Ver Berkmoes - Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao: Guidebook Chapter

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GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LONELY PLANET MAPS

E-reader devices vary in their ability to show our maps. To get the most out of the maps in this guide, use the zoom function on your device. Or, visit http://media.lonelyplanet.com/ebookmaps and grab a PDF download or print out all the maps in this guide.

This map was taken from our country guide. If you want to discover more about the locations highlighted here, head to our website to buy books, download PDFs or find out about our full eBook offerings. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ebooks

need to know

PLANES

Essential for island hopping between destinations without ferries, and for reaching the region in the first place

FERRIES

Youll wish there were more between islands but where they run (eg St Kitts to Nevis, Dominica to Martinique) youll love em

CRUISE SHIP

Not a viable way to independently island hop; itineraries are set and youre on for the duration

SAILING

With time, skills and a boat you can set your own schedule in the islands; rentals are easy

MAIL BOATS

Aging tubs that take passengers; theyre still found in back corners of the region, such as Grenada to the Grenadines

BUMMING

With a winning smile and some pluck, you might meet somebody at a marina whos looking for a deckhand, a cook or just a companion

Your Daily Budget

BUDGET LESS THAN US$150

Divers hotels often best value

Look for rooms off the beach save US$10 for every minute you walk

Eat what the locals eat

MIDRANGE US$150 300

Double room in the action: US$200

Eschew hyped activities; rent bikes, walk, visit parks

Stay at the best places... in low season

TOP END OVER US $300

Beautiful rooms at the best resorts in high season: US$400 and over

Get private surfing lessons

Buy the posh bar a round of champagne

When to Go

HIGH SEASON (DECAPR)

People fleeing the northern winter arrive in droves and prices peak

The regions driest time

Can be cold in the northern Caribbean from Cuba to the Bahamas

SHOULDER (MAYJUN & NOV)

The weather is good, rains are moderate

Warm temperatures elsewhere reduce visitor numbers

Best mix of affordable rates and good weather

LOW SEASON (JULOCT)

Hurricane season; odds of being caught are small, but tropical storms are like clockwork

Good for Eastern Caribbeans surf beaches, eg Barbados

Room prices can be half or less than in high season

Websites

Lonely Planet ( www.lonelyplanet.com/caribbean ) Destination information, hotel bookings, travelers forums and more.

Caribbean Broadcasting Corp ( www.cbc.bb ) Regional news.

Caribbean Travel+Life ( www.caribbeantravelmag.com ) Features on regional travel and events.

Pirate Jokes ( www.piratejokes.net ) How does a pirate keep fit? Aarrrrobics.

Money

See the opening pages of each chapter for details on which currencies are used on each island. The main currencies in the region:

Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$)

US dollar (US$) accepted almost everywhere

Euro ()

Netherlands Antillean guilder (NAf/ANG) there are plans to replace this currency

Visas

Citizens of most Western countries (Canada, the EU, the US etc) dont need visas for visits of under 90 days throughout the region

Cuba requires a tourist card (CUC$15/US$25), usually included with your airline ticket and issued upon check-in

Immigration officials may ask to see proof of a ticket out of the country

What to Take

The Caribbean islands are casual, so bring light, comfy clothes: a bathing suit, T-shirt and shorts will be your wardrobe. Add long pants or a dress for nights out. A few essentials:

sun hat

a small quick-dry towel, for when the whim to swim hits

flashlight with batteries (nighttime reading, blackouts)

plastic resealable bags essential for keeping things (cameras, air tickets, passports) dry on boat trips

Get in the Mood

Books and movies can fuel your Caribbean desires. Think James Bond movies: Dr No as Ursula Andress emerges from the water (Jamaica) or Thunderball s Junkanoo parade (the Bahamas). Pirates of the Caribbean , partly shot on St Vincent, captures the regions exciting past. For literary inspiration: The Firm by John Grisham, about financial shenanigans in the Cayman Islands; The Slave Ship: A Human History by Marcus Rediker, looking at the transportation of 12 million Africans to the US and Caribbean during slavery; and Dan Koeppels Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World , which explores the enormous impact of this ubiquitous fruit.

Aruba

Includes

Why Go?

Americans from the east coast fleeing winter make Aruba the most touristed island in the southern Caribbean.

And thats not really surprising given that it has miles of the best beaches, plenty of package resorts and a compact and cute main town, Oranjestad, which is ideally suited for the two-hour strolls favored by day-tripping cruise-ship passengers. Its all about sun, fun and spending money (lots of money its an expensive island).

But venture away from the resorts and youll find that Aruba offers more. At the islands extreme ends are rugged, windswept vistas and uncrowded beaches. Arikok National Wildlife Park is an alien landscape of cactuses, twisted divi-divi trees and abandoned gold mines.

Mostly, however, Aruba is a place to do as little as possible. It wears its hospitality on its sleeve and in the national anthem, which includes the unlyrical line The greatness of our people is their great cordiality.

When to Go

Average temperature for Aruba is a perfect 28C (82F). High noon is a bit warmer and at night it can get breezy, but mostly youll be fine in shorts and T-shirt. The island is fairly dry, averaging a little over 2.5cm of rain per month. Much of this falls from September to early December. Aruba usually misses the Caribbean hurricane season; in recent years January rains have caused minor flooding. December to April is high season. High season for cruise ships runs October to April.

Best Beaches

Eagle Beach ( )

Manchebo Beach ( )

Andicuri Beach ( )

Best Places to Stay

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