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Oranjestad, Aruba

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Things to see and do in Aruba

Archaeological Museum of Aruba

The Archaeological Museum of Aruba has reopened in the restored historic Ecury complex in central Oranjestad. A former family home, the building has been transformed to a state-of-the-art, 21st century museum that preserves Aruba's Amerindian cultural heritage.

Arikok National Park

The park covers one-fifth of the island's landmass and contains a multitude of plants and animals, including flamingos.

Bonbini Festival

Held every Tuesday (1830-2030) in the courtyard of the Historical Museum, the Bonbini Festival offers an insight into local customs, music and cuisine, as well as a chance to get to know the islanders.

Bubali Bird Sanctuary

Amongst this sanctuary's inhabitants are 80 migratory species including herons, egrets, gulls, cormorants and skimmers.

Carnival

Aruba's annual colourful Carnival is in January.

Cave art

Aruba's several systems of caves contain examples of cave drawings. Fontein was once used by the Arawak Indians, the original inhabitants of the island; the caves at Guadirikiri are a haven for bats; and Huliba Cave is nicknamed the 'tunnel of love'.

Chapel of Alto Vista

The Chapel of Alto Vista on the north coast boasts a 100-year-old hand-carved oak altar behind the bright yellow exterior.

Divi-divi trees

Aruba's unofficial trademark, the distinctive shape of the divi-divi trees (also known as watapanas) stretches out at alarming angles in a land of cactus in the Cunucu.

Golf

Aruba Tierra del Sol's par-71 championship 18-hole course was designed by the Robert Trent Jones II Group, renowned for protecting the natural ecology of sites.

Hit the beach

Hadicurari Beach is renowned for excellent snorkelling, Baby Beach's shallow waters are ideal for children and Palm Beach is right in front of the main hotel strip. Aruba's constant trade winds offer ideal conditions for windsurfing and kite-surfing at Arashi beach. The Hi-Winds Amateur World Challenge windsurfing tournament takes place there each June.

Hooiberg (Mount Haystack)

Hooiberg looms out of the flat landscape of the interior to the northwest of Santa Cruz. Walk up a series of several hundred steps to see across to Venezuela at the 165m (541ft) peak.

Horse riding

There are riding trips in the Cunucu (countryside) and along the coast.

Oranjestad

The capital has pastel-coloured gabled buildings which make Dutch heritage of Aruba obvious. Also here is Fort Zoutman, the oldest building on Aruba (1796), and home to the Aruba Historical Museum. Fresh fish can be bought straight from the boat at Oranjestad's daily market in the Paardenbaai (Schooner Harbour).

Santa Cruz

Spectacular boulders lie on the road north from Santa Cruz to Casibari and Ayo. They are the result of an unexplained geological catastrophe.

Seroe Colorado

Seroe Colorado has a local iguana community and is also notable for its fine beaches.

Shopping

Malls and both unique and designer stores can be found in Oranjestad's Caya GF Betico Croes. Duty-free shopping is the main lure.

Snorkelling

Aruba has 40 dive sites where visitors can look for one of the vivid parrotfish or dive amongst the wreck of a WWII German freighter. The coral at De Palm Island is great for snorkeling.

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