Oranjestad is a city in Aruba. Oranjestad was founded in the 17th century as an export port for the horses bred in the country (Paardenbaai). To secure the port, Fort Zoutman was built in 1796 by the then island governor Lauffer and equipped with four cannons. Around 1820, half of the population lived in the immediate vicinity of the fort. It was not until 1824 that the town received its current name after the Dutch royal house of Orange. Oranjestad is now the shopping and administrative center of the island. The main shopping street, also known as Main Street or Nassaustraat, is Caya Betico Croes. The suburbs are called Madiki and Santa Helena in the north, Setar and Seroe Blanco in the east, Tarabana and Dakota in the south. The international airport is also located on the southern edge of the city.
Bushiri Beach, a small beach in the northwest closest to Oranjestad.
Towards Punta Brabo you will find the wreck of a "tugboat". This tugboat
is lying in 14-30 m water depth.
Centrally off Oranjestad there are 2
aircraft wrecks in the sea. A Convair 400 in 14-20 m water depth and a
Beechcraft 18 in just 5 m water depth.
1 Fort Zoutman, Oranjestraat/Zoutmanstraat . Built in 1796 under the direction of Governor Johan Rudolf Lauffer. It is equipped with 4 cannons. In 1799, an attack by the English was repelled from here. The square Wilhelm III tower was added as a lighthouse in 1868 and was equipped with the country's first public clock. From 1816-1911, the fort was also the seat of government. The building was renovated in 1974, the tower from 1980-1983. A year later, the museum opened. It is now the oldest building on the island.
2 Aruba Aloe Balm Museum (Aruba Aloe-museum), Pitastraat 115,
Oranjestad. Tel.: +297 588-3222 . The museum provides information about
the 160-year history of aloe vera on Aruba. Visitors can learn about the
extraction of aloe gel using a centuries-old technique. Open: Mon-Fri
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sat 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Historical Museum,
Museo Arubano, Fort Zoutman / Willem III Tower, Oranjestad. Tel.:
582-6099, Fax: 588-5199. An extensive collection of valuable period
furniture, pictures, documents and household items from the various eras
of the island. Open: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. + 1:00 p.m. to 4:00
p.m. Price: Admission: US$1.15.
Museo Arubano, Zoutmanstraat 6. Tel.:
582-6099. Open: Mon-Fri 9:00-12:00 + 13:00-16:00, Sat 9:00-12:00. Price:
1 US $.
3 Numismatic Museum, At the former bus station next to the
Royal Plaza Mall, Zuidstraat 27, Oranjestad. Tel.: +297 582-8831.
Private collection of 30,000 coins and banknotes from the Roman Empire,
China and Greater America. Open: Mon-Thur 9:00-16:00, Fri 9:00-13:00,
Sat 9:00-12:00. Price: 5 US $.
By plane
The Aeropuerto Internacional Reina Beatrix Airport (IATA:
AUA) is located on the southern outskirts of the city.
By bus
A new bus station has been built in the center. It is located on L. G.
Smith Boulevard, directly across from the cruise ship terminal, one
block from the Royal Plaza Mall.
By road
All major roads meet
in the center of Oranjestad.
By ship
Cruise tourism is an
important growth market for Aruba. The island is a popular port on
routes through the southern Caribbean. Numerous ships dock at the Cruise
Terminal on Oranjestad. The following shipping companies call at Aruba:
AIDA Cruises, TUI Cruises, Italian Line, Cunard, Holland America Line,
Costa Line, Sitmar Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise
Line, Chandris Line, Sun Line, Royal Cruise Line, Majestic Cruise Line,
MSC Cruises and others. The Cruise Tourism Authority is located at Royal
Plaza Mall, Suite 227, L. G. Smith Boulevard 94, Oranjestad.
Car rental company
ACE Car Rental, Mahuma 55. Tel: 583-0840, Fax:
582-7006.
Airways Rent-A-Car, Sabana Blanco 35. Tel: 582-1845, Fax:
583-7479.
Alamo, Sabana Blanco 58-C. Tel: 582-0887, Fax: 583-3672.
Amigo Rent A Car, Schotlandstraat 56. Tel.: 583-8833, Fax: 583-8858.
Avis Rent A Car, Schotlandstraat 85. Tel.: 582-7202, Fax: 582-7220.
Budget Rent-A-Car, Simeon Antonio. Tel: 582-8600, Fax: 582-7212.
Caribbean Car Rental, Guyabastraat 32. Tel: 582-2515.
Clemie's Car
Rental, Bernhardstraat 72. Tel.: 584-0566.
Deals On Wheels
Rent-A-Car, Wayaka 33-F. Tel: 583-4042, Fax: 583-7499.
Dollar Rent A
Car, Camacuri 9. Tel: 583-0101.
