About Oranjestad

Aruba's charming capital is best explored on foot. Its palm-lined central thoroughfare runs between old and new pastel-painted buildings of typical Dutch design (Spanish influence is also evident in some of the architecture). The town is named after the Dutch royal house of Oranje, and has been the island's capital since 1797. Oranjestad attracts more shoppers than sightseers. There are many malls with boutiques and shops in Oranjestad; downtown and Seaport Village are the major shopping areas. Every morning the wharf teems with activity as merchants sell produce and fresh fish - often right off their boats. You can also buy Aruban handicrafts and T-shirts at this dockside bazaar, where bargaining is expected and dollars or florins are accepted. Island schooners and houseboats anchored near the fishing boats add to the port's ambience. Wilhelmina Park, a small tropical garden on the waterfront along L.G. Smith Boulevard, has a sculpture of the Netherlands' Queen Wilhelmina, whose reign lasted from 1890 to 1948. Lloyd G. Smith Blvd. becomes awfully crowded with tourists during cruise ship arrivals, but the street is well-prepared for the influx. Dozens of shops line the thoroughfare. The Seaport Village Mall, on the north side of the street, and the Seaport Marketplace, on the east side of the yacht basin section of the harbor, contain the best of the chichi shops, as well as small cafes. Caya G. F. Betico Croes, or Main Street, runs roughly parallel to the waterfront several blocks inland. It's another major shopping venue. If you are looking for a little culture, Oranjestad has a handful of museums and houses of worship that are worth a bit of your time.
Aruba never sleeps. But it does doze. After a long day on the beach, most tourists are ready to call it a night after dinner. For those with more energy, a couple of the island's 11 casinos stay open 24/7, and many dance clubs start rolling about midnight and keep going as long as there are customers. Other nighttime activities include Vegas-stile shows, current movies, local musical entertainment, and dinner/party cruises. Pick up a free island publication to find out what's happening during the week. Most hotels and tourist spots have at least one of the local magazines: Aruba Nights, K-Pasa, or Aruba Experience. Also the English-language newspapers: Aruba today and The News. And don't ignore those colorful promotional pamphlets you'll see at your resort's activities desk. Many of them offer free drinks or discounts on admission. Casino Notes All gaming in the Aruba casinos is done with US currency. The slots use either US coins or tokens of the same value depending on the casino. Many machines will accept your paper US currency directly. There are nickel slots at all the casinos and some also have penney machines. Sports betting is available at many of the casinos.
The first Balashi beer off the assembly line of the Brouwerij Nacional Balashi N.V. in 1999 delighted a discerning public, and has now captured the attention of the prestigious “Monde Selection” in Brussels, winning recognition as a world-class beer worthy of a 2001 Gold Medal. Over the past two years, since the opening of the island’s first grand scale, fully automated European-equipped brewery, Brouwerij Nacional Balashi continues to set new goals and realize greater accolades for its flagship beer. Balashi was the brewery’s first uniquely Arabian product, crafted from a secret recipe containing malt imported from Scotland, hops from Germany, and made sublime by the island’s very own famously fresh, pure water. The result is a deliciously smooth, golden-colored Pilsener beer with a well-balanced aftertaste. More importantly, Balashi Beer is the only beer on the market that does not contain artificial additives. Perfectly refreshing in Aruba’s warm climate, the beer gained acceptance and was soon a featured favorite at local hang-outs, hotels, restaurants, sporting events and get-togethers among family and friends, not only on Aruba but now also in Curacao and Bonaire where it recently made its debut.