Cheap flights to Oranjestad
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Quick summary
Country
Aruba
Continent
North America
Airport
AUA
Currency
Aruban florin (AWG)
Time zone
UTC-4
Deals already spotted to Oranjestad
Real flight examples detected by SniperAir, with their reference price.
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Airport and getting into town
An airport a few kilometres from the capital
Queen Beatrix (AUA)
Queen Beatrix International Airport is Aruba's only scheduled-service airport. It lies south-east of Oranjestad (Wikipedia FR): Wikipedia (EN, ES) places it 2.5 km from the centre, Wikivoyage (ES) 4 km. The journey is therefore very short by taxi or rental car. Wikipedia (EN) notes United States border preclearance facilities, useful for flights to the US: ask your airline about the formalities.
Distances differ between sources (Wikipedia EN, ES: 2.5 km; Wikivoyage ES: 4 km); check the journey before you travel. We do not quote exact fares.
A taxi is the simplest way to the centre. Buses, called Arubus, link Oranjestad with the hotel areas, and Wikivoyage (DE) mentions a bus station in the centre, opposite the cruise terminal. A tram line links the cruise terminal with the main street (Wikipedia EN; Wikivoyage EN).
Oranjestad, "Playa" in Papiamento, is the capital and main town of Aruba, on the south-west coast. Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands outside the Schengen area: entry rules depend on your nationality, so check official websites before booking.
The town grew around Paardenbaai, "Horse Bay", where horses raised on the island were exported (Wikipedia FR; Wikivoyage DE). It took its present name in 1824, in honour of the House of Orange (Wikipedia EN; Wikivoyage DE).
Landmarks and sights
A fort, colourful houses and a marina on the sea
Oranjestad can be seen in half a day on foot: Fort Zoutman and its tower, the main street and its Dutch-style houses, the cruise port and the marina. The big hotels and beaches are ten to fifteen minutes north (Wikivoyage EN). The places below are illustrated.
Fort Zoutman and the Willem III Tower
Fort Zoutman, built in the late eighteenth century, is the oldest building on the island according to Wikipedia (EN) and Wikivoyage (EN); sources differ on the exact year, 1796 or 1798. It served as a lighthouse between 1868 and 1963 (Wikipedia FR). Visitors can climb the neighbouring Willem III Tower, and the fort houses the Historical Museum of Aruba.
Low houses in bright colours
In the streets of the centre, such as Nieuwstraat, small colonial houses painted red, yellow or blue stand beside restored buildings. Wikipedia (EN) cites the lime-coloured City Hall on Wilhelminastraat as an example, and Wikipedia (ES) notes that Dutch colonial architecture is less visible than in Curaçao.
The marina and Paardenbaai
The Paardenbaai cruise port, the island's largest passenger port, can take up to five large ships according to Wikipedia (EN, ES). Near the quays, the island's largest marina shelters sailboats and yachts (Wikivoyage EN). Renaissance Marketplace and Queen Wilhelmina Park stand on land reclaimed from the sea.
The wind-bent trees of the north-west beaches
A few minutes from Oranjestad, the north-west coast lines up beaches. The trade winds bend the trees there, like this divi-divi, one of Aruba's most photographed sights. Wikipedia (ES) distinguishes the high-rise hotel zone of Palm Beach from the low-rise hotels of Eagle Beach and Punta Brabo.
Sunset on the west coast
On the west coast, facing the Caribbean Sea, the sun sets straight into the water, and beaches such as Eagle Beach suit the end of a day by the sea. Wikivoyage (DE) also mentions Bushiri Beach, the small beach closest to Oranjestad to the north-west.
Main Street and Royal Plaza
Caya G. F. Betico Croes, known as Main Street, is the main shopping street; shops have also multiplied on Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard, near the cruise terminal (Wikipedia EN, ES). The Royal Plaza shopping mall, in recent Dutch style, is one of the modern recreations cited by Wikipedia (EN, ES).
Renaissance Island
This private 40-acre island, a cay on the barrier reef off Oranjestad, has two beaches and two aircraft wrecks sunk for diving, a Convair 400 and a Beechcraft 18 (Wikipedia EN; Wikivoyage DE). The flamingos seen there are not native.
A church and other places
The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is cited among the religious heritage by Wikipedia (FR). The aloe factory on Pitastraat offers a free guided tour according to Wikivoyage (EN).
Museums and culture
Archaeology, local history and coins
Oranjestad has several small museums, some in old houses. Here are the main ones; always check opening hours and prices before you go, as we do not quote fares.
National Archaeological Museum Aruba
Housed in the former Ecury family home on Schelpstraat, it shows ceramics, shells and stone pieces telling the story of the island's first peoples, from 2500 BC to the nineteenth century (Wikipedia FR; Wikivoyage EN, ES).
Historical Museum of Aruba
Located in Fort Zoutman, it gathers objects and paintings from the Spanish and Dutch periods up to the present (Wikivoyage EN, ES; Wikipedia FR).
Numismatic museum and others
The numismatic museum displays a large collection of coins from around the world (Wikivoyage ES). Wikipedia (FR) also cites the A. van den Doel Bible Museum and the Aruba sports museum, and Wikivoyage (ES) a model train museum.
