Population
Aruba has a population of around 107.000 people. Everyone born on the island has Dutch nationality and, as a result, a Dutch passport.  The island is home to over 90 different ethnicities, and the majority of Aruba’s population is multi cultural.

Languages
Papiamento and Dutch are the two most common languages on the island of Aruba, however English and Spanish are also spoken on the island.  Papiamento is a Portuguese-based language with strong Spanish influences, and it is also spoken on Curacao and Bonaire. It’s very simple for visitors to interact and communicate with the locals in Aruba since the people there are accustomed to speaking a variety of languages and are incredibly friendly.

As a warm-up before you immerse yourself in Aruba’s local culture, we invite you to participate in this basic Papiamento course! Bo ta cla pe? Are you ready for it?

Learning Papiamento

Religions
Aruba has a wide selection places of worship. The most practiced religion is Roman Catholic (75.3%), followed by Protestant (4.9%), (includes Methodist 0.9%, Adventist 0.9%, Anglican 0.4%, other Protestant 2.7%), Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.7%, other 12%, none 5.5%, unspecified 0.5%. Ask at the front desk of your hotel for details on service locations and hours.

The Aruban Guilder/Florin (AWG/AFL) and/or the US dollar are the recognized currencies in Aruba. It is advisable to travel with American dollars or to just take out florins from the bank. You’ll need your passport to exchange money, so be sure you have it on hand. The various stores and restaurants will convert at the rate of 1.75 or 1.80 AWG for 1 USD, while the conversion rate at the bank ranges from 1.78 to 1.80 AWG for 1 USD.

On weekdays, banks typically remain open from 8 am until 4 pm. The main credit cards and debit cards from all over the world are accepted at the numerous ATMs located in Oranjestad, Palm Beach, and other areas of the island. American Express is not widely accepted, despite the fact that most locations take most well known credit cards. Don’t forget to inform your bank of your travel intentions in order to prevent them from blocking your cards while you are away.

We recommend using florins on the island since you will be less affected by the exchange rate. When paying with US Dollars make sure to have smaller bills, as some places will not accept 50 or 100 dollar bills.  Additionally, USD coins are not accepted in most places, and since most places don’t keep change in USD, you could get your change back in Aruban Florins.

Tipping
The US tipping custom is applicable on Aruba. Although many restaurants add a service charge of 15% to the bill, this is often shared among the service and kitchen staff as part of their salary. In this event, an additional gratuity in recognition of good service is appreciated, though not obligatory.This applies to taxi drivers as well.

UPON ARRIVAL: It is very easy to get a taxi from the airport, a trip to the hotel area is around 20 USD. There are no meters; fares are fixed and set by the government. Many hotels also offer shuttle services from the airport to your accommodation. Although it is possible to take a bus from the airport to the hotel area or Oranjestad.

DURING YOUR STAY: If you’re staying in the hotel area and not planning to venture to the other side of the island it’s very easy to get around on foot, get on a bus, or hire a taxi. You can also easily take the bus from the hotel area to Oranjestad, as the main bus station is located there. Inquire at your hotel for schedules or visit Arubus for more information and routes. But it’s recommended to rent a car if you are planning to explore the island during your vacation. Don’t want to drive but still want to explore? Join a guided bus, jeep or UTV tour and explore the island that way. A new hop-on, hop-off open-air trolley is now also operating in a loop along Caya G.F. Betico Croes (Mainstreet) in downtown Oranjestad. The terminal is near the cruise-ship terminal.

Here are some tips if you decide to drive when visiting Aruba:

• When driving in Aruba, you must have a valid driver’s license from your country of residence or an international driving permit if your driver’s license is printed in a non-Roman script.
• On Aruba we drive on the right side of the road with left-hand drive cars. But don’t be surprised if you see a right-hand drive, since these have become very popular.
• European rules of the road and signs are used.
• The speed limit in urban areas is 30 km/h, out of town 60 km/h and on the faster roads it is 80 km/h unless indicated otherwise.
• Review the most important traffic signs, including: roundabout approaching, turn right and turn left arrows, no U-turn, and no parking, before you get behind the wheel.
• Making a right turn at a red signal is not allowed in Aruba. When approaching an intersection where there is no priority sign, the driver on the right always has right of way.
• Dead-end road traffic must yield to all oncoming vehicles at T-junctions.
• Depending on where you are on the island you may have to pay for parking, this is common in Oranjestad and along the hotel strip.  To avoid receiving a tire boot or having your car towed, be careful to pay attention to the signs.
• If there is an accident, DO NOT MOVE YOUR VEHICLE! Call 911 to alert the police or call 165 in non-emergent accidents and small fender-benders.