Aruba's bright and breezy pastel-colored capital is on the island's southern leeward coast, just southeast of the main resort area. It has a distinctly Dutch flavor, thanks largely to the modern vogue for fake colonial architecture. Most tourists visit to scour its boutiques and duty-free shops, but it has three small museums worth a peek if you're interested in the island's history. The small Archaeological Museum has worthy exhibits on Aruba's Arawak inhabitants. The Museo Arubano, located in the restored 18th-century Fort Zoutman, does a passable job explaining Aruba's pre-European and colonial eras. And, if you want to see what jingled in the pockets of the oldendays folk, the Numismatic Museum has a vast collection of coinage from over 400 countries, some of which was salvaged from shipwrecks in the region.

Once you're out of the shopping zone, Oranjestad becomes a shabbier, livelier prospect. Local bars, sometimes just holes in the wall, are a good place to prop, watch some sport and drink beer with the locals.

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Summary|Aruba|Bonaire|Curacao
Oranjestad|Willemstad