When to Come to Aruba
Holidays and Events in Aruba
January 1st - New Year's Day
January 25th (Birthday of Betico Croses)
January 31st - February 17th - Carnival Celebrations
February 15th, 2010 - Carnival Monday
March 18th - National Anthem and Flag Day
Good Friday and Easter Monday is observed each year
April 30th - Queen's Birthday
May 1 - Labor Day
May (date varies) - Ascension Day
December 25th/26th - Christmas Day / Boxing Day
Most stores and restaurants close on these official holidays, but the resort area is generally unaffected by these closures. If you are unsure, you can contact your hotels front desk.
Weather in Aruba
Without checking, you can be sure that the weather is perfect. The forecast for the next 12 months: warm, sunny, low humidity - with a slight breeze. Aruba is unusual from all the other caribbean islands. There is no hurricane season here - it is outside of the hurricane belt. So no worries about your vacation being ruined by a rogue storm - just perfect weather every day. Average temperature is 82°F (28°C) year round. Highs for the year range from 85°F (29°C) to 89°F (32°C).
That being said, the sun can be very hot. The trade winds (read: constant cooling breezes) can be a real treat. Sometimes these will gust and take the hat right off your head. Seasoned Aruban travelers can be spotted wearing sun hats with chin straps. The month of September is an exception to these trade winds. They virtually disappear for the whole month, making it very hot. Most visitors avoid the month of September. The other 11 months have almost identical weather everyday.
The winds also prevent the few insects that live here from being any concern. Because of the arid climate, insects are very rare, and the trade winds make these ones disappear. It wouldn't be unusual for visitors to never see a mosquito for their whole trip.
Rainfall averages just 1.5 " per month, with October through January receiving the majority of this rain. Even on a day with rain, the sun still comes out, and quickly dries everything.
Costs
Because there isn't really a bad time to visit, the costs are pegged against other countries vacation seasons. The North American winter puts Aruba's sunny and warm climate at very high demand. Aruba's high season runs from middle of December to middle of April. You'll find the highest prices and highest occupancy during this time. Sometimes hotels will be booked months in advance. Majority of visitors during high season are Canadians and Americans.
The off-season, running the other 8 months (mid-April to mid-December) puts the island on sale. You can expect savings of 20-50% off winter rates. To be clear, Aruba isn't deserted during the off-season. Aruba still thrives with Europeans, South Americans and still some Americans. There is a little less to do in the off-season, but not noticeably - there are less people here after all.