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Voykit pocket guide · Aruba
Palm Beach, Aruba
Two to three nights on the Palm Beach strip is enough for the beach, water sports and easy day trips; most visitors use it as their only base for 5–7 nights.
Palm Beach is Aruba's main resort strip: two miles of white sand, calm water, high-rise hotels, beach bars and water-sports piers. It is the default base for a first trip, with easy access to Eagle Beach, Oranjestad and Arikok National Park. The beach itself is a half-day activity; the area works best as a home base for 5–7 nights.
- Country
- Aruba
- Best months
- Mid-Dec to mid-Apr (dry, busy, high prices); May–Aug (fewer crowds, lower rates, still sunny)
- Avoid
- Sep–Nov (rainier, some hotel renovations; still warm)
- Stay
- 2–3 (as a base; most visitors stay 5–7 nights total on the island) nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AWG
- Money
- Currency is the Aruban florin (AWG); US dollars are widely accepted and prices are often quoted in them.
- Daily spend
- Budget AWG 150–250 excl. accommodation · Mid AWG 250–450 excl. accommodation · High AWG 450+ excl. accommodation (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Setar and Digicel sell prepaid SIMs at the airport and in town; eSIM plans for Aruba are widely sold — check coverage.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance, fire 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · About 120 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Check for a 10–15% service charge; add 5–10% only for good service.; Taxis: Round up; 10% with luggage help.; Tour and dive crews: 10–15% or US$5–10 per person.; Housekeeping: US$2–5 a night.
- Water
- Tap water is desalinated seawater and safe to drink.
- Toilets
- In hotels, malls, restaurants and beach bars; few public toilets on remote beaches.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (local café) | AWG 5–8 |
| Beer (local Balashi) | AWG 5–8 |
| Lunch at a beach bar | AWG 25–45 |
| Dinner at a mid-range restaurant | AWG 60–100 |
| Taxi from Palm Beach to Oranjestad | AWG 35–50 |
| Sunscreen (reef-safe, at a supermarket) | AWG 25–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AUA · Queen Beatrix International Airport
- About 11 km (7 miles) from Palm Beach; taxi about US$30 including tip, or rent a car at the airport.About 7 miles (11 km) from Palm Beach; taxi about US$30 including tip, or rent a car at the airport.
Typical fares
- Airport → Palm Beach, taxi
- about US$30 including tip, about 20 min (check)
- Palm Beach → Oranjestad, taxi
- AWG 35–50, about 15–20 min (check)
- Rental car, per day (compact)
- about AWG 100 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Rental car is the most practical option for exploring the island; taxis are available but add up. Many hotels offer free shuttles to Oranjestad. Walking along the Palm Beach strip is easy; crossing the road requires care (no traffic lights on some sections).
See and do
Known for
- Two-mile white-sand beach with calm water
- High-rise hotels and all-inclusive resorts
- Water sports: jet skis, parasailing, paddleboards
- Beach bars and sunset dining
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oranjestad | Taxi or bus (Arubus) from Palm Beach, about 15–20 min | About 20 min |
| Arikok National Park | Drive from Palm Beach, about 20–30 min to the entrance; 4×4 recommended for the interior | About 30 min |
| San Nicolas and Baby Beach | Drive via Route 3, about 30–40 min | About 40 min |
| Noord | 5–10 min drive or 20–30 min walk from Palm Beach | About 10 min |
Sleep
- Palm Beach strip
- High-rise resorts, all-inclusives, beachfront access; most expensive, most convenient.
- Eagle Beach area
- Lower-rise hotels and timeshares, quieter, a 5–10 min drive or 20–30 min walk from Palm Beach.
- Noord
- Inland neighbourhood with villas and apartments; a 5–10 min drive to the beach; often cheaper.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bon diabon DEE-ah |
| Thank you | DankiDANG-kee |
| Please | Por faborpor fah-BOR |
| How much? | Kuantu ta?KWAN-too tah |
| Goodbye | AyoAH-yo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bon dia' or 'good morning' when entering shops; avoid: Launching straight into a request
- Dress: Cover up off the beach; avoid: Swimwear in supermarkets and town
- Driving: Give way on roundabouts; drive slowly in villages; avoid: Off-roading outside marked tracks
- Language: Use a few Papiamento words; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks Dutch
Scams and watch-outs
- Sun exposure: the sun is strong year-round; use reef-safe sunscreen and reapply often.
- Rip currents: rare on Palm Beach itself, but pay attention to flag warnings.
- Hotel service charges: many resorts add 10–15% service; check your bill before tipping extra.
- No traffic lights on some main roads: roundabouts are common; drive defensively.
Palm Beach is very safe for tourists; petty theft is rare but keep valuables in your hotel safe. The main risks are sunburn, dehydration and occasional rip currents. Drive carefully at night on unlit roads.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Palm Beach, Aruba yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 (as a base; most visitors stay 5–7 nights total on the island) nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Two-mile white-sand beach with calm water
- High-rise hotels and all-inclusive resorts
- Water sports: jet skis, parasailing, paddleboards
- Beach bars and sunset dining
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Aruba Tourism Authority: www.aruba.com
- Wikivoyage: Palm Beach (Aruba), revision 5216320 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5216320
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Palm Beach, Aruba
Na e direkshon aki, por fabor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance, fire911
Papiamento is widely spoken; English and Spanish are also common.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/palm-beach-aruba). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.