Why Aruba is a famous travel destination
Aruba’s Origin and basic facts
Most people know that tourism in Aruba is what makes this fantastic country so well known. However, most of us don’t know how it earned its title. We think this is the perfect moment to discover more about what Aruba is known for and how it became such a gorgeous, happy, and popular island.
Hundreds of years before folks were looking up where to stay in Aruba, the island was occupied by Arawak Indians who used to carve red clay drawings inside the caves.
After Spain claimed it back in 1499, it became a spot for smuggling and piracy. In 1636, it was occupied by the Dutch West India Company. For a small period of time, the island came under British rule as part of Netherlands Antilles, during the Napoleonic wars, but was then returned to the Netherlands in 1816.
The spoken language is Papiamento, which is a Creole language based on Portuguese but with a rather big Spanish influence. At the beginning of the 21st century, approximately 250k people spoke it, mainly on the Caribbean islands of Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire.
San Nicolas
Translating to Sint Nicolaas, it’s located at the southeastern end of the island. It received its name after Mr. Nicolaas van der Biest, who owned a big piece of land. Back then, landowners were spoken to by their first names, with “Shon” which means “master”. Therefore, he was called “Shon Nicolaas”, as was the area. Many think that the change from “Shon” to “San” was due to Spanish influence.
Apart from being Aruba’s second-largest city, San Nicolas has a port in the deep waters with facilities for cargo handling and it also works as an oil refinery. Near San Nicolas, you can find the coastal village of Sabaneta, which, under the name Commandeursbaai, used to be the capital of Aruba until 1797.
Oranjestad
Located on the island’s west coast, this town functions as a seaport and the administrative center of Aruba. Oranjestad is a free port and a center for petroleum processing and shipping. This town is best known for its colonial buildings that have been revamped and modernized by turning their walls into colorful and lively edifications.
Apart from learning about what Aruba is known for, we´ll learn about how the actual name came about. Popular belief says that Aruba’s name comes from the Spanish phrase “oro huba” which means “there was gold”. In fact, the Spanish did not find any gold when they came, and regarded Aruba as “valueless”.
ABC Islands
In conjunction with the islands of Bonaire and Curaçao, Aruba forms a group called ABC Islands. Altogether, these and other three important Dutch islands from the Caribbean, are frequently called the Dutch Caribbean, and Aruba has approximately ⅓ of the population.
Aruba is one of four countries that conform to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, alongside the Netherlands, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. These countries’ natives all possess Dutch nationality. The island is divided into eight regions, with Oranjestad as the capital.
Different from the other countries of the Caribbean, Aruba displays an arid and dry climate, filled with cacti in any direction you look, and its all-year-round warm temperature, sunny weather, and astounding beaches allow for constant visitors and tourism activities.
An attractive filming location
Discovering what Aruba is known for must definitely include how pretty of a filming location it is. With several movies recorded in Aruba’s land, this place turned into an even more impressive holiday destination. With production names such as the promotional video Sports Illustrated: Paige Spinarac (2018), movies such as Love in Aruba (2021), and Kingdom of Sweden (2018), a TV series called Coastguard Dutch Caribbean that started in 2021, and even the telenovela Acorralada aired between 2007 and 2008.
Staying at Ocean Z
We can’t talk about the island’s history and what Aruba is known for currently without talking about the Ocean Z Boutique Hotel. Founded in 2016, this gem has become one of Aruba’s most incredible places to visit. With its sibling, the Ocean Z Restaurant, both have turned their corner of Aruba into a riveting place.
Now that you know the basics about what Aruba is known for and why it’s so popular, there is no way that you shouldn’t come now and give yourself the gift of an unforgettable holiday, and we’d love to help make that happen! Book now and live this unforgettable experience in this unforgettable place.
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