Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

District · Oranjestad (Aruba)

Main Street and SchelpstraatCaya G.F. Betico Croes

Closed on Sunday.

sleepseeeat

Key facts

Suits
Errands, lunch and the museum
Room prices
$$
price band of 5
Sights here
2
Eats here
3

What it's like

Feels:
Pastel, busy at lunch, empty on Sunday
Suits:
Errands, lunch and the museum
Best time:
Before noon
Watch out for:
Sunday.
In short:
Closed on Sunday.

About these names

Walk inside a cluster; take a taxi between clusters and to the beaches.

Oranjestad sits on the south-west coast. The harbour and cruise terminal face the water; Fort Zoutman and Wilhelmina Park are at the eastern end of the waterfront, Main Street runs one block behind, and the marina and Renaissance Marketplace are to the west. The beach hotels are north-west, on Eagle Beach and Palm Beach.

Where exactly

This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.

Main Street and Schelpstraat on the Oranjestad (Aruba) mapTap an area for what it is like and who it suits. Shapes follow this guide’s walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Eagle Beach · $$$Oranjestad town centre · $$

Main Street and SchelpstraatCaya G.F. Betico Croes

sleepseeeatPrice $$

Closed on Sunday.

Suits: Errands, lunch and the museum

On the map: National Archaeological Museum Aruba, Main Street (Caya G.F. Betico Croes)

District guideWalk: Main Street (Caya G.F. Betico Croes) and SchelpstraatSleep: Oranjestad town centreIn the districts table

Off the map: Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) (15–30 min by the usual route).

Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Palm Beach. See the table above.

Where’s what, as a list:

  • Fort and Wilhelmina Park (Fort Zoutman): Short and cool before 10:00. Suits: An early morning of history and shade.
  • Main Street and Schelpstraat (Caya G.F. Betico Croes): Closed on Sunday. Suits: Errands, lunch and the museum. Price band $$.
  • Renaissance Marketplace and marina (The marina): Best after 17:00. Suits: Sunset dinner.
  • Cruise terminal and waterfront (The waterfront): Busy on ship days. Suits: A harbour walk at 08:00.
  • Eagle Beach (Eagle Beach): Wide sand and mid-range hotels. Suits: The beach base with a short taxi to town. Price band $$$.
  • Palm Beach (Palm Beach): About 20 minutes from the town. Suits: Resorts, restaurants and nightlife.
  • Sleep area Eagle Beach: suits The beach base with a short taxi to town, price band $$$.
  • Sleep area Oranjestad town centre: suits Errands, lunch and the museum, price band $$.
  • Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA), 15–30 min by the usual route.

Stay here?

How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Oranjestad (Aruba) districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.

  • First visit

    best of 2

    The fort, museum and Main Street are a walk.

  • Families

    2nd of 2

    No swimming beach in town.

    Better for this: Eagle Beach

  • Light sleepers

    2nd of 2

    Quiet at night, busy by day on ship days.

    Better for this: Eagle Beach

  • Night owls

    2nd of 2

    A few marina bars; the beach strip has more.

    Better for this: Eagle Beach

  • On a budget

    best of 2

    Mid-range hotels and guest houses.

See

Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.

  • National Archaeological Museum ArubaGo

    Go late morning for 40–60 minutes indoors: the island's history before the Europeans, cool and quiet; it doubles as your heat or rain stop.

    Hours:
    Weekday hours; confirm before you walk over.(check)
    Entry:
    small fee (2026 estimate; check)
  • Main Street (Caya G.F. Betico Croes)Book a time

    Walk it in the morning for the pastel Dutch-Caribbean frontages, a bank or pharmacy stop, lunch and souvenirs: 30 to 60 minutes, and skip it on Sunday when many shops are shut.

    Hours:
    09:00–18:00(check)
    Entry:
    Free

Open now in this district

Checking the time in Oranjestad (Aruba)…

Eat

What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.

  • Aruban home-cooking restaurants

    For a sit-down lunch of Aruban dishes: keshi yena, stobá stew, funchi and fried fish. Book a table at a local-style restaurant near town or a short taxi ride out; it is a longer, slower lunch than a counter.

    Order: Keshi yena: One is enough for two to share.