Donata Car & Cycle Rent, Catiri 59.
Tel.: 587-6291.
Explore Car Rental, Schotlandstraat 85. Tel:
582-7202, Fax: 582-7220.
George Drive Yourself Service, Kolibristraat
1-A. Tel: 582-8600, Fax: 582-7212.
Hertz Car Rental, Sabana Blanco
35. Tel: 582-1845, Fax: 583-7479.
More 4 Less Jeep & Car Rental,
Sabana Blanco 61. Tel.: 588-7255, Fax: 583-7520.
N L Rent A Car,
Sabana Blanco 69. Tel: 588-6366.
Optima Rent A Car, Camacuri 7-8.
Tel: 582-4828, Fax: 582-4966.
Payless Car Rental, Camacuri 8. Tel:
582-4828, Fax: 582-4966.
Rentcar, Schotlandstraat 58. Tel.: 582-3855.
Ruba Rental Car, Wayaca 31-B. Tel: 583-1020.
Sunset Car Rental,
Camacuri 5E, Oranjestad, Aruba.
Supercar Rentals, Camacuri 8. Tel.:
588-3644.
Toyota Rent-A-Car, Camacuri 8. Tel.: 583-4832, Fax:
582-4925.
Bike rental
Donata Car & Cycle Rent, Catiri 59.
Tel.: 587-6291.
Scooters, bikes
George's All Terrain Vehicles
Scooters & Motorcycles, L. G. Smith Boulevard 124. Tel.: 593-2202, Fax:
588-9792. Open: daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. o'clock. Price: Prices: Quad for 1
person 20 US $ per hour, 80 US $ per day; Quad for 2 people 30 US $ per
hour, 120 US $ per day; Scooters US$15-20 per hour, US$40-50 per day;
motorcycles US$25 per hour, US$70 per day.
Harley-Davidson - Big Twin
Aruba, L. G. Smith Boulevard 106. Tel.: 582-8660, Fax: 583-9322.
Gas stations
Gresulene, Seroe Blanco 60. Tel.: 582-5413.
Texaco
Wayaca, Airport, Sabana Blanco 69. Tel.: 583-0233, Fax: 582-5121.
Valero Boulevard Mart, L. G. Smith Boulevard 19 , Oranjestad. Tel.:
582-2310, Fax: 583-8699.
Valero Ponton Service Center, Aloestraat 2,
Oranjestad. Tel: 582-2733, Fax: 583-3911.
Before 1790, Savaneta in the south was the capital of Aruba, but
Oranjestad proved to be more accessible for ships. Oranjestad was built
around Fort Zoutman, which was built by the Dutch between 1796 and 1798
to defend the island. It has a harbor where many cruise ships now dock.
Many residents of Aruba settled around Fort Zoutman around 1800.
They built the houses crooked and uneven. Some were even built in the
path of one of the cannons. The hamlet gradually grew into a small
village. More than 25 years after the completion of the fort, almost
half of the entire island population lived near Fort Zoutman. This
important place of residence had to be given a name and in 1824 the
governor decided to name it after the House of Orange. Oranjestad thus
became a fact. Around 1860, more than 1000 people lived there.
In
1924, the Lago Oil & Transport Co. Ltd. oil refinery opened on the
island, which led to an increase in population and prosperity. In 1927,
Hotel Colombia was built as the city's first hotel. In the 1960s, Aruba
began to focus on tourism, and a hotel zone was built.
Oranjestad is the central traffic hub of Aruba. The island's largest main road (road 1) crosses the city on the south side, and 3 other main roads connect to this road in the city. In addition, Oranjestad has a bus station with lines that depart to all corners of the island. In addition to the buses, which are operated by Arubus, there are many private buses that often go to San Nicolas. Queen Beatrix International Airport is located near the city. Since 2013, there is also a tram line.
In 1790, Oranjestad became the capital of Aruba, because Oranjestad
has a deeper channel for larger ships than the previous capital.
Oranjestad also has the transit port of Aruba. Almost all goods came in
via the Paardenbaai harbor in Oranjestad/Taratata from South America,
the Netherlands and the United States, but the cargo ships were moved to
Barcadera in 2016.
Because Oranjestad is the largest city in
Aruba, it has an important status for its residents. The island's large
supermarkets are located in Oranjestad and for large groceries everyone
has to go to the capital. In addition to the large stores, Oranjestad
also has a handful of shopping centers, aimed at locals and tourists
(mostly cruise tourists). The most important and best-known shopping
street is Caya G. F. Betico Croes, named after the politician Betico
Croes who died in 1986.
For a century and a half, the cultivation
of aloe vera has been an export product. The plant grows on plantations
and has also gone wild. The Aruba Aloe Museum houses a permanent
exhibition on the history and current cultivation and production of the
oil in the suburb of Hato.