Traveling to Aruba
By Anna Lynn Sibal
The island of Aruba is a paradise on earth, but you can reasonably expect the gates of that paradise to be well-guarded when you try to get there. Getting to Aruba, however, can be simple if you know how.
There are two main ways that you can take to make a touchdown onto Aruban soil. One of these ways is by air travel. Aruba has a state-of-the-art international airport, the Queen Beatrix International Airport. Its three-level concourse can accommodate commercial jets that are as big as Boeing 747s. And because Aruba is a popular tourist destination all over the world, the Queen Beatrix International Airport is a busy place, servicing hundreds of airlines from many cities in the globe. Among the airlines that fly to Aruba via the Queen Beatrix International Airport are: the Dutch Antilles Express (Caribbean); American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and Continental (USA); Sunquest and Air Canada (Canada); British Airways and Air Pullmantur (Europe); and of course, KLM from the Netherlands.
Another, and probably more popular, way of getting to Aruba is via a cruise ship. There are few, if any, cruise lines that do not have Aruba listed among its destination ports. Among the popular cruise lines that regularly sail to Aruba are: Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Sun Line, and Majestic Cruises.
Before you can actually get within Aruba, however, you need to make sure that you have done all the necessary travel paperwork. And travel paperwork generally means passports, visas and other such documentation. Citizens of some countries may stay in Aruba without a visa for either 30 or 180 days.
Countries whose citizens may stay in Aruba as tourists for 180 days without needing a visa (besides the United States) are:
| Austria |
Belgium |
Bulgaria |
Canada |
| Czech Republic |
Cyprus |
Denmark |
Estonia |
| Finland |
France |
Germany |
Greece |
| Hungary |
Japan |
ireland |
Italy |
| Latvia |
Lithuania |
Luxemburg |
Malta |
| Poland |
Portugal |
Romania |
Slovakia |
| Spain |
Sweden |
Switzerland |
United Kingdom |
On the other hand, listed below are countries whose citizens may stay in Aruba as tourists for 30 days:
| Andorra |
Antigua and Barbuda |
Argentina |
Australia |
| Bahamas |
Barbados |
Belize |
Bolivia |
| Brazil |
Brunei |
Chile |
Costa Rica |
| Croatia |
Dominica |
Equador |
El Salvador |
| Grenada |
Guatemala |
Guyana |
Honduras |
| Hong Kong |
Iceland |
Israel |
Liechtenstein |
| Malaysia |
macau |
Mexico |
Monaco |
| Nicaragua |
New Zealand |
Norway |
Panama |
| Paraguay |
San Marino |
Singapore |
South Korea |
| St. Kitts |
St. Lucia |
St. Vincent |
Surinam |
| Trindad and Tobago |
Uruguay |
Vatican City |
Venezuela |
People entering Aruba without visa requirements are nonetheless required to present pertinent travel documents to immigration officers upon arrival to the island. These travel documents include a valid passport, a return ticket or a ticket to another destination outside Aruba, hotel or apartment reservations, and residence documents. For a US resident who was not born in the US, he will have to be able to present his Certificate of Naturalization or green cards along with a valid passport.
For citizens who need visas to enter Aruba, they may apply for the required visa with any embassy or consulate of the Netherlands.
Caribbean Travel
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