The First-Timer's Aruba Checklist
Everything first-timers forget,in one list.
Aruba is one of the easiest islands in the Caribbean to get right — U.S. dollars work everywhere, the tap water is excellent, and hurricanes don't come here. But there's a short list of things first-timers consistently miss, and most of them are cheaper or easier when you handle them before you fly.
Before you book
Fly Tuesday or Wednesday if you can.
East Coast nonstops run under four hours from Newark, JFK, Boston, and Miami. Booking about three months out on a midweek departure lands $350–550 round trip; weekend departures and last-minute bookings push past $700.
Know your season.
February through early April is peak — highest fares, fullest resorts, and the popular restaurants book out days in advance. Summer is cheaper and Aruba sits outside the hurricane belt, so 'off season' here doesn't mean storm roulette.
Decide the car question early.
Planted at a Palm Beach or Eagle Beach resort? You can skip the rental — taxis are plentiful and the strip is walkable. Want Baby Beach, Arikok, or grocery runs for a condo kitchen? Rent. Local agencies run around $250–280/week with free hotel delivery, but their fleets are small — book early for high season.
The week before
Fill out the ED card online.
Aruba's embarkation card (edcardaruba.aw) is required for every visitor and includes the $20-per-person sustainability fee (good for a year from purchase). Do it before you fly — ten minutes at home beats doing it on your phone in the airport line.
Lock your big dinner reservations.
Flying Fishbone, Screaming Eagle, Papiamento, and Madame Janette book out days ahead in high season — the feet-in-the-water sunset tables at Flying Fishbone go first. Reserve now and keep a backup list.
Book boat and snorkel trips for the morning.
The wind picks up after 10 a.m. most days, especially on the north and east coasts. Early departures get the calm water.
Pack for 12 degrees north.
SPF 50 (you'll burn in twenty minutes without it), a real hat, sunglasses, and a light layer for the evening breeze — Aruba is dry and windy year-round. Water shoes help on the rockier snorkel entries.
Your first 24 hours on island
Pay in U.S. dollars.
Aruba uses the florin, but dollars are accepted everywhere at a fixed 1.79 rate. Skip the ATM trip entirely.
Make the grocery stop on day one.
Super Food and Ling & Sons are far cheaper than resort minibar runs and stock everything from sunscreen to local beer. One stop on the drive from the airport pays for itself.
Check taxi fares before you ride.
Aruba taxis don't use meters — fares are fixed by law, with a $10 minimum and a $5 surcharge on Sundays, holidays, and 11 p.m.–7 a.m. The government's calculator at taxi.aw settles any debate.
Budget reality check.
Half-day experiences (UTV tours, boat trips, dive charters) run about $90–120 per person. A comfortable planning number is $200–250 per person per day for food and activities combined.
Free checklist
The first-timer's Aruba checklist
ED card to grocery stop — everything first-timers forget, in one page. We'll email you the link so it's there when you pack.
Keep planning