Eastern and Southern Caribbean · Aruba, Dutch Caribbean
Aruba, kept on a card.
Aruba is a dry, sunny island with pastel Dutch colonial buildings in the capital, calm turquoise beaches within a short ride and a rugged national park behind them. The cruise port is downtown.
Where the photos are in Aruba
Downtown Oranjestad
The Dutch influence is everywhere: pastel blue, pink and yellow facades with decorative gables, arched windows and balconies, and cobblestone streets. Start at the Renaissance Marketplace, a lively area on the waterfront. The Town Hall is a masterpiece of colonial architecture.
Fort Zoutman
Close to the marina, Aruba's oldest building, which now houses the Historical Museum and gives a sense of the island's history and traditions.
Eagle Beach
About 4.7 kilometers from the port, a nine minute taxi ride, with water activities, beach bars and space to spread out. A broad, calm beach and one of the island's best known.
Palm Beach
Four miles north of the port, about 20 minutes away, with water sports, shopping and dining along the beachfront promenade.
Arikok National Park
Nearly 20 percent of the island, a desert meeting the coast, with dramatic rock formations, caves with ancient drawings and natural pools. It is a full excursion.
How the light works
Aruba's sun is strong all day, and the pastel facades of downtown Oranjestad are at their best in the softer morning light, before the walls turn bright white. On the beach, shoot early for the calmest, clearest water. Keep a card idea for a windy day: the divi-divi trees, bent by the trade winds, make an unusual backdrop.
Before you go ashore
Surfside Beach, the closest beach, is about a 15 minute walk from the cruise port. Eagle Beach is a short taxi ride, Palm Beach is about 20 minutes away, and Baby Beach, about 14 miles from the port, is a 40 minute drive. A free hop-on hop-off trolley runs around downtown Oranjestad, so you can see the center without a taxi.
Details checked September 2026. Piers, fees and schedules change, so confirm with your ship's daily plan.
Questions people ask
- How far is the nearest beach from the Aruba cruise port?
- Surfside Beach, the closest, is about a 15 minute walk. Eagle Beach is about 4.7 kilometers away, a nine minute taxi ride.
- Is there a free way to get around downtown Oranjestad?
- Yes. A free hop-on hop-off trolley runs around downtown, stopping at attractions, shopping areas and historic sites.
- How far is Baby Beach?
- About 14 miles, roughly a 40 minute drive from the cruise port.
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