For information about visiting Aruba, contact the Aruba Tourism Authority (tel. 800/TO-ARUBA; www.aruba.com).
You also can gather tons of information from other Internet sources. A couple of Aruba's greatest fans compile Aruba Bound! (www.arubabound.com), an impressive, noncommercial collection of hard facts, informed opinions, and numerous links. Visit Aruba (www.visitaruba.com) has commercial links, practical information, news items, and a snappy gossip column -- search for "Bati Bleki" -- with the up-to-date scoop on what's happening on the island. For a lively exchange of information and opinion, visit Aruba Bulletin Board (www.aruba-bb.com), where you can post questions to seasoned Aruba-vacation veterans and search for great timeshare rental deals.
Once you're on the island, go to the Aruba Tourism Authority at L. G. Smith Blvd. 172, Oranjestad (tel. 297/582-3777), or pick up the free local magazines Destination Aruba, Island Temptations, Aruba Nights, Aruba Ta Hot!, Bon Bini, and Island Gourmet. Two English-language dailies -- Aruba Today and The News -- provide entertainment listings, as does K-Pasa, a weekly brochure.
Travel Agents
Travel agents can save you time and money by uncovering the best package deals, airfare, and rental-car rates. Most are professional, but the occasional unscrupulous agent may push deals that bag the juiciest commissions, so shop around and ask hard questions. Arm yourself with the information in this book, and don't let anyone pressure you into a vacation that's not right for you.
If you enlist a travel agent, use a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), 1101 King St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314 (tel. 703/739-2782; www.astanet.com). Call ASTA or visit its website for a list of members in your area.
Travel Agent Tip -- Here's a great service courtesy of the Aruba Tourism Authority. Go to www.aruba.com/reservations/acefind, type in your zip code, and in an instant, you'll have a list of travel agents in your neck of the woods who know the ins and outs of Aruba, and have a certificate to prove it.
