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Voykit pocket guide · Aruba
Savaneta
Half a day or a dinner stop: see the old capital, eat beachside fish, then head back to your west-coast base. No need to sleep here.
Savaneta was Aruba's first capital and is now a quiet fishing village with a few excellent seafood shacks, a salt pond for birdwatching and a handful of boutique stays. It is 15 minutes from Oranjestad and 25 minutes from Palm Beach, so most visitors come for a meal or a short afternoon loop, not a multi-day stay.
- Country
- Aruba
- Best months
- Jan–Apr (dry, calm), May–Aug (still good, fewer crowds)
- Avoid
- Oct–Dec (rainier, but still possible)
- Stay
- 0 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 80–150 excl. bed · Mid AWG 150–300 excl. bed · High AWG 300+ excl. bed (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 |
|---|---|
| Fried fish at Zeerovers | AWG 15–25 |
| Dinner at Flying Fishbone | AWG 60–120 |
| Beer at a bar | AWG 5–10 |
| Coffee | AWG 4–8 |
| Taxi Savaneta → Oranjestad | AWG 30–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AUA · Queen Beatrix International Airport
- About 10–15 min by car; no public transport, use a taxi or rental car.
Typical fares
- Taxi AUA → Savaneta
- about AWG 50–70, 10–15 min (check)
- Taxi Savaneta → Oranjestad
- about AWG 30–50, 15 min (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
You need a car. The village is small enough to walk, but the restaurants and beaches are spread along the coast road. Taxis are available but scarce; book ahead for a return trip.
See and do
Known for
- Flying Fishbone (dinner on the sand)
- Zeerovers (fried fish and beer)
- Salt ponds for birdwatching
- Old capital of Aruba
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oranjestad | Car, about 15 min | About 15 min |
| Noord | Car, about 20 min | About 20 min |
| Palm Beach | Car, about 25 min | About 25 min |
| Arikok National Park | Car, about 20 min to the entrance | About 20 min |
Sleep
- Savaneta village
- A few boutique hotels and apartments on the water; quiet, no nightlife, car needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bon diabon dee-ah |
| Thank you | Dankidahn-kee |
| How much? | Cuanto ta?kwahn-toh tah |
| Goodbye | Ayoah-yoh |
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
- Salt ponds can be dry for months; best after rain for birdwatching.
- Zeerovers closes early (check current hours) and is cash-only (check).
- No ATM in the village; bring cash from Oranjestad or the airport.
Very safe. The main risk is sun exposure: bring water, sunscreen and a hat. Roads are narrow and dark at night; drive carefully.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Savaneta yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Flying Fishbone (dinner on the sand)
- Zeerovers (fried fish and beer)
- Salt ponds for birdwatching
- Old capital of Aruba
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Savaneta, revision 4382835 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4382835
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Savaneta
Na e direccion 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 works everywhere.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/savaneta). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.