Currency
Aruban florin
is the currency of the country, however U.S. Dollars are accepted by
everyone and the change will be in dollar. .
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Banks
Banks are open from 8:00 am to
4:00 pm, and there are ADM machines where cash money can be obtained at
the branches of the Caribbean Mercantile
Bank, Banco di Caribe, First, Aruba Bank and the ABN-AMRO Bank with any major credit card or with Cirrus
network ATM cards. Please note however that the ATM's .
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Chamber of
Commerce
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Aruba
Zoutmanstraat 21. P.O. Box 140
Oranjestad, Aruba
Tel: (2978) 21566 or 23423
Fax: (2978) 33962
Telegram address: ARUCHAMBER
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Passports &
Travel Taxes
Passports are not required of
U.S,
Canadian citizens and residence of The Netherlands Antilles just a birth certificate along with a picture
ID, or an Alien Registration Card or re-entry permit for immigrants living
in those countries. All other travelers must bring a valid passport and a
visa. A departure tax of $34,25 per person is imposed upon departure.
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Customs
Regulations
Visitors 18 years of age and
older may bring into the country up to 2 litters of liquor, 200 cigarettes,
50 cigars, and 250 grams of tobacco, in addition to those items which they
plan on keeping for personal use.
Transportation
The Queen Beatrix New Airport
opened in year 2000 is
located on the southern coast not far from the capital city of Oranjestad.
Jeeps, scooters, and bicycles may be rented for getting around or for
going off on one's own. Cars and motorcycles may also be rented at the
airport, and limousine service is available. Taxis should have a fixed
price schedule for most destinations on the island. Here everyone drives
on the right-hand side of the road. Taxis are common rated, and
established by the government. Tipping is usually 10 percent.
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Hotels
Aruba offers a wide variety of
accommodations from luxury hotels with their own private beach facilities
to guest houses, and rental apartments. Seasonal rates vary from hotel to
hotel, but the winter season from January through March tends to be the
most crowded and the most expensive. Hotels routinely add between 10% and
15% as a surcharge for service and 11% for room tax. It is customary to
tip the porters an average of 50 cents US$ per bag, and all other
gratuities are left to the guest's discretion.
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Shopping
Aruba offers duty-free shopping
at the airport or at specified duty-free establishments, but the tariffs
at other stores are still low at 3.3%, and there are many bargains to be
had in European porcelain, jewelry, perfumes, and clothing. The main
shopping strip is to be found at the Seaport Village in Oranjestad. Stores
are generally open from 8 am to 6 pm with a two-hour break for lunch
between noon and 2 pm.
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Medical/Health
Facilities
Dr. Horacio Oduber Hospital in
Aruba is a 280 bed hospital equipped with reputable medical staff and
modern equipment. The hospital, which opened in 1976, is located across
from Eagle Beach. Services such as oxygen tanks and hemodialysis are
available. For more information contact:
Hotels have medical
doctors and dentists on call. Appointments, if necessary, can be made
through your hotel. Also, each hotel has a doctor on call.
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Electricity
Electricity operates on 110 volts
alternating current, 60 cycles, and American appliances should work
without the need for converters or adapters.
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Communications
Aruba has modern international
communication facilities. For international telephone calls (direct dial,
person to person, or collect calls), telex and telegrams, electronic
mailgram and mariphone calls, contact the hotel operator or SETAR.
SETAR located next
to the Aruba post office at the Irausquinplein or at SETAR Teleshop at
Palm Beach across from Hyatt Regency Aruba Beach Resort & Casino or at
SETAR Teleshop, Schelpstraat (around the corner of Le Petite Cafe‚ -
Downtown, Oranjestad).
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Telephone
To direct dial to Aruba from the
United States, you must dial 011-2978 + the five digit number. To direct
dial from anywhere else you must dial 2978 + the five digit number. From
Aruba to the US, dial 001+area code and number.
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Tipping
Gratuity of 10 - 15% is usually
included on your bill. At your own discretion, you may add an extra amount
for good service.
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Drinking Water
The water on the island has been
desalinated and purified, so it is safe for drinking.
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What to Wear
Dress is casual informal summer
wear. Ladies may bring along a shawl to throw over the shoulders at night.
Dress-up clothes are recommended for a night out in one of the island's
elegant restaurants, nightclubs or casino's. Most casino's require jackets
for gentlemen. Bathing suits are not permitted in the shopping and
business districts.
