Aruba is situated 14 miles (25km) north of Venezuela and is the smallest and most western island of the Dutch Antilles – Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

Its miles of white sand beaches, azure waters and guaranteed sun make it a great destination for sun worshippers as well as a popular stop off for cruise ships. It is an island with luxury resorts, first rate restaurants, casinos and superb water sports facilities.

The island’s capital is Oranjestad. Instantly recognisable by its architecture’s orange facades, it displays the island’s historical ties with The Netherlands; it is home to some of the best duty-free shopping in the Caribbean.

The island has a huge amount to offer visitors from a national park, unusual desert flora and ancient cave drawings. But the biggest draw is probably the beaches and water sports.

There are many resort complexes such as Eagle Beach and Palm Beach which are to the north of the capital. The rest of the island is less developed. Its centre is quite arid and mainly home to cacti, divi-divi trees and goats.

Aruba provides excelled diving and snorkelling opportunities along the reef in the protected leeward coast. Windsurfing is popular at Fisherman’s Hut and other areas such as Druif Beach, Manchebo Beach and Surfside Beach are great hubs for sporting activities or simply relaxing on the beach.

The currency in Aruba is the Aruban Florin which is tied to the US Dollar; therefore US Dollars are also widely accepted. ATMs can be found in Oranjestad and the major credit cards are widely accepted in many shops and hotels. If you are using traveller’s cheques you are advised to take them in Euros or US Dollars to avoid additional exchange rate charges.