Trip readiness checklist for Aruba

What to pack

Aruba is dry, windy and sunny almost every day of the year, which is why it books out. Pack for sun and wind rather than rain, and bring the sunscreen you want to wear twice a day.

• Serious sun protection

  Twelve degrees north of the equator with a constant breeze that hides how hard the sun is working. Hat, SPF 50 and a rash guard for snorkelling.

• A hat with a chin strap

  The trade winds blow all day at 15 to 20 knots. Hats without one end up in Venezuela.

• Water shoes

  Baby Beach and the east coast are rocky underfoot, and the windward side has urchins. Sandy Eagle Beach does not need them; the rest does.

• A light layer for the evening

  Air conditioning runs hard in restaurants and casinos, and the wind makes 80 degrees feel cool after dark.

When to go

Mid-December through April is peak, with Carnival in January and February filling Oranjestad with parades and the hotels with people who booked a year ago. Aruba sits outside the hurricane belt, so summer and autumn are cheaper, still sunny and genuinely fine. May, June and November are the calm, best-value months.

Money & getting around

Aruba's florin (AWG) is pegged to the dollar, and US dollars are accepted everywhere; change comes back in either. Cards work almost everywhere. Tipping runs 10 to 15 percent, and a service charge is often already on the bill, so read it first. Arubus runs a cheap, reliable bus up the hotel strip to Oranjestad; a rental car for a day or two covers the rest of the island.

Local quirks worth knowing

Aruba says bon bini, means it, and then gets on with being the most organised island in the Caribbean. The quirks are few, so learn them.

• Fill in the ED card before you fly

  Every visitor completes the online Embarkation-Disembarkation card within the week before travel, and pays the $20 sustainability fee with it. Airlines check it at the gate.

• Drink the tap water

  Desalinated, and among the cleanest in the world. Skip the bottled stuff; refill.

• Papiamento is the local tongue

  Dutch and English are official and everyone speaks English, but danki (thanks) and bon dia (good morning) get a smile every time.

• Leave the sand and the shells

  Taking either out of the country is illegal, and customs does look. Photos travel better.

• Cruise days reshape Oranjestad

  Up to four ships dock mid-week; the downtown shops and Eagle Beach fill until mid-afternoon. Head to the north coast or Arikok park those mornings.

A week in Aruba, the list starts here

Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.

• Passport & travel documents1
• Phone charger & adapter1
• Wallet, cards & some local cash1
• Toiletries bag1
• Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
• Underwear7
• Socks7
• T-shirts / tops5

• Everything in my carry-on, and why each thing earns its spot
• The packing trick that got me through 3 countries with one carry-on