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Oranjestad
Oranjestad
Oranjestad (oranJUStat), Aruba's vivacious capital, is packed with boutiques, restaurants, casinos, and nightclubs. Its lovely Dutch architecture mixes with bright Caribbean color to create a themepark- like downtown waterfront area.
Just to the north, a dazzling white beach stretches up the west coast. A string of low-rise hotels and casual restaurants line up along the sand and directly across a narrow road. Less than a half-mile farther north, the high-rise resorts, glitzy casinos, and chic restaurants begin. The landmark California Lighthouse stands at the island’s northernmost point.
South of Oranjestad, a good road leads to the fishing village of Savaneta, the former capital, and San Nicolas, the second-largest town on the island. Inland, the terrain turns rugged, good roads taper into rutted dirt paths, and adventurous tourists discover a wild countryside full of cacti, iguanas, and house-sized rock formations.
The wave-battered east coast features sand dunes, limestone cliffs, a photogenic Natural Bridge, and a boulder-protected Natural Pool. Arikok National Park, just south and inland from the pool, covers almost 20% of the island and protects a vast ecological wonderland of exotic plants and animals.
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Hotels(34)
Restaurants(35)
Attractions(21)
Activities(38)
Beaches(16)
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