1 destination · 10 things to do

Aruba

Aruba is the island that trades on sunshine and keeps its promise. A dry, breezy Dutch Caribbean outpost just off the coast of Venezuela and outside the usual hurricane track, it pairs miles of soft white sand on Eagle Beach and Palm Beach with a rugged, cactus-studded north coast, a national park of caves and rock pools, and a pastel Dutch-colonial capital in Oranjestad. This guide books Aruba properly: a catamaran snorkel sail to the Antilla shipwreck, the Arikok National Park and Natural Pool jeep safari, a full day at De Palm Island, an island loop to the California Lighthouse and Alto Vista chapel, and a walking tour of Oranjestad. It pairs those with the free essentials, from the fofoti tree on Eagle Beach to the calm shallows of Baby Beach and the Donkey Sanctuary, and then matches you with the right hotel, from adults-only luxury on Eagle Beach to a resort in the heart of town, because on a small island where you sleep decides your beach.