Welcome to paradise
If you’ve ever dreamed about going on a Caribbean holiday to stroll along palm-lined beaches or swim in warm, aquamarine waters, then this destination is for you. As the most-visited island in the southern Caribbean, Aruba is beloved not just for its spectacular natural beauty and world-class beaches, but also for its friendly atmosphere, great water sports and fabulous food. If you want an all-inclusive resort, you’ll find several them here, but for the more adventurous and independent travellers, there’s plenty of wild, rugged coastline with empty beaches to explore.
A charming capital
The island’s capital, Oranjestad, is a charming mix of Dutch architecture and blasts of Caribbean colour. Lively but relaxed, there’s a great blend of local cultures all in one spot. Its low-rise resorts are flanked by picture-perfect beaches; Eagle Beach in the north is often on lists for ‘Best Beaches in the World’. Cultural highlights include Fort Zoutman, which was built to defend the island from pirates, but which now houses the Aruba Historical Museum.
Nature’s playground
For travellers seeking the great outdoors, Aruba’s north and east coasts offer deserted wild beaches. There are plenty of great locations for surfing and body-boarding, like Andicuri Beach. Nature-lovers should head to Arikok National Wildlife Park and seek out its Natural Pool and Fontein Cave, two unique features of the limestone cliffs. Anyone keen to relax in an earthly paradise should find cheap flights to Aruba and get ready to embark on a memorable adventure.
When to go
With sunny, warm and mostly dry weather year-round, Aruba is great destination all year. However, peak tourism season lasts from mid-December to mid-April. Prices are at their highest during those months, so be sure to book your travel at least six weeks in advance to find the best prices. Christmas, New Year’s and Easter are particularly busy times as is January and February, Aruba’s Carnival season. Celebrations start just after the new year and continue until Ash Wednesday.
For many travellers, this means that the off-peak season - sometime between mid-April and mid-September – is the ideal time to visit Aruba. During this time, prices tend to be lower, and the island’s weather is not very different from the high season months. From mid-September to mid-December, Aruba gets more rain. The rainy season is quite mild, though, so those willing to brave the odd shower or two will likely enjoy rock-bottom prices.
In September and October, the temperatures in Aruba are at their highest, reaching 30 degrees Celsius. This can be an ideal time for the heat-hardy as crowds will be small.
Airports and airlines
The great thing about searching for flight deals on Netflights is that you can conduct your search without entering specific travel dates. You can see the best routes and rates over a large period of time, and if your travel dates are flexible, you can save a lot on your trip to Aruba.
There are no direct Aruba flights from the United Kingdom (UK), but there are plenty of airlines that will get you there. The biggest carriers are KLM, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Although you’ll need to change flights at the respective home countries of these airlines, you’ll likely be able to depart from a range of airports around the UK, including London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol and Manchester.
Other airlines that offer return flights to Aruba are American Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, WestJet and Air Canada. With so many airlines to choose from, you’re sure to find a bargain with Netflights.