What to Expect
Aruba's cruise terminal is at the Oranjestad pier, within walking distance of the main shopping street (L.G. Smith Boulevard) and the Royal Plaza mall. The Dutch colonial-influenced architecture of Oranjestad is attractive; most passengers move through to reach the beaches. Eagle Beach (designated one of the Caribbean's best beaches by multiple publications) is 8 km north of the pier by taxi or bus. Palm Beach (the resort strip) is one km closer and more crowded. The Divi Divi tree — wind-bent by consistent trade winds, pointing toward Venezuela — is Aruba's natural icon and appears throughout the island.
Getting Around
Taxis from the pier to Eagle Beach: $12–15 each way. To Palm Beach: $15–18. Aruba Line bus (Arubus): runs from the terminal to Eagle Beach ($2.50) and Palm Beach ($2.50) every 15–20 minutes — the cheapest and reliable option. Car rental is available near the pier ($55–80/day) and gives access to the interior. Arikok National Park (18% of the island's land area) in the northeast requires a car — entrance $15. The road through the park to the natural pool (Conchi) is rough; high clearance is helpful.
Tipping and Currency
Aruban florin (AWG) is the local currency, fixed at AWG 1.79 to USD; USD is accepted everywhere. Most tourist-facing restaurants include a 10–15% service charge — check before adding. Where no service charge is included: 15% is appropriate. Taxi drivers: 10%. ATMs throughout Oranjestad and Palm Beach.
Beaches
Eagle Beach on Aruba's northwest coast is a 2.4-km stretch of fine white sand with calm, crystal-clear water — no major resort development, just the beach. Chair rentals available at small snack bars. Palm Beach, 1 km north, has resort hotels and beach chair infrastructure — busier and more organized. Malmok Beach (north of Palm Beach) has the best snorkeling near the surface — the reef begins close to shore. Baby Beach at the island's southern tip (20 min by car) is a circular lagoon protected by a natural reef — shallow, warm, genuinely appropriate for small children.
Culture and Interior
Aruba's cultural identity is a Creole/Arawak/Dutch mix that doesn't fit neatly into any of those categories. The Archaeological Museum of Aruba in Oranjestad covers the pre-Columbian Caquetío people and their artifacts ($5 admission). The Aloe factory (Aruba Aloe) offers free factory tours — Aruba has grown aloe vera commercially since the 19th century and the factory is a genuine industrial operation, not a tourist set-piece. Fort Zoutman (1796, the oldest building on the island) houses the Aruba Historical Museum. The north coast's rock formations at Casibari and Ayo have Arawak cave paintings accessible on short trails.