When someone mentions the Caribbean island of Aruba, the first things that come to mind are images of sunshine, white sand beaches, and turquoise waters, or maybe great shopping at world-class boutiques, or maybe the chance to try your luck at one of the elegant casinos on the island. But there is much more to this small island that has a distinctive mix of Dutch, Latin American and Native cultures than meets the eye.

Just 18 miles off the coast of Venezuela, Aruba is in a dry, hurricane-free zone, making it an ideal year-round destination. Combine its perfect, warm and windy climate with its scenic wonders, friendly people, vibrant culture, delicious food, fine accommodations and an exhilarating variety of activities, and Aruba guarantees you a great vacation.

Aruba’s geography, language, music, art, food, commerce, and a host of unique characteristics make it a great place to visit and an even better place to live.

The natural environment is one of Aruba’s most precious assets and one that the people of Aruba are dedicated to preserving. The beautiful sugar-white sand beaches and crystal-clear aqua-colored water are important to Arubans, which is why a reef clean-up project was started more than a decade ago to preserve the marine environment for bathers, beach enthusiasts. water sports and snorkelers alike.

The Aruba Department of Agriculture and Livestock is also involved in the preservation of the sea turtle, an endangered species.

The 3,400 hectares of Arikok National Park, which comprise about 17 percent of the island of Aruba, present a desert landscape with boulders, cacti, bright green or turquoise lizards, wild goats and other endangered species such as the snake. rattlesnake and parrot species. The National Park was designed in the first place for the people of Aruba, to preserve the area for future generations but of course tourism also has a great benefit with a visitor, hiking trails, beaches and caves where glyphs can be found. pre-Columbian. viewed.

While Arubans work hard to preserve the natural environment, they are equally dedicated to maintaining their cultural heritage. One effort is to support the language of Papiamento, a unique combination of Dutch, Spanish, English, and other influences.

Aruba’s music has distinctive rhythms like the walz, tumba, dance, and mazurka and interesting instruments like the huiro and the tingilingi box. These can be experienced in hotels and restaurants where dancers and musicians perform, as well as the annual Carnival celebrations and the weekly Bon Bini show at the historic Fort Zoutmann in Oranjestad.

A short drive from Oranjestad is San Nicolás, Aruba’s second-largest city, a community with its own special character. San Nicolás, an oil refinery city that saw its heyday before the mid-1980s, underwent an aggressive development plan in recent years to create a better environment not only for the 45 nationalities that live there, but also for the tourism. Among the recently renovated streets and buildings is an unusual St Nicholas treasure that alone makes the visit worthwhile, Charlie’s Bar. A family business for three generations, its walls are covered with license plates, artwork, sports memorabilia , marine paraphernalia, police badges, photos of beauty contestants, and just about anything visitors want to display to record their visit.

Aruba has a variety of excellent restaurants. Some of them serve authentic Aruba specialties, while others offer cuisine from around the world. Although Aruba is not blessed with many arable land, programs spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture have been designed to try to ensure that part of every dish eaten in Aruba is naturally grown in Aruba, be it fruit, a goat dish. , shellfish, or herbs used to flavor it.

One crop that grows well in Aruba’s dry and windy climate is the aloe vera plant. These plants are processed into two main product lines, a hard chewing gum for use in laxative medications and a gel for use in various cosmetic and skin care products. You can take a tour of an aloe vera facility to learn about the harvesting and manufacturing process.

In addition to agricultural products, another essential substance is provided to Arubans, thanks to a technological process that turns an abundant resource into something that benefits both natives and tourists. The lack of natural fresh water forces Arubans to obtain their drinking water through a desalination plant that converts sea water into tasty fresh water that comes out pure, straight from the tap. Not only is it safe to drink, but it has garnered such rave reviews that a glass of water from Aruba has been given the name Balashi Cocktail for the location of the water desalination facility.

A beautiful climate, a tropical and desert landscape, many activities in and out of the water, good food and clean, fresh water to drink are all the main reasons why tourists return to Aruba time and time again. To these can be added the warm people of Aruba, whose love for their island and their genuine kindness cannot fail to be expressed to visitors.