Island:

Aruba is one of the three ABC islands in the southern Caribbean, 15 miles off the coast of Venezuela. Aruba is an independent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and has a population of approximately 100,000 inhabitants. The island is 21 miles (33 km) long and has an area of about 75 square miles (193 km2). More information about Aruba can be found here.

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Transport:

• Taxi (airport to resort $ 22 – $ 25)

Taxis are widely available in Aruba and normally handle up to five passengers per taxi. Taxis in Aruba do not have meters since rates are based on destination rather than mileage and are set by the Aruba Department of Public Traffic as follows. Rates can be found on the following website: https://www.visitaruba.com/getting-around/taxis-and-limos/

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On Sundays, official holidays and on regular days starting from 11:00 p.m. till 7:00 a.m. there will be a surcharge of US$3.00 to the regular fares. Each passenger from and to the airport is allowed one (1) piece of luggage and a back/hand pack bag. For each additional piece of luggage there will be an additional charge of US$2.00 per piece. Attaché cases, laptop cases, carry-ons and any type of equipment/aid that is necessary for the passenger's mobility cannot be charged for. Use of car trunk, not going to or coming from the airport will be an additional charge of US$2.00 except when luggage is transported between hotels. Waiting time is US$3.00 per five (5) minutes.

 

• Bus (Downtown to resort $ 2.60 one way, line L10 – L10A – L10B)

There is inexpensive and reliable daily bus service between all the districts and the hotel areas. Just outside the airport property there are bus-stops, regularly serviced by Aruba’s Bus transportation company Arubus. The bus stops can be found behind the parking lot on both sides of the highway. From bus stop Reina Beatrix Airport bus lines 1, 2, 2B and 8 will bring you to downtown Oranjestad where the main bus station is located. From here, one can very affordably travel to anywhere along the hotel stretch. Arubus N.V. is the major public transportation of Aruba owned by the Government of Aruba. For schedules and routes check website of Arubus (http://arubus.com/). For the Divi Village Golf & Beach resort get off at the bus stop called Tamarijn/Divi Village  (nr. 9 on the map of the hotel grounds (PDF)). It’s common for tourist to tell the driver where to drop them off when they are stepping in the bus.

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Language:

The official languages on Aruba are Dutch and Papiamento, but most Arubans are multi-lingual and are able to communicate in English and Spanish as well.

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Time:

Aruba is in the Atlantic Time Zone and is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT/UTC -4). Aruba does not utilize Daylight Saving Time.

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Electricity:

On Aruba the standard voltage is 127 V and the frequency is 60 Hz. You can use your electric appliances on Aruba, if the standard voltage in your country is in between 110 - 127 V (as is in the US, Canada and most South American countries). Manufacturers take small deviations (plus or minus 5%) into account. Be careful if you bring appliances from Japan (100 V).

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If the standard voltage in your country is in the range of 220 - 240 V (as is in the UK, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia), you need a voltage converter on Aruba. You can also consider a combined power plug adapter/voltage converter.

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Drinking water:

There is no need to buy bottled water in Aruba. Aruba's tap water meets the highest standards of quality of the World Health Organization. Since Aruba does not have any significant natural sources of fresh water, the water is distilled in a saltwater desalination plant.

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Mosquitos:

Dengue, Zika and chikungunya have all been found in Aruba. These mosquito-borne diseases pose a risk to all travelers. Be sure to bring mosquito repellents and netting.

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Medical and Emergencies:

Please contact the front desk the DIVI Village Golf and Beach resort in case you require medical assistance. The front desk that can be reached by dialing 7813/7814 will be able to direct you to or arrange appointments with the right physician. In case of an emergency you could call 911 for an ambulance or the fire department. The police can be reached at 100. Aruba has a well-equipped hospital, called the Dr. Horacio Oduber Hospital, located close to Eagle Beach.

