Oranjestad, Aruba

Where The Water Isn't the Only Thing That Sparkles 

As the capital and largest city of Aruba, Oranjestad (Dutch for “Orange Town”) is named after King Willem van Oranje-Nassau, the first heir to the Dutch House of Orange.

Now mainly referred to as “Playa” by the locals, Oranjestad is renowned for its sunny weather year-round, with a virtually constant temperature of 28C/82F.

Given the beautiful climate and myriad of pristine white beaches, no wonder some of the city’s most popular activities to do are soaking in the sun, snorkeling, sailing, fishing and boat rides. Shopping is also a common pursuit, with the vast amount of jewelry stores in Aruba offering much lower prices than elsewhere around the world.

If you’re in search of locally made goods and products, visit Oranjestad’s marketplace for art and handicrafts, sample an Aruba-made Balashi Beer, and maybe even try an ostrich burger, which are widely available due to the city’s proximity to a number of ostrich farms.