Aruba
One small island, the practical page, and the honest bits — everything I wish someone had handed me the first time.
Updated September 2026
What nobody tells you before you land
Aruba is tiny — you can drive its length in under an hour — and that's the whole appeal. It sits below the hurricane belt, so the sun is a near-certainty, and the trade winds keep it from ever feeling too hot. There are no cities to tick off here; there's one relaxed town, Oranjestad, and a string of some of the best beaches in the Caribbean.
So this is a page about slowing down: which beach for which mood, the rocky windward side almost no one visits, and the practical details that make a few days here effortless.
Fact sheet
Everything practical, on one page
Asked every week
Questions I get about Aruba
How many days do I need?+
Three to four is plenty. Aruba is a beach island, not a checklist — give it two beach days, one to rent a car and circle the wild windward side and the Arikok desert park, and one to do nothing at all.
Which beach should I pick?+
Eagle Beach for space and the famous fofoti trees; Palm Beach for the lively side with bars and watersports; Baby Beach in the south for calm, shallow water and snorkelling.
When should I go?+
Any time — Aruba sits below the hurricane belt, so it's dry and breezy all year. January to April is peak (and priciest); the autumn is quieter and just as sunny.
Do I need to rent a car?+
Only for a day. The hotels and best beaches are walkable or a short taxi ride, but a car for one day unlocks the rugged Arikok park, the natural pool and the wind-blasted north coast that most visitors never see.
The podcast
I walked this before I wrote it
Every guide starts as an episode. Listen to the Aruba introduction — the context, the beaches and the honest bits — then plan your days.