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Supermarket:

There is a mini market located at the resort but the grocery selection is limited. The nearest supermarket (5-minute drive by car) is the “Ling & Sons Supermarket” (Schotlandstraat #41 Oranjestad Aruba). For directions see following website: http://www.lingandsons.com/.

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Cellphone service in Aruba:

Aruba has a modern telecommunications network. Long distance calls can be placed from any telephone or from SETAR (Aruba's Telecommunications organization) locations around Aruba. Cellular phone rental is also available. The international dialing code for Aruba is 297.

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International Roaming is the service that allows you to make and receive calls and to send and receive data on your own mobile phone using your own cellphone number while traveling abroad. Before you leave check with your mobile provider whether they have a roaming agreement with Setar or Digicel who are the mobile operators in Aruba, and what their roaming fees are. Roaming fees can be quite high, especially for data transfer, so it's good to check this beforehand to avoid any surprises. If you would not like to receive emails, social media updates or any other notifications during your vacation abroad, you need to make sure to disable this on your phone. Please also remember that some applications remain open and continuously download data even when you are not using the application at that time. Before travelling make sure to close all data sessions and make sure that the data roaming is turned off.

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Aruba has both 3G and 4G cellular networks. Prepaid SIM cards offer you the benefits of using your own phone at local rates. Simply replace your SIM card with a prepaid Aruba SIM card and you will be set to make phone calls and send sms messages, without paying excessively high roaming costs. Please note that your Aruba SIM Card will require a SIM-unlocked 900/1900 MHz compatible international cell phone. SIM cards cost about US$20, do not require a contract and can be bought at all Setar and Digicel teleshops. Both Setar and Digicel have a booth in the arrival hall at the airport. Micro SIM cards are also available for devices such as the iPhone and cost about US $22.50.

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Money:

Aruba's currency is the florin, but the US dollar is also widely accepted. Banks also exchange other foreign currency such as Euros. Traveler's checks are widely accepted and there is normally no charge for using them in hotels, restaurants and stores. Major credit cards are accepted at most establishments while personal checks are normally not accepted. To see the value of your currency with the Aruban florin, please take a look at the daily Exchange Rate published by the Central Bank of Aruba.

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Banks:

Should you need banking services when you arrive you'll find a bank at the airport. The Bank is open seven days a week: Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. There are also four banks with several branches at other convenient locations.

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- RBC Royal Bank (Aruba) located at Italiestraat 36. Telephone +297 523 3100
- Aruba Bank NV located at Camacuri 12. Telephone +297 527 7777
- Banco di Caribe NV located at Vondellaan 31. Telephone +297 523 2000
- Caribbean Mercantile Bank NV located at Caya GF Betico Croes 53. Telephone +297 582 3118

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Banks are open on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Some banks close during lunchtime (12:00 - 1:30 p.m.) and some are open longer on Fridays (until 5 or 6 p.m.).

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Credit cards and ATM machines:

Cash may be obtained with MasterCard, Visa and American Express cards at credit card offices, banks, in some casinos and via Western Union. ATM machines are available for cards compatible with the Cirrus or Visa Plus system. ATM instructions are normally given in Dutch, English, Spanish and Papiamento and cash is normally dispensed in local currency. Some ATM's will also give out cash in US dollars.

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Service Charge & Tips:

Tipping is not obligatory, but is at the discretion of the visitor. However, some restaurant and bars add a service charge to your bill. When included, the service charge on food and beverage is normally around 10 to 15 percent. At one's own discretion an extra amount can be added for good service.

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Safety:

Aruba is considered one of the safest destinations in the Caribbean and in general is very safe at any time of the day or night. However incidents may happen and it is recommended to use common sense and not provide any temptation by leaving valuables unattended or clearly visible on the beach or in your rental car.

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Visas:

Citizens of some countries need a visa to go to Aruba. All the necessary information can be found in the following link:
https://www.visitaruba.com/traveling-to-aruba/entry-requirements-and-visas/

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There are many exemptions to the visa requirements, including for citizens and permanent residents of the US, Canada, the UK and Schengen countries.