Shopping

Although Aruba boasts a veritable plethora of shopping opportunities, the days of Caribbean bargains are waning. A recent sales tax has been introduced, and it may be absorbed directly into the price of merchandise or show up as a government tax on your bill. Nevertheless, the island's low 3.3% duty can make prices on certain items such as jewelry and fragrances attractive.

Dutch goods such as Delft porcelain, chocolate, and Gouda cheese are especially good buys. Items from Indonesia, another former Dutch colony, are reasonably priced, too. Although Aruban souvenirs tend toward cheesy resin casts of cunucu (farm) houses or divi divi trees, the same items, when painted by hand and crafted from bisque or pottery, can hold their own in any folk art collection. Some impressive works by Aruban artists can be viewed or purchased at the local art galleries. Skin- and hair-care products made from locally produced aloe or ostrich oil are also popular and practical. If you're looking for big-ticket items, Aruba offers the usual array of Swiss watches; German and Japanese cameras; gold and diamond jewelry; Cuban cigars; premium liquor; English and German china; Spanish porcelain; French, Swedish, and Danish crystal; and French and American fragrances. If you plan to make a major purchase, do a little research at home so you know you're getting a good deal.

The Shopping Scene

Stores accept American dollars, credit cards, and traveler's checks. They do not, however, accept currency from the Netherland Antilles. So, if you plan to go to Bonaire or Curaçao, only exchange what you think you will spend there -- better yet, stick with U.S. dollars, which are accepted on all three islands. Because the island has just rolled out a sales tax, be sure to ask if the price marked or quoted is the total price you will pay. Shopkeepers, like most Arubans, are pleasant. Haggling is considered rude, though, so don't push your luck.

Most stores are open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm; a few close for an hour at noon or 1pm. Stores in Oranjestad's malls tend to open on Sunday as well, especially if cruise ships are in port.

Parking can be a hassle in downtown Oranjestad. If the lots along the waterfront are packed, try for a space behind the Renaissance Marketplace, past the Seaport Casino. Taking a cab or the bus is easier, though, unless you plan to purchase heavy items.

Great Shopping Areas

Although the major resort hotels boast shopping arcades, Aruba's retail activity centers on Oranjestad. Half-mile-long Caya G. F. Betico Croes, better known as Main Street, is the city's major shopping venue, attracting tourists, young and fashionable Arubans, office workers, and families. Downtown also teems with contiguous shopping malls that stretch for several blocks along the harbor front. The gingerbread pastel-colored buildings are impossible to miss. Renaissance Mall and Renaissance Marketplace feature more than 130 stores, two casinos, 20 restaurants and cafes, and a movie theater. Just down the road, Royal Plaza Mall is chock-full of popular restaurants and generally upscale boutiques. Port of Call Marketplace is the first complex that cruise-ship passengers encounter on their way downtown. For late-night shopping or a temporary diversion from the slots, Alhambra Moonlight Shopping Center, adjacent to the Alhambra Casino in the Low-Rise area, features several souvenir shops, jewelry outlets, and cigar stores in an outdoor courtyard, but is somewhat depressing.

An enormous new shopping center called Paseo Herencia (Aruba's Pride) already has a few stores open on the High-Rise district's main street at press time, and is on schedule to be fully operational by the end of summer 2007. It contains a multiplex cinema, pool large enough for the Aruba synchronized swimming team (The Barracudas) to practice and perform, and will be appointed with murals and plaques to highlight the history of the island. A three-story indoor parking garage is planned, along with dozens of shops (including Nike, Lacoste, Guess, and GNC) and restaurants (such as Iguana Joe's and Moby Dick seafood restaurant).

Books

If reading on the beach is one of your favorite pastimes, bring books from home; the selection in Aruba is limited and the prices are steep.

Hello, Aloe -- So Long, Sunburn

Aruba has cultivated aloe for more than 150 years. The plant -- pronounced "ah-loh-weh" locally -- serves as a moisturizer and sunburn healer. Aruba Aloe, a local company, manufactures a wide assortment of shampoos, facial masks, creams, and gels that soothe after a day in the sun. The products are cheapest at a pharmacy or supermarket, but you can also get them at souvenir stands and the factory itself (don't waste the $5 for the factory tour, though; you'll be sorely disappointed).

Wine & Liquor

The supermarkets on the road connecting Oranjestad with the Low-Rise area -- Kong Hing Supermarket and Ling & Sons Supermarket -- boast sizable liquor departments and the best prices.