Routes · Caribbean

Toronto to Aruba: Oranjestad and Arikok

Toronto → Aruba

Dutch-Caribbean colour & a desert national park Best season (general guide): Year-round

Aruba, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, lies just north of South America and outside the main hurricane belt. Its climate is dry and breezy, with a desert interior and white beaches on the west coast. This route spends six nights on the island. From Toronto you'll fly to Oranjestad. Start in Oranjestad, the capital, with Dutch colonial buildings painted in bright colours.

How to pace it: Spend days one to six on Aruba: day one, Oranjestad; day two, Fort Zoutman and the old town; day three, Eagle Beach; day four, Arikok National Park; day five, Natural Pool; day six, California Lighthouse and the north coast.

Papiamento, a Creole language, is spoken alongside Dutch, English and Spanish. Eagle Beach, on the west coast, is a wide stretch of white sand, and the divi-divi trees here are bent by the trade winds. Arikok National Park covers a large part of the island, with cacti, rock formations, caves with drawings by the indigenous people and a rugged coast.

Practical notes: the Natural Pool, a basin in the rocks sheltered from the waves, is reached on a rough track, so hire a four-wheel drive or book a tour. At the island's north-west tip, the California Lighthouse looks out over dunes and the sea.

In Arikok National Park, the Quadirikiri cave has holes in its roof that let in light, and the Fontein cave has drawings by the indigenous Arawak people. Keshi yena, cheese stuffed with spiced meat, is a traditional dish. The island is 32 kilometres long and only 10 kilometres across at its widest, and the local currency is the Aruban florin.

Safety: Canada's advice for Aruba is to exercise normal security precautions (updated 26 May 2026), and the US rates Aruba Level 1 (20 Aug 2026).

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