Board Sports in Aruba

Entry Requirements: The U.S. Department of State requires that all travelers to and from the Caribbean have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of return from the destination. U.S. and Canadian citizens do not need a visa. For more info visit the USDoS website. EXIT REQUIREMENTS: All persons leaving Aruba must pay a Government Departure Tax of approximately USD $37.50, which may be included in your ticket.

No immunizations are required for travelers from the U.S., Canada or Great Britian. Check with your doctor and the Centers for Disease Control on recommended vaccinations for travel at CDC Aruba.

For a prime example of Aruba's melting-pot society, try a local favorite: Keshi Yena. Made from a hollowed-out sphere of Edam cheese filled with local meats, vegetables and island spices, it combines Dutch, Spanish, and African influences into a soothingly savory yet slightly spicy mix. Ditto for island culture. Dutch is the official language, but school children also learn Spanish and English, and you may hear the lilting tones of Papiamento, which is a local mash-up that borrows from all three and adds a bit of Portuguese and French, finished off with Arawak Indian and African influences. There's still plenty of Dutch practicality in the Aruban character, but this is also an island that likes a party. Carnival, locally called Bacchanalia, takes over the island from January through the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Aruba is also the only country to celebrates Dia Di San Juan with singing and dancing, and the New Year celebration known as Dandee has its roots in the Papiamento word for carousing. Aruban's love music, and the local beat, called socarengue, is accompanied with a sensual dance.

Electricity in Aruba is 110 volts, 60 cycles (same as U.S.)

Aruba's country code is 297 and direct dial service is reliable. Check with your cell phone service provider for information on calling and data usage in Aruba. High-speed internet service is readily available.

Desalinated, filtered tap water is safe to drink. Bottled water is readily available for sale.

Dutch is the official language of Aruba. English and Spanish are widely spoken.

The local currency is the Aruban Florin (AFG). Most local businesses accept U.S. Dollars and major credit cards

Aruba is in the Atlantic Time Zone (AST) and does not observe Daylight Savings Time. Aruba is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-4 GMT).

Aruba is 21 miles long and 6 miles wide, a total of about 75 square miles. Aruba is one of the Lesser Antilles located below the hurricane belt in the Southernmost end of the Caribbean roughly 18 miles off the coast of Venezuela. The population of Aruba is approximately 104,263 (2016).