Warm and Welcoming Arubans

Aruba is truly a magical island! The people are so kind, genuine and hospitable. With the Dutch influence the island is very clean…much more so than any other Caribbean island I have experienced. The more time I spend here, the more I appreciate the many beautiful aspects of the island.

Friendly? The Arubans themselves may be their country's best advertisements. Long secure in a solid economy with good education, housing and health care, the island's population of about 100,000 regard tourists as welcome guests. Even the national anthem celebrates a high regard for hospitality. The line "Grandeza di bo pueblo ta su gran cordialidad" translates as "The greatness of our people is their great cordiality" -- and thousands of past visitors would agree.

The native Aruban is a mixture of Dutch, Spanish, and Arawak Indian ancestry -- and so is his unofficial language, Papiamento. Dutch is the official language, but every Aruban child studies English and Spanish from the age of l0 and most residents speak it well.

As you explore, as you get to know Aruba, you'll soon begin to notice the smiling faces everywhere. Real smiles. Gracious smiles. Sheer-joy of living smiles. Aruba, as any traveler here will tell you, must surely be among the most welcoming places on earth.

Maybe it's the Dutch tradition of hospitality, maybe it's the long and prosperous history of the island, maybe it's the year-round warmth of the sunshine and the fresh breezes of the trade winds. Whatever it is, it's absolutely true: Aruba is a genuinely happy place to be. And the people who live here, in the cities, in the towns, in the countryside, are genuinely happy to be sharing it with you.

You see, not only is this an island where happiness lives -- in Aruba, there's so much happiness to spare, we want to be sure you take some of it back home with you.