Aruba

This parched speck of an island off the coast of Venezuela has guaranteed sunshine and is blessed with beaches that make you say 'ahhh.' Tourism is the big business here and it's served in a flavorsome double scoop of beach beaus and sun bunnies from North America and Holland, and Latin coastal coasters, nearly all of them on circuit-breaker trips to pep up winter suntans, prop at the poolside bar and try their luck at the casinos.

Although large-scale tourism dominates the island (read: luxury resorts from here to sunset), there are still undeveloped areas on the exposed northern coast and much of the interior is inhabited by nothing more substantial than goats and contorted divi-divi trees. In this region, the triple whammy of a dry climate, salt-loaded seaspray and relentless trade winds has created a wonderfully surreal landscape with more than a passing resemblance to the images Pathfinder sent back to earth from Mars.

Aruba is a wonky parallelogram measuring 20 miles (32km) long and 6 miles (10km) across with about the same area as Washington, DC. Aruba's location, 19 miles (30km) north of Venezuela and 990 miles (1590km) south of Miami in the balmy Caribbean Sea is where the DC analogies come tumbling down. The island is scrubby and pretty flat, reaching somewhat pathetically for the sky from 620ft (188m) Mount Jamanota.

Tortured divi-divi trees, always stretching to the west, and cacti, from thumbnail to telephone pole size, are Aruba's prominent vegetation. Hardy salt-tolerant wildflowers brighten up the arid and stony hills. Introduced flowering plants such as bougainvillea, hibiscus, oleander, frangipani and poinsettia eke out an existence where freshwater is available. Wildlife is restricted to lizards, goats, donkeys and nocturnal casino-crawlers. Birdlife includes the cheeky bananaquit which will sneak the sugar from off your poolside table, the irrepressible chuchubi (a type of mockingbird) and the shy but super-bright troupial, plus seabirds and migratory visitors.

Aruba is warm, dry and soothed by trade winds year round, with daily highs generally between 80-90°F (27-33°C). The hottest months are August and September, the coolest January and February. Rainfall is scant, which accounts for the island's arid landscape. The precious few clouds that pass this way drop their meager load between October and January. Aruba is outside the hurricane belt, so there's no need to worry about a big blow during the June to November Caribbean hurricane season.

Culture

Arubians are gymnastic linguists, many of them speaking four languages: Dutch, English, Spanish and Papiamento, sometimes in the same conversation. Papiamento is a melodious language derived from every culture that has impacted on the region, including traces of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French and local Indian languages. It's spoken throughout the Netherlands Antilles but is more Spanish-based on Aruba, an indication of the island's closer ties with the South American mainland. Making an effort to use a few Papiamento words will delight your Aruban hosts. Bon bini (welcome) is the first Papiamento you'll come across. Another word you'll hear is dushi, which means sweet or lovely; women will hear it more than men.

The Arawak heritage is stronger on Aruba than on most Caribbean islands, though the indigenous language and culture did not last long into the 19th century. No full-blooded Indians remain, but the features of the islanders clearly indicate their genetic heritage. The majority of the population is descended from Arawak, Dutch and Spanish ancestors. Arawak petroglyphs can be seen in several parts of the island, including Fontein cave in the Arikok National Park, and an Indian village is still being excavated at Tanki Flip. Artifacts on view in Oranjestad's Archaeological Museum give clues to the customs of daily and ceremonial Arawak life: there are burial urns and a bone spatula thought to have been used as a vomiting stick to prepare men for ceremonies.

Arubans don't shy away from a party, and the music you'll hear on the island reflects this. The most popular styles are lyric-heavy calypso, beat-based soca and merengue and a local blend known as socarengue that's so sexy you'd expect to see hip-replacement specialists standing by to rescue bump'n'grind victims.

Cost

No one comes to Aruba looking for a cheap holiday. Most visitors come to the island on package tours to luxury resorts. At these establishments pre-booked package deals are considerably cheaper than the quoted rates, which for accommodations alone can easily top US$250 a day. If you plan to stay in this kind of comfort and indulge in gambling, shopping and watersports - the three most popular tourist activities - you'd better have a platinum credit card in your wallet. Staying in a moderate hotel and eating in modest restaurants will cost around US$175 per day. Independent budget travelers can squeeze by on around US$100 a day by tracking down inexpensive b&b accommodations and concentrating on the free pleasures offered by the beach.

Aruba has its own currency but the US dollar is widely used. They'll take your greenbacks in even the tiniest local bar, though your change is likely to be in florins. Major credit cards and travelers' checks are accepted at all businesses catering to tourists. Many ATMs accept international debit cards, but not all - some of the most prominent likely-looking autotellers are for locals only. Look out for ABN-AMRO bank ATMs, which will dispense cash in local currency or US dollars.

There's a 7% government tax on hotel rooms. Hotels add a 10-15% service charge, plus other energy surcharges. Restaurant service charges are also in the 10-15% range; there's no need to tip on top of this.

When to Go

The peak tourist season is between mid-December and mid-April, but this has more to do with the weather in North America and Europe than it does with the weather on Aruba. It's therefore best to visit outside this period, when you can expect room rates to be almost halved.

Activities

Aruba has the best beaches in the Dutch Caribbean and arguably some of the finest in the region, especially if you don't mind lounging in the shadow of large hotels. The island's most popular beaches are along the developed stretch of the reef-protected leeward coast, northeast of the capital Oranjestad. They include the resort areas of Druif Beach, Palm Beach and Eagle Beach. Less crowded beaches include Arasji Beach, on the island's northwestern tip; the cove at Baby Beach, at the island's southeastern extremity; and undeveloped Boca Grandi, one of the few places to swim on the exposed northern coast.

Aruba has fantastic windsurfing, thanks to consistently strong trade winds. The favored spot for experienced surfers is Fisherman's Hut, just north of Palm Beach. Malmok, just a little further north, is a good place to find your windsurfing wings while Boca Grandi and Bachelor's Beach in the southeast are popular with those wanting a little more elbow room. There's plenty of windsurfing gear for hire. Good swimmers can try boogie-boarding at Andicuri on the central northern coast.

There's diving and snorkeling on the reef that runs along Aruba's leeward coast. Visibility can often reach 100ft (30m) and there's plenty of marine life, but the diving is not as spectacular as that available off neighboring Bonaire and Curaçao. The WWII-era wrecks of a scuttled German freighter and a tanker, both off the coast of Malmok, are favored dive spots. Snorkeling spots include Boca Grandi, which has good elkhorn coral, Palm Beach and Baby Beach.

Yachts offer coastal cruises with snorkeling and swimming stops and are also available for private charter. If you're interested in deep-sea fishing, you can catch bonito, kingfish and marlin. Naturalist-led hiking tours can be arranged through the Aruba Tourism Authority, and there are horses for rent at Daimari in the island's north.

Places to go in Aruba