A magnificent Caribbean paradise, Aruba’s aquamarine waters gently splash on the powder white beaches ruffled by the trade winds that carry the smell of salt and sea. Quaint Dutch colonial properties dot the island and extend on to vibrant gardens to enchant visitors and tourists. The charming streets bear the stamp of a gracious bygone era while the somnolently luxurious atmosphere still promises a dream ocean vacation, not easily found anywhere else on earth.
Known as the ‘Happy Island’ Aruba is one of the three ABC islands which were originally populated by the Arawak Indian tribe. Discovered and conquered by the Spanish in the fifteenth century, Aruba was later captured by the Dutch in the seventeenth century and boasts a rich blend of both cultures.
Aruba can be called the original paradise, with hardly any bad weather, minimal poverty and decay, and one of the lowest crime rates in the Caribbean. Like all major tourist destinations, Aruba does have a little of all of these negatives, but amazingly actually very little, in comparison to other tourist resorts in the region.
Once rich in gold, Aruba was a mining destination for South Americans and Europeans during the nineteenth century. When the gold was depleted, Aruba took to refining oil and was home to the biggest refinery world wide, right upto the mid twentieth century.
Eventually left with no more natural resources to sell or export, the now autonomous state belonging to the Netherlands, Aruba picked up on the most valuable natural resource – the beauty, climate and salubrious atmosphere of the island to market it as a prime tourist and holiday destination.
Aruba’s international holiday traffic exceeds a million tourists annually and the six mile by twenty mile idyllic island boasts more than six thousand hotels. If you speak English, Dutch or Spanish you will feel right at home amongst the Arubaes who will chatter with you in all three languages, and this is aside from their native tongue which is called Papiamento.
Today world famous for its magnificent selection of cruises and cruise boats that ply the island and its neighbouring regions, the government of Aruba’s intention is to put the island on the map as the world’s foremost cruise destination. A variety of packages and cruise operators offer a host of options for visitors to view the Caribbean splendours, including natural wonders, historical sites and archaeological attractions.
Ancient Arwak caves and the arid windswept sand dune landscape with its clumps of Mondis cacti, lie sandwiched between lovely sloping beaches on the one hand and the limestone cliffs with its secret grottoes and nearby shipwrecks, on the other.
A fabulous location for water sports, diving and beach action, there is a piece of the pie for leisure sports enthusiasts as well who will love the championship golf course which they have to share with the lazy iguanas! Visitors to Aruba should make their travel arrangements to coincide with the renowned carnival held in February. Parades, dancing, masquerades and music are a part of the several weeks’ long revelry. In Aruba every occasion is a reason to celebrate!
Owner of www.arubavisit.info, a website dedicated to providing informations on the beautiful island of Aruba. Vast informations such as aruba timeshare opportunities and various informations on aruba hotels Visit Aruba Island Tourism.