Festivals and languages
Aruba holds many carnivals, parades and festivals during the year (Wikivoyage EN), among them the annual Carnival, the Bon Bini Festival and the Torch Parade. People speak Papiamento, Dutch, English and Spanish; Wikivoyage (EN) says road signs are mostly in English.
Food and drink
Keshi yena, fresh fish and local beer
The specialities
Aruba's most famous dish is keshi yena, a spicy mixture of chicken, peppers, capers, olives and tomatoes baked in a shell of cheese (Wikivoyage ES); it is often regarded as the national dish. Wikivoyage (EN) also recommends trying the small local places in the centre.
Markets and districts
Along the wharf, merchants sell fresh fish; the market in the centre offers locally made crafts and souvenirs (Wikivoyage EN). American restaurant chains are numerous near the big hotels and in the centre (Wikivoyage ES).
Drinks
The drink of Aruba is Balashi beer, brewed on the island and the most widely consumed (Wikivoyage EN, ES). The legal drinking age is 18 according to Wikivoyage (EN). We do not recommend specific addresses: ask your host for advice.
Getting around
On foot downtown, buses, tram, taxis and car
On foot and by bike
The centre is compact and easy to see on foot; you can also get around by bike, but the heat can tire you quickly (Wikivoyage EN). When the sun is strong, a taxi avoids long walks.
Buses, tram and taxis
Arubus buses link Oranjestad with the hotel areas (Wikivoyage ES). A tram runs downtown between the cruise terminal and the main street; Wikivoyage (ES) warns drivers that it will not stop for them on its tracks. Taxis wait outside hotels.
Rental car
Driving downtown is fairly easy according to Wikivoyage (ES), but parking near the Renaissance Mall is preferable; many streets are one-way. Traffic drives on the right, and signs and speedometers are in kilometres, with a limit of 40 km/h in town and 60 outside unless stated otherwise (Wikivoyage ES).
Budget and precautions
A fairly expensive island, especially in high season
Price level
Aruba is a fairly expensive destination, especially for beachfront hotels; apartments, local meals and markets keep costs down. Wikivoyage (ES) stresses that almost all goods are imported, so grocery prices are high. The currency is the Aruban florin, but the US dollar is accepted almost everywhere. We do not give price ranges because we could not cross-check them on two independent sources.
Flights
The flight is the most variable part of the budget. SniperAir monitors prices to AUA and compares them with the route's history, but it does not sell or book tickets.
Safety and hurricanes
Wikivoyage (EN) describes a low level of crime against visitors, but keep a traveller's normal caution and read your own government's travel advice. According to Wikivoyage (ES), the island lies outside the area most often hit by hurricanes; the Atlantic hurricane season still runs from June to November, so watch forecasts and stay flexible with dates.
When to go
Sun all year, with a little more rain from October to January
December to February
Sun and trade winds; high season, so book accommodation early. Showers are rare.
March to May
Dry, very sunny weather; constant heat tempered by the wind.
June to August
The year's highest temperatures; the wind remains. The Atlantic hurricane season is under way.
September to November
A short, slightly wetter season from October to January depending on the source, with brief showers; sunshine remains frequent.
Oranjestad has a hot semi-arid climate (Wikipedia EN, FR). According to Wikivoyage (EN, ES) the average temperature is stable, around 27 to 28 degrees all year, from about 26 degrees in January to 29 in July in the Spanish version. Rainfall is low, with a short wet season: October to December according to Wikivoyage (ES), September to January according to Wikipedia (EN). We do not give other averages because we could not cross-check them.
By length of stay
What to do in Oranjestad depending on how long you stay
The centre and the sea
Half a day on foot between Fort Zoutman, Nieuwstraat, the marina and a museum, then a north-west coast beach.
Museums and outings
The archaeological and historical museums, Renaissance Island or a boat trip, and a dive on the nearby wrecks.
Around Oranjestad
The capital as a base for exploring the island: beaches, wild coast and Arikok park, reached by rental car.
In pictures
Oranjestad in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Oranjestad
How do I get from Aruba airport to central Oranjestad?
Queen Beatrix airport (AUA) is a few kilometres from the centre, 2.5 to 4 km depending on the source. A taxi is the simplest option; buses also link the town with the hotel areas.
What should I see in Oranjestad?
Fort Zoutman and the Willem III Tower, the colourful houses of the centre, the marina, the archaeological museum, the historical museum and, close by, the beaches of the north-west coast.
When is the best time to visit Oranjestad?
The sun shines all year. The short wet season runs roughly from October to January; the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November.
Is Oranjestad safe?
Wikivoyage (EN) describes few crime problems for visitors. Keep a traveller's normal caution and read your own government's travel advice.
Do I need a car in Oranjestad?
Not in the centre, which is easy to cover on foot or by tram. To explore the rest of the island a rental car remains the most practical choice.
What should I eat in Oranjestad?
Keshi yena, fresh fish from the wharf and Balashi beer.
How much does a flight to Oranjestad usually cost?
The price depends mainly on your departure city, the season and how far ahead you book. The "opportunities" section above shows real examples of prices already detected by SniperAir to this destination.
How do I get alerted when a flight to Oranjestad falls below my budget?
Create an alert profile with your departure airport, Oranjestad as the destination and your maximum budget. You are notified automatically as soon as a matching price is detected.
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