Bagintravel
Download
Divi-divi tree on Eagle Beach, Aruba

Travel guide · White beaches, year-round sun and cacti

Travelling to Aruba

Eagle Beach and its divi-divi trees, Palm Beach, the cactus desert of Arikok and an island outside the hurricane belt. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from January to May
  • Where to eat: a snèk (snack bar) or a beach restaurant
Photo: SIryn · CC BY-SA 4.0

Aruba in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Aruba are from January to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (hurricane season).
  • To eat like a local: a snèk (snack bar) or a beach restaurant. Don’t leave without trying: Keshi yena, Pastechi, Pan bati.

Aruba in November

You can go, with a few caveats: hurricane season, the odd shower. Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

  • November

    Hurricane season

    Hurricanes can form from June to November; August, September and October are the riskiest months. There are almost always days of heavy rain and humid heat.

    What to do: Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

  • November

    The odd shower

    From October to December there are a few short showers; the rest of the year is dry.

    What to do: You can go all year round: it’s one of the driest islands in the Caribbean.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Aruba

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Aruba are from January to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (hurricane season).

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun with warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with strong warnings
  9. Sep with strong warnings
  10. Oct with strong warnings
  11. Nov with warnings
  12. Dec with warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in January · where to travel in February · where to travel in March · where to travel in April

  • from June to November

    Hurricane season

    Hurricanes can form from June to November; August, September and October are the riskiest months. There are almost always days of heavy rain and humid heat.

    What to do: Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

    Best time: December to April

  • from October to December

    The odd shower

    From October to December there are a few short showers; the rest of the year is dry.

    What to do: You can go all year round: it’s one of the driest islands in the Caribbean.

What to see in Aruba

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Oranjestad

    Oranjestad

    The capital of colourful Dutch houses, with a tram, a harbour and shops.

    • Fort Zoutman
    • Main street
    • Tram
    • Renaissance Island
    Oranjestad guide
  • Palm Beach

    Palm Beach

    The hotel beach, with calm water and water sports; next door, Eagle Beach.

    • Palm Beach
    • Eagle Beach
    • California Lighthouse
    • Antilla wreck
    Palm Beach guide
  • San Nicolás

    San Nicolás

    The city of murals, with street art everywhere, and Baby Beach nearby.

    • Murals
    • Baby Beach
    • Community Museum
    • Charlie’s Bar
    San Nicolás guide
  • Arikok National Park

    Arikok National Park

    The island’s desert: cacti, caves with paintings and natural pools.

    • Natural Pool (Conchi)
    • Fontein Cave
    • Quadirikiri Cave
    • Boca Prins dunes
    Arikok National Park guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Oranjestad

From Palm Beach

From San Nicolás

From Arikok National Park

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Aruba

To eat like a local: a snèk (snack bar) or a beach restaurant, and order keshi yena or pastechi. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Keshi yena

    Cheese stuffed with meat.

  • Pastechi

    Fried pasties.

  • Pan bati

    A cornmeal pancake.

  • Funchi

    Cornmeal polenta.

  • Catch of the day

    Grilled.

  • Balashi

    The local beer.

The typical dish of Aruba, at home

Pastechi
Photo: DanielleJWiki · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pastechi

The fried pasties of Aruba and Curaçao, filled with cheese, meat or fish. They’re eaten for breakfast at the island’s snèks with a soft drink.

  • Serves 6
  • 1 h 15 min

Ingredients

  • 300 g flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 50 g butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Cold water and salt
  • Filling: 300 g minced meat stewed with onion, pepper, raisins and olives (or grated Gouda)
  • Oil for frying

How to make it at home

  1. Mix the flour with the baking powder, sugar and salt, and rub in the butter. Add cold water until you have a smooth dough. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Make the filling and let it cool.
  3. Roll the dough out thinly and cut out 12 cm circles.
  4. Put a spoonful of filling on each, fold into a half-moon and seal with a fork.
  5. Fry them in hot oil until golden.

The trick: A cold filling stops them opening up when you fry them.

Curious facts about Aruba

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It hardly ever rains: it’s a semi-desert island.
  • The divi-divi trees grow bent over by the trade winds.
  • Papiamento, Dutch, English and Spanish are spoken.
  • It lies outside the hurricane belt.
  • Arikok park covers almost a fifth of the island.
  • Its motto is “One Happy Island”.

Traditions of Aruba

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • January and February Carnival

    Parades in Oranjestad and San Nicolás.

  • 18 March National Anthem and Flag Day

    The island’s celebration.

  • 24 June Dera Gai

    A harvest festival.

  • Bon Bini Festival

    Music and folklore.

What not to do in Aruba

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t swim on the north coast: the sea is rough.
  • Don’t pull up or touch the cacti in Arikok.
  • Don’t underestimate the sun: the wind is deceptive.
  • Don’t touch the coral.
  • Remember that beaches are public all over the island.
  • Don’t leave valuables in the car.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Aruba

What people search for most before travelling to Aruba.

What’s the best time to travel to Aruba?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Aruba are from January to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (hurricane season).

What to see in Aruba in a week?

The essentials of Aruba: Oranjestad, Palm Beach, San Nicolás and Arikok National Park. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Aruba?

Keshi yena, Pastechi, Pan bati, Funchi, Catch of the day, Balashi. To eat like a local: a snèk (snack bar) or a beach restaurant.

What is the typical dish of Aruba?

Pastechi. The fried pasties of Aruba and Curaçao, filled with cheese, meat or fish. They’re eaten for breakfast at the island’s snèks with a soft drink.

What should you not do in Aruba?

Don’t swim on the north coast: the sea is rough. Don’t pull up or touch the cacti in Arikok. Don’t underestimate the sun: the wind is deceptive.

Is it worth travelling to Aruba in November?

You can go, with a few caveats: hurricane season, the odd shower. Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

Bagintravel · We travel together

Shall we plan your trip to Aruba?

Tell us where and in under a minute you’ll have your day-by-day route, with places to stay, transport, expenses and tips. And we go with you in your pocket, offline too.

The app is currently available in Spanish.

Download Bagintravel See how it works

Travel ideas with Aruba

More guides

Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, SIryn (CC BY-SA 4.0). Oranjestad, xiquinhosilva (CC BY 4.0). Palm Beach, Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 3.0). San Nicolás, Natalie Liao Jen (CC BY-SA 4.0). Arikok National Park, $Mathe94$ (CC BY-SA 3.0).