We had one of our most memorable trips while traveling to Aruba and like most of our travel destinations, we wanted to share 10 things we learned in while drinking in Aruba that may or may not have anything to do with the drinks, BUT the drinks definitely inspired our curiosity.
- Aruba has two official languages: Dutch and Papiamento. The other two most common languages on the island are Spanish and, of course, English. The majority of people have skills in 4 languages which we thought was amazing and was interesting noticing the blend of words and languages that have created their own.
- The Official drink of Aruba is the Aruba Ariba. You know we looked this up BEFORE we arrived and made sure to taste test MULTIPLE times while in Aruba. It features an ingredient ONLY found in Aruba called Coecoei or Koekoei. It isn’t imported yet, and makes the Aruba Ariba a TRULY UNIQUE cocktail found only in Aruba. Click Here for the Recipe
- Aruba, like many countries has its own currency, it’s called the Florin and as of recent currency exchanges, 1 US dollar is equal to roughly 1.80 Florin.
- Like California, Aruba once experienced a major gold rush with it’s coast full of more than 3 million pounds of gold found in the 18th Century to present day. Imagine settling in paradise AND finding all that treasure back in the day?
- Aruba’s official slogan is One Happy Island, and it shows. Everyone there is always happy, happy to talk about their local traditions, happy to give you tips on things to do, and of course point you to the bar!
- ALOE, earlier we mentioned they were rich in Gold, but honestly their biggest resource is Aloe and you’ll find it everywhere.
- There is only 1 (maybe 2) stop lights on the ENTIRE island. That’s right, the Arubans have perfected the round-about construction process where traffic is constantly moving, accidents are few and far between, and less use of resources like electricity. If only the U.S. could catch up to this trend…
- Balashi is the local beer of Aruba. We aren’t really beer drinkers (prefer the harder stuff) but we make it a habit to try the local beer everywhere we go and Balashi was quite tasty.
- Aruba’s first inhabitants are thought to have been Caquetío Amerindians from the Arawak tribe, who migrated from Venezuela.
- NO UBER or LYFT: Be prepared, there are no ride share apps in Aruba and the Taxis are all government owned. Taxis however have no meters in Aruba but do charge a surcharge of $3 on Sundays. Also keep in mind its a small island, 20 meters wide. You’ll be ok!
- BONUS: When is the best time to travel to Aruba? LITERALLY ANY TIME. The weather is amazing year round and it’s away from the dreaded hurricane belt. The only to avoid is the heavy travel season when it gets crowded + hotel prices skyrocket. (This would be Mid December to Mid April)
So there’s 10 things we learned while drinking in Aruba. Plus an added bonus for you. Don’t hesitate, put this one on your bucket list. The culture, the cocktails, the people, the weather; it’s the embodiment of what most of us think of when we say “paradise”.
Cheers
