Columbus Cruise Review

Home > Cruise Destination Guide > Oranjestad

Time Zone: GMT - 4.

Currency: Aruba Florin or Guilder (AFl) = 100 cents.

Language: Dutch.

Sightseeing: Oranjestad’s Dutch heritage is characterised by pastel-coloured gabled buildings, and a windmill brought piece by piece from Holland, which is now used as a restaurant. There are four museums here open to the public: the Historical Museum, the Geological Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Numismatic Museum. Oranjestad has a daily market in the Paardenbaai (Schooner Harbour) where traders sell fresh fish straight from the boat, and fruit and vegetables from the mainland are available. However, Aruba’s principal attraction is its beaches; these include Arashi Beach (near California Point on the northwest tip, particularly good for snorkelling) and Bucuti Beach (recently rated one of the top nine beaches in the Caribbean and one of the best 100 beaches in the world).

Shopping: Perfume, linens, jewellery, watches, cameras, crystal, china and other luxury items, plus a range of locally made handicrafts.

Eating Out: Aruban specialities include stobà (lamb or goat stew), cala (bean fritters), pastechi (meat- or cheese-stuffed turnovers), ayacas (leaf-wrapped meat roll) and sopi di pisca (fish chowder).