    Price: A main costs US$15 to 25.

  • Main Street lunch counters

    Local lunch counters and small cafés near Main Street: go before 13:00 for a plate of the day, in cash or by card; many close in the afternoon and on Sundays.

    Order: Plato del dia: Ask what it is.

    Price: A plate costs US$8 to 14.

  • Pastechi and bakery counters

    A pastechi (fried pastry with cheese or meat) and a coffee at a bakery counter for US$2 to 6: breakfast or a snack, standing or on a plastic chair, best before 10:00.

    Order: Pastechi: Order two and a coffee.

    Price: A pastechi costs about US$1.50 to 3.

Sleep

  • Oranjestad town centre$$

    The night before an early boat or flight, or for a town-only stay: everything is a walk away, but pick a hotel with a staffed desk; most visitors sleep on the beaches instead.

    Rooms: US$90 to 170 double (check)

    Skip this if: Fewer beaches; the sea is a taxi or bus ride away.

    6–10 min walk to Main Street (Caya G.F. Betico Croes) and Schelpstraat · 8–12 min walk to Fort Zoutman and Wilhelmina Park · 8–12 min walk to Cruise terminal and the waterfront

Shopping

Markets and shopping streets from the Oranjestad (Aruba) buying guide that name this district.

  • Main Street shops · Clothes, jewellery and souvenirs · About 09:00 to 18:00, closed Sunday (check) · haggling: noFixed prices; ask for a discount only where offered.
  • Aloe skin products · Main Street and the airport · About 09:00 to 18:00Aruba is known for aloe; compare prices and check ingredients.
  • Rum and Aruban liqueurs · Main Street and the airport duty-free · About 09:00 to 18:00Check your home country's import limits.
  • Delft-style ceramics and Dutch goods · Main Street · About 09:00 to 18:00Ask if an item is made locally.

Getting there and around

Where to get off

  • Walk from the centre, or taxi to the top of Main Street · for Main Street (Caya G.F. Betico Croes)
  • Walk from Main Street, or taxi to Schelpstraat · for National Archaeological Museum Aruba
  • Walk to Main Street, or taxi to the restaurant · 6 min walk to Aruban home-cooking restaurants

Walks inside the district

  • Pastechi and bakery counters → National Archaeological Museum Aruba: 5–8 min on foot (Walk)
  • Main Street shops → Aruban home-cooking restaurants: 4–6 min on foot (Walk)
  • National Archaeological Museum Aruba → Aruban home-cooking restaurants: 6–9 min on foot (Walk)
  • Main Street shops → National Archaeological Museum Aruba: 5–8 min on foot (Walk)

On to the next area

From other sleep areas

  • From Eagle Beach: 55–70 min walk to Main Street (Caya G.F. Betico Croes) and Schelpstraat

Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.

Walking loop

A loop that starts and ends at the same place, through this district's sights and eats. Pick a length; download it for Organic Maps, OsmAnd or Google Earth.

About 94 min in all: 14 min on foot, the rest at the stops. 4 stops, back to where you started.

1234
  1. National Archaeological Museum ArubaStart here · stop about 30 min
  2. Main Street (Caya G.F. Betico Croes)5 min walk · stop about 20 min
  3. Pastechi and bakery counters1 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
  4. Aruban home-cooking restaurants2 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
  5. Back to National Archaeological Museum Aruba: 6 min walk

Walking minutes come from this guide’s route graph where it has one; “estimate” means straight-line distance plus a quarter for street detours at an easy pace. Opening hours are not checked: look at “Open now” below before you set off.

Half-day walk

In the day plans: Day 3 — Main Street, taxi to AUA at 11:30 (Oranjestad in 3 days)

Photo and sunset spots

Streets in this district

Street names that appear in the addresses of this district’s places and eats: useful to type into a map or show a driver.

  • Main Street
  • Schelpstraat

Safety at night and noise

  • Main Streetday: oknight: caution

    Shops shut early and streets empty; keep to lit roads.

  • Quiet nights

    Quiet at night, busy by day on ship days.

  • Nightlife

    A few marina bars; the beach strip has more.

  • Late arrival

    Check for a night desk.

Nearby districts

Built from this guide’s Oranjestad (Aruba) districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.