Aruba Florin
Aruba uses the Aruban florin as its official currency. Each florin is then sub-divided into 100 cents.
Coins are issued in the form of 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents, 1 and 5 florins with notes in circulation to the value of 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 florins.
History of the Florin
Aruba has only used the florin since 1986, which makes it a relatively new currency as currencies go. It replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder as Aruban currency when Aruba gained independent status from the Netherlands Antilles.
The Antilles were basically the Netherlands West Indies and were part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Despite the fact that the Antilles were originally settled on by the Spanish, the Dutch West Indian Trading Company took them over in the 17th Century and ever since then, the islands have come under the rule of the Netherlands. However, Aruba became a country in its own right in 1986 and so developed its own currency as a way of signifying its new status.
Getting Florins
Tourism is a major source of income for Aruba and as a result it is fairly easy to acquire florins. Most places will accept credit cards and there are a lot of ATM machines, so you will never be stuck for money on Aruba.
As a precaution you should verify that your credit card will be accepted by ATM's prior to travel, just in case there is any problem once you have arrived. Generally there isn't but you really do not want to be the one exception that makes the rule!
The florin is very closely linked to the US dollar, so if you are exchanging dollars you will find that the exchange rate is very good. For this reason it makes sense to take travellers cheques in US dollars, so that you aren't having to pay exchange rates twice.
US dollars and indeed Canadian dollars are also widely accepted, so it can be a good idea to take some dollars just as a stand by or as back up in case you lose your cards etc. Until the euro became the official currency in the Netherlands, it was possible to use the Dutch guilder as standard but the euro is less preferred than the US dollar, so take US dollars as opposed to euros.
Safeguarding Florins
Crime is not a big issue on Aruba. The island is only 21 miles long and so it does have a real community feel to it, with most people knowing each other. Tourism is also very important to Aruba and for that reason, people are treated well when they come as tourists and crime rates are relatively low. The island is small enough so that people cannot just pop off the island if they have stolen something, so there is a sense of safety and security.
Obviously it makes sense to make sure that you take precautions as you would at home and if you are going out drinking, then don't take all your valuables out with you.
The people are so welcoming that at times it can be hard to imagine any crime happening at all, so it can also be quite easy to become complacent, but as long as you are sensible, you will be quite safe.
To sum it up, the motto of Aruba is 'One Happy Island' and with a motto like that it is hard to imagine crime and violence. A girl did go missing in 2005 on Aruba and after that it did experience some quite negative publicity, but this was mainly because the island is seen as such a paradise and a safe place to be, so this extraordinary occurrence did lead to a blaze of publicity. However, this one incident should not deter travellers: as destinations go, this is one place that really is quite safe. Generally, tourists are advised that the south east of the island near the Valero refinery is not the best place to be at night. This is mainly due to the fact that locals who are into serious drinking may congregate there at night. But on the other hand, there is no reason why people would really want to go there at night, particularly when there are miles of sandy beaches to explore by moonlight as well as some great bars and restaurants. So it is a safe and secure destination overall, to simply b enjoyed and savoured.
Using Florins
Aruba is not a cheap destination. For years, when the US dollar was strong, it was seen as an exclusive destination for the quite well off. Now it still retains that air of exclusivity and it is not for the back packer or someone on a very tight budget.
First of all it is expensive to land in Aruba. Flights are not cheap because it is not a typical holiday destination. There are flights direct, but often people may have to land in Venezuela first. The lack of flights keep visitor numbers within reason (which is fortunate because the island is not big enough to sustain hundreds of thousands of visitors each week), but this natural regulation makes the flights expensive and so more exclusive.
Secondly, the island is dependent on imports. It has to import or ship in nearly everything it uses and for this there is obviously a cost. So food and drink are much more expensive than you may initially imagine: this is not a cheap holiday idyll. It is more an expensive and exclusive holiday idyll!
Thirdly Aruba is expensive because for years quite well heeled Americans used to come over to Aruba as their playground. This kept prices high because the Americans had the money to pay. Since the credit card crunch hit the US and the dollar has been weak, prices have come down a little, but this is still far from a cheap holiday destination.
But the fact that it is a little more expensive than other countries should not be viewed as being a bad thing. The fact that it costs that little bit more to travel here, means that people consider it a little more carefully than simply hopping on a plane to somewhere hot but cheap. This considered location status gives it a real edge in terms of atmosphere and there really is an atmosphere of it being a 'happy island'.
Because it is so small it is easy to get around and see everything that there is to see in a few days. Some people do find that although it is very idyllic it can be a little too small for them. But that being said, there is plenty to do, with water sports being widely available, for those adrenalin junkies who simply don't want to sit and relax too much!
If you are considering doing any kind of water sports, then make sure that your insurance company will pay out should anything go wrong. Many standard insurance policies will not cover anything that happens as a result of dangerous activities and some of them may consider water sports to be dangerous. Even if your insurance does specifically cover water sports, then you still need to take care: there are situations where you may still not be covered for an accident that happens when taking part in water sports, for example, if you have had a drink etc. So do not simply assume that if anything happens you will be ok.
Eating and Drinking
The fact that Aruba has attracted the well off for some time means that it is a fantastic place to eat out and dine in. The water is safe to drink and food tends to be cooked to a very high standard. Despite the fact that it is a very small island there is an absolute wealth of restaurants and each is keen to attract customers, so they provide great food. The prices may not be cheap, but then to a large extent, you do get what you pay for.
Fish dishes are fantastic with some very exotic fish caught daily and then sold and cooked the same night. How fresh is that?
Some of the larger and or pricier hotels have private beaches, so you can enjoy a leisurely meal with some excellent wine (or local beer) sat at your very own table on the private beach.
Generally you will find that everything on Aruba moves at its own pace. You may find that the service in restaurants and bars is quite slow. Things have got quicker over the last few years, but anyone who is used to very speedy and attentive service may find that Aruba style service is quite slow. This is simply due to the laidback style of life and once you have settled in to the slow and steady lifestyle, you will find it very relaxing, but it can take a little time to get used to it!
Overview
Aruba is keen to develop its tourist trade and that means more and more hotels and more and more construction. There are already some fantastic tourist facilities, with casinos and expensive sap facilities available. However, as the tourists become ever more frequent, it is likely that the island will lose a little of its own very unique identity. For this reason, it is best to try and visit Aruba in the next 10 years or so, before it becomes more well known and loses part of its charm.
Whilst it is undoubtedly just that little bit more expensive than most of the other Caribbean islands, it is very much worth that little bit more to experience the very gentle and peaceful ambience of this beautiful island with its fantastically white and clean beaches and its clear blue and very warm water. It is not a hurried pace of life and tourists are not pestered by street traders in the way that they can be in other countries. It is a more relaxed and contented place to be as a result and that too contributes to its charms.
So simply relax, unwind and enjoy this very special place and like most of the people who visit, you will probably find yourself longing to return as soon as you can!