Before you fly

Aruba asks every air traveler to complete the ED card online, a pre-registration form that needs a valid passport and a Visa, Mastercard or Discover card. Submitting it does not guarantee entry: your eligibility is assessed on arrival. The $20 sustainability fee is paid by card with the form, cash is not accepted, and children under 8 are exempt. Use only the official site, edcardaruba.aw: sites that charge more than $20 are not official. Cruise passengers usually do not need the form, but confirm with your cruise line. The full list is in money and entry rules.

The currency is the Aruban florin (about 1.79 to the dollar at the Central Bank), but dollars are commonly accepted and taxis take either at 1.80 florins to the dollar.

Choose your area

Eagle Beach has low-rise hotels and a wide beach. Palm Beach is the high-rise resort strip with most restaurants, shops and the catamaran departures. A taxi between the two is $16, and the Arubus line L10 runs between them at $2.60 a trip. Noord sits next to Palm Beach with lower fares to town, and Oranjestad is the capital and cruise port. The comparison is in where to stay in Aruba, and the beaches themselves are described in Eagle Beach and Palm Beach.

Getting around

Taxis are not metered: the government fixes fares by zone for up to four passengers, with $5 extra on Sundays, holidays, December 24 to January 1 and between 11 pm and 7 am. Only plates marked "TX" are legal taxis. A bus day pass is $15 and beats single rides from the sixth trip. Buses take carry-on bags only. A rental car starts around €88 a day on sample dates, but you do not need one to stay on the Palm or Eagle Beach strip; see how to get around Aruba and renting a car.

What to book first

GetYourGuide prices depend on the date and group size. For the rest of the list, see Aruba excursions and the budget in the cost of a trip.

Weather and safety

Aruba is warm all year, about 27 to 32 °C, with roughly 18 inches (460 mm) of rain a year, and it lies outside the Atlantic hurricane belt. The driest stretch is January to April; October is the wettest month. Rain falls in short showers, and it is rare for it to rain all day. See the best time to visit Aruba. The US State Department advisory was Level 1, normal precautions, dated August 20, 2026; the UK advice lists petty theft and occasional street crime, so keep valuables in the hotel safe and carry a copy of your passport (see is Aruba safe).

Typical mistakes

  • Paying a third-party site for the ED card: the official fee is the $20 sustainability fee, and sites charging more are not official.
  • Booking the Natural Pool in an ordinary rental car: the park checkpoints stop standard passenger cars.
  • Planning the walking tour for a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday: it runs only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
  • Counting on the bus with luggage: buses accept carry-on bags only.

FAQ

How many days do I need in Aruba?

Three days cover the town, the interior and the sea; see Aruba itinerary. Four to seven days add the north coast, Arikok and a day at De Palm Island.

Is Aruba good for a first trip to the Caribbean?

Its weather is dry and warm all year and it is outside the hurricane belt, which makes planning simpler than on most islands.

Do I need cash?

Dollars are widely accepted and taxis take dollars or florins; ask about cards before you ride.

Is Aruba expensive?

Activities cost more than transport. A couple spends about $114 on the arrival fee and a round-trip airport taxi to Eagle Beach, plus the cost of the island safari, a snorkel sail and a walking tour, which depends on the date and group size.

Aruba Authority editorial team, 7 November 2026.