jeep Safari" tours
that are popular sightseeing day trips.
- Arubans drive on the right-hand side of the
road.
- The minimum age of 21-25 and the maximum of
65-70 vary slighty by company.
- International driving license or any valid license
held for at least two full years is required.
- Unlimited mileage; rates subject to change without
notice.
- Deposit of US $500 or open signed credit card.
- Towing service available.
- Windsurf roof racks upon availability and upon
request.
- Pick up service available, with some exceptions,
at the cruise terminal.
- Insurance recommended, but does not cover if
the driver is intoxicated in a car accident.
Scooters and motorcycles are also available and
lots of fun. A regular driver's licence is all
you need! Helmets are supplied.
Gasoline
Gas pumps for your rental car register in liters:
1.06 quarts to 1 liter. One gallon is 3.78 liters.
Prices at gas stations are in Aruba florins. It
is not usually the custom to pump gas for oneself,
please check if the attendants are to pump gas
or if it is a self-service gas station.
Buses
There is inexpensive and reliable daily bus service
between all the districts and the hotel areas.
Check at your hotel for schedules and hours. The
main bus station is located in downtown Oranjestad
across from the waterfront shops and restaurants.
Helpful Information
Telephone Services: For dialing direct calls from
Aruba, the code into the international circuit
is 00 followed by the country code, area code
and the number. For assistance, call 121.
Aruba's International telephone country code is
297. To direct dial Aruba from the U.S., the code
is 011-297-plus the number.
You can use the public phones (with Aruban calling
cards) that are placed all over the island. Unfortunately,
it is not possible yet to use your foreign cell
phone in Aruba, due to the specifics of the telephone
net in Aruba. If you want to rent a cellphone,
there are several places where you go.
Mail Services
The Central Post Office is located diagonally
across from San Francisco Church in Oranjestad.
Open from Mondays to Fridays from 7.30 a.m. to
noon and from 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. The Post office
at the Royal Plaza Mall in Oranjestad is open
from Mondays to Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 6.45
p.m.
Dress
Aruba is tropical and very warm. You should bring
light, casual clothing. It is generally not allowed
to enter shops or casino’s in your bathing suit.
Evening's lower temperatures and breezes may warrant
a light jacket if you chill easily.
Water
There is no need to buy bottled water, Aruba’s
water from the tap is praised for its excellent
quality and taste. Aruba’s drinking water flows
from the world’s second largest desalinization
plant. It is not only perfectly pure and safe
to drink, it’s also very delicious.
Electricity
Aruba has the same voltage standard as in North
America (110 volts AC). Therefore, European appliances
(that use 220 volts) generally cannot be used
in Aruba (unless you have a converter).
Safety
Aruba has always been considered one of the safest
destinations in the Caribbean, however incidents
may occur. Please do not provide temptation by
leaving your valuables unattended on the beach
or in your rental car.
Room Taxes
Generally, there is an 11% service charge on room
rates. Most hotels also apply a 6% government
tax.
Tipping/Service Charge
Most Aruban restaurants maintain a service charge
of between 10 and 20%.
Shopping
Shops are open Monday through Saturday from 8
AM to 12 noon (many closing for lunch) and from
2 PM to 6 PM. Some stores close Tuesday afternoons.
The Alhambra Bazaar is open until midnight. Bargaining
on prices in Aruba is not considered polite -
even in the many bazaars. What to look for - china
and crystal, clothing and accessories, leather
goods, jewelry, local crafts, food (Edam and Gouda
cheese and Dutch chocolates).
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