Driving in Aruba: Everything You Need to Know | Traveling Twilley (2024)

Driving in Aruba is the best way to explore the island. Because Aruba is only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide, it only takes about 45 minutes to drive the entire length of the island.

Having your own wheels gives you the flexibility and freedom to explore at your own pace and to venture off the beaten path (if you’re feeling adventurous).

Plus, the good road conditions and American-style driving (on the right side of the road) make Aruba a low-stress place to drive, which is perfect because no one wants to be stressed out while on vacation!

Below are my tips for everything you need to know about driving in Aruba. Vacationers, start your engines…..

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In Aruba, speed limits are in kilometers per hour. The speedometer in your rental car will also list your speed in kilometers per hour.

You will see the applicable speed limit posted on traffic signs in Aruba. In general, the speed limit in and around towns is 30 km/hour, whereas the speed limit outside of towns is usually 60 km/hour. However, on some faster roads outside of towns, the speed limit may be up to 80 km/hour. Also, speed limits may be lower in school zones and residential areas.

Speed limits are enforced in Aruba.

The traffic signs in Aruba are different from the traffic signs you see in the United States. So, before driving in Aruba, make sure to familiarize yourself with the different traffic signs and their meanings.

One important distinction between traffic signs in Aruba and traffic signs in the U.S. is how the traffic signs indicate that a particular action is prohibited. In the U.S., a sign prohibiting an action typically has a red slash on it. However, in Aruba, a sign prohibiting an action has a red circle around it.

Also, remember that traffic signs in Aruba list the speed limit inkilometersper hour (not miles per hour).

To view images of common traffic signs, along with their meanings, check out this helpful list ofAruba Traffic Signs.

However, in more secluded, rugged areas of Aruba (for example, in Arikok National Park, around the northern tip of the island, and along the eastern coast), the roads are rougher and, in many cases, non-existent. These areas are perfect for an off-roading adventure in an all-terrain vehicle or Jeep with four-wheel drive. But

try to drive in these areas in a car.

Twilley’s Top Tips for Off-Roading in Aruba

I 100% recommend off-roading in Aruba. Whether you join a guided ATV/UTV tour or explore on your own, don’t miss the opportunity to explore Arikok National Park (including “Conchi,” the secret natural pool), the California Dunes on the northwestern tip of the island, and the rugged eastern coast of the island.

If you decide to go off-roading on your own, I recommend renting an all-terrain or 4×4 Jeep for one or two consecutive days and doing all your off-roading activities during that time. For the rest of your visit, just rent a standard car. Using this approach will save you money because renting an all-terrain vehicle or 4×4 Jeep is more expensive than getting a basic rental car.

Whether you should rent an all-terrain or 4×4 Jeep for two days or just one day depends on the length of your trip and what you want to do in Aruba.

In Aruba, you are not allowed to park in the following places:

• alongside a yellow line on the road,
• on a bridge, or
• on a road with a continuous middle line.

• Parking at the Renaissance Marketplace in Aruba

There is a metered parking lot in front of the Renaissance Marketplace along the waterfront in downtown Oranjestad. This lot is a very convenient place to park if you can find a spot. But just remember not to park in the yellow-line spots, which are reserved for permit-holders.

• Aruparking Meters

A company called Aruparking runs the parking meters in Aruba. Aruparking meters accept local coins, U.S. coins, the Aruparking prepaidSmartCard, and (sometimes) credit cards. You can also pay using a smartphone app called “iParkme.” For more information about Aruparking meters (including rates, enforcement hours, and towing), visit theAruparking FAQswebpage.

It’s free to park in the Aruparking metered spots in downtown Oranjestad outside of the enforcement hours. When this blog post was published in early 2021, parking meters were being enforced from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Monday through Saturday, so you could park for free after 3:00 p.m. each day and anytime on Sundays. Visit the Aruparking website to see the currentAruparking meter enforcement hours.

In addition to the metered parking spots, there are also a limited number of free non-metered parking spots on the side of the road in downtown Oranjestad.

In the high-rise hotel area (around Palm Beach) and the low-rise hotel area (stretching from Eagle Beach to Druif Beach), there are free parking lots and free parking spots on the streets.

There are also some paid parking lots in Palm Beach, including a parking garage near the mall.

Parking is free at beaches in Aruba.

Some beaches—like Arashi Beach and Eagle Beach—have paved parking lots. Others—like Boca Catalina Beach, Malmok Beach, and Tres Trapi (“Three Steps”) Beach—simply have open areas beside the road where you can park. In the Palm Beach area, there are also public beach access roads (located between the hotels) that offer a limited number of parking spots.

• Where to Find Gas Stations in Aruba

• Full-Service and Self-Service Gas Stations in Aruba

Most gas stations in Aruba are not self-service. So instead of pumping the gas yourself, a gas station attendant pumps the gas for you.

However, some gas stations do offer self-service lanes. If you encounter a self-service gas pump in Aruba, you have to go inside the gas station to paybeforeyou actually pump the gas.

All gas stations in Aruba accept cash, and most accept major credit cards (like Visa or Mastercard).

As mentioned above, if you use a self-service gas pump in Aruba, you will need to go inside the gas station to pay before you pump the gas.

When I got gas at self-service pumps in Aruba, I would go inside the gas station to tell the cashier the number of my gas pump. I would then leave my credit card at the counter with the cashier while I went back outside to pump the gas. After pumping the gas, I would go back inside the gas station to retrieve my credit card after the cashier ran the charge.

Before arriving in Aruba, go ahead and download a map of the island on Google Maps or the Maps.me app. This is one of my most important tips for getting around in Aruba!

Having a map downloaded on your phone will come in handy if you lose cell service—which is likely to happen at some point—while driving around and using GPS. It’s also a helpful way to avoid using data on your phone if you’re trying not to pay international data rates.

There are several rental car company offices conveniently located at the airport, right in front of the Arrivals terminal. Other rental car companies have offices located offsite. Some rental car companies also have branches at resorts around the island. To find out which rental car companies operate in Aruba and whether they have offices at the Arrivals terminal or offsite, visit theCar Rentalpage on the Queen Beatrix International Airport’s website. To get the best price on car and SUV rentals in Aruba, I recommend visiting a price comparison website likeKayak,Orbitz, or Booking.com.

If you’re interested in renting a 4×4 Jeep to go off-roading in Aruba, I recommend a company calledTop Drive(which is the rental company I used).

The cost of renting a vehicle in Aruba varies depending on the rental company you use and the type of vehicle you rent (for example, whether you rent a standard car or opt for an SUV with four-wheel drive).

When I visited Aruba, I rented an economy-class sedan from Enterprise. My rental car cost $22 per day plus fees and taxes. I had this economy rental car for all but two days of my trip. For those other two days, I rented a Jeep from Top Drive to go off-roading. The Jeep I rented from Top Drive cost $107 per day plus fees and taxes.

Twilley’s Takeaways

In my opinion, driving is the best way to explore Aruba. Driving on the main roads in Aruba feels just like driving at home in the United States, albeit with a few more roundabouts. Once you get the hang of the roundabouts and familiarize yourself with the traffic signs, driving in Aruba is a breeze.

Aruba is also a fantastic place for an off-roading adventure. Whether you sign up for a guided off-roading tour or rent a 4×4 vehicle and take off on your own, you’re in for a wild and exciting ride!