The formula for the popularity of the Caribbean island-state of Aruba is simple, but no less effective: good sandy beaches, clean coastal waters, good tusovka (at the level of Cancun), cognitive excursions and profitable shopping. Here tourists of the most different age go, but invariably provided. Many of them are travelers who, step by step, discover for themselves more and more new faces of the Caribbean islands.

The capital is Oranjestad.

How to get to Aruba

There is no direct flight from Moscow to Aruba. Flight is carried out by the airline KLM with docking in Amsterdam (two nights are provided: one on the way to Aruba, the second on the way back). All flights arrive to Oranjestad International Airport. Travel time (without taking into account docking) - about 13, 5 hours.

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Visa

Russian tourists need a visa, which is issued at the embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Customs office

Import and export of local and foreign currency is not limited. Duty-free allowed to import 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, up to a liter of strong alcoholic beverages, 2 liters of wine or 3 liters of beer, as well as personal items within the requirements. The import of perfume and perfume is not limited.

To import into the country are prohibited weapons and explosives, drugs and drug-containing medications, but in respect of the latter there are some indulgences. Without special permission, the export of objects and things of historical and artistic value is prohibited, especially those found on the seabed.

Aruba phone numbers

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Moscow: Kalashny per. 6; tel .: (495) 797-29-00, 797-29-79; website

Visa center of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Moscow: st. Pinch, 11 to 1; Phone: (495) 276-25-17; website

Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in St. Petersburg: Embankment of the Moika River, 11; tel .: (812) 334-02-00

Unified Rescue Phone: 911

Fire Department: 582-11-08

Rent a car

To rent a car, you need to have a valid driver's license and a driving experience of at least two years. Restrictions on age - from 21-25 to 65-70 years, depending on the company. Right-hand traffic.

Safety of tourists in Aruba

The crime rate on the island is low, but theft of personal property is met. Should beware of pickpockets, often "working" at the airport, in ports and in places of large congestion of people.

Tap water is usually chlorinated and considered safe to drink, but it's best to still use bottled water.

To the natural dangers of the island can be attributed to the local rattlesnake and some species of insects. In the coastal waters, there are no sharks or other dangerous marine life, since they are fenced off from the ocean by coral reefs and rocks. Swim in the open sea is quite dangerous because of the strong coastal currents and marine life, dangerous for the unprepared swimmer.

Climate of Aruba

The climate is tropical marine. The change of the seasons is almost imperceptible, and the average annual air temperature keeps at +29 ° C, the water temperature +24 .. + 27 ° C. The maximum amount of precipitation falls in the period from November to December, with heavy rains and short-term rains. These spontaneous phenomena are rare, but for the island are constantly blowing trade winds, which greatly ease the heat. The climate is characterized by dry air, which is rare in the tropics. See also the weather forecast for the main resorts and in the cities of Aruba.

Beaches of Aruba

Beautiful sandy beaches and clear water - one of the main advantages of the island .The most popular beaches: in the northwest of the island the best beaches are Arashi Beach (Arashi Beach) and Hadicurari Beach (Hadicurari Beach) - they are ideal for snorkeling; The cleanest beach Druif Beach (Druif Beach) is considered one of the best beaches of the Caribbean Sea; beaches Palm Beach (Palm Beach) and Eagle Beach (Eagle Beach) are located just opposite the area of ​​fashionable hotels; Rodgers Beach and Baby Lagoon Beach - the most quiet beaches in the island ,Also you should not overlook the small isolated island Renaissance ,Located opposite the beach of Surfside Beach near Oranjestad ,and the island of De Palm ,surrounded by coral reefs The

The island has more than 40 places with excellent conditions for diving and snorkeling (in some places visibility is up to 30 m), and the constant strong winds and a variety of waves made Aruba popular among wind and kite surfers.

Aruba hotels

Most hotels in Aruba are modern complexes, almost all have their own beaches and small parks. By the way, in many hotels water kinds of sports and entertainments for lodgers are free.

Hotels offer different types of food: from "all inclusive" to breakfast. The most popular is staying on the basis of breakfast: there are a lot of cafes and restaurants on the island. Many hotels have SPA-centers and a casino.

Money

In Aruba, US dollars are universally accepted for payment. You can exchange currency in bank offices. Credit cards, as well as traveler's checks, are accepted for payment by most shops and hotels. ATMs in most cases issue florins, "dollar" devices are only in the banks of the capital. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 16:00, in some there is no lunch break. The branch office of the Bank of Aruba at the airport is open daily from 8:00 to 16:00.

The cost of maintenance is usually included in the bill - if not, it is customary to tip at 10-15%. In the taxi tip is not accepted and remain at the discretion of the customer (as a rule, drivers expect extra money only for luggage).

Shopping and shopping

Aruba is a zone of duty-free trade. Most shops are open daily from 8:30 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 16:00, and large shopping centers operate until 20: 00-22: 00.

In shopping malls you can find boutiques of almost all famous brands of Europe and America, and the prices in them are much lower than the European ones. Special attention should be paid to the tourist by very qualitative and cheap Colombian emeralds, topazes and diamonds.

Cuisine and restaurants in Aruba

The basis of local cuisine is seafood: prawns and lobsters, lobsters and deep-sea fish, shellfish and seaweed. All kinds of imported alcoholic beverages are widely available on the island. They produce high-quality beer, the most famous among them is Balashi.

Entertainment, Excursions & Attractions Aruba

In Oranjestad, the main city of the country, there are 4 museums: Archaeological, Historical (Museo-Arubano), Numismatic and Geological, as well as the Cultural Center of Aruba with a large number of various exhibitions. In the city and its environs there are many interesting churches and temples.

St. Nicholas: Charlie Bar, a lot of interesting churches and picturesque old houses. It is worth visiting in the Arikok National Park: there is the Fontaine Cave, the Dutch colonial settlements in Masiduri, the ruins of the gold mines in Miralamar, the caves of Gwadirikri and the "Tunnel of Love". Other "must see" islands are the Natural Bridge (a 30-meter-high coral arch 7 meters high), the California lighthouse, Ayo-Rock (a region of rocks and canyons).

From entertainment: snorkeling, scuba diving, scuba diving, windsurfing, water skiing, catamarans, all kinds of fishing, traveling on a submarine, golf, horse riding, jeep safari.

Popular Tours

The average cost of excursions per person in a group is indicated. Jeep safari (whole day / half day) ~ 90 USD / 60 USD, sightseeing tour around the island on the ATV (all day) ~ 105 USD, sightseeing tour around the island by bus (half day) ~ 30 USD, walk on catamaran (3 hours) ~ 35 USD, a walk on a catamaran at sunset (2 hours) ~ 35 USD, a night cruise with dinner (4-5 hours) ~ 70 USD, a romantic dinner on a yacht on the open sea (3 hours) ~ 100 USD, an excursion to the island of De -Palm (whole day / half day) ~ 85/65 USD, snorkeling and scuba diving (~ 45 minutes) ~ 55 USD, "walk under water" (~ 45 minutes) ~ 55 USD.

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Photos of Aruba (36)