Oranjestad, Aruba Cruise Port Guide Info
Located just several miles of the coast of Venezuela, in the southern Caribbean Sea, Aruba is one of the three ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao). Due to the favorable climate and high temperatures throughout the whole year, as well as gorgeous sceneries and breathtaking natural beaches, Aruba is a very frequent and popular Caribbean cruise destination.
Aruba cruise terminal is located in the very heart of Oranjestad, a lively and bustling capital city full of jewelry stores, casinos, luxurious hotel resorts, restaurants, bars, a beautiful marina, and historical landmarks. Aruba is the constituent country of the Kingdom of Netherlands, and the name of the city refers to the orange color (“Oranje”= orange) which is the symbolic color of this European country.
Oranjestad is located on the western part of the island and cruise passengers can reach all main city landmarks within a walking distance from the cruise terminal.
The terminal building is equipped with modern facilities, such as a tourist information center, local shops, restrooms, post office, and a meeting point for the shore excursions. In front of the terminal area, there are plenty of local vendors where you can rent a car or book independent tours, as well as taxi drivers and small public buses.
Upon exiting the area, you’ll find many shops, street markets, shopping malls, electronic stores, high-class boutiques, designer shops.
One of the most popular ones is Renaissance Mall, located less than a 10-minute walking distance from the port, and this where you can get free wi-fi as well. Only 1 km away from the cruise port is Fort Zoutman historical museum, one of the iconic historical landmarks and the oldest preserved building in Oranjestad.
It was built in the 18th century for coastline defense purposes, and nowadays it is the place where you can enjoy the remarkable artifacts and documents witnessing the island’s rich historical and cultural heritage. The fort is dominated by the Willem III Tower that was built one century later, in 1868, and served as a lighthouse and public clock tower. This is a must-see place if you want to learn about the island’s history!
The City Hall and Parliament building are located nearby, as well as the National Archaeological Museum, housed in an orange Dutch colonial building, featuring an exquisite collection of over 5000 artifacts related to original Aruba’s inhabitants and its history.
However, if you want to spend a beach day on this wonderful island, there are plenty of choices. There are no beaches near the cruise port, so to get to the first one – Eagle beach, which is one of top-rated Aruba’s beaches, you can either get a taxi or a public bus, and the ride lasts around 10 minutes. Eagle beach is a beautiful, long white sandy beach, with several beach bars and all necessary facilities. It covers a large area, so normally it’s not crowded and everyone can fully enjoy its crystal clear light blue waters.
Another beautiful beach is Palm Beach, lined with luxurious hotel resorts, beach bars, featuring more facilities on it. It is a bit more crowded and more expensive, but still a gorgeous and enjoyable place to spend your day.
There are many other beaches, such as Arashi beach, Baby beach, and many others that you can check out (they are located a bit further away from the cruise terminal, up to a 30-minute drive), but you can also go for shore excursions taking you to Arikok National Park and other natural treasures of Aruba. To read more about the best shore excursions and top-rated experiences in Aruba, check out the article: Aruba Cruise Port: Top 10 Shore Excursions in Aruba
