Aruba - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 104

Shopping

N o sales tax. Now, those are sweet words to adventurous

shoppers. Aruba has the advantage of being a low-
duty (3.3%), sales-tax-free member of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, which makes it a fairly good place to buy Euro-
pean luxuries, jewelry, and perfume. Designated duty-free
shops are located at the departure terminal of the airport. Dutch treats
are, of course, plentiful and well priced; high quality original art, one-of-a-
kind fashions, and handmade articles produced by local artisans make
sensible souvenirs of your trip.

TIP: If you're serious about getting a good bargain
on specific merchandise, check prices and quality at
shops and discount outlets near your home, so you'll
come to the islands as an informed shopper.

Oranjestad is the primary shopping area with several open-air malls, a
wharf-side market, and a half-mile stretch of top stores along Mainstreet
(Caya G. F. Betico Croes). Since the town is small, all the stores are located
within a few blocks, and you can easily walk to each. Additional shops are
located in the resorts and in the town of San Nicholas, on the South shore.
In the capital, parking can be a problem, and you're not likely to find a spot
along the waterfront. On most days, spaces are available in the free park-
ing lot in back of the bus terminal on L.G. Smith Blvd, behind the pink and
turquoise Royal Plaza Mall at the north end of town. You may be able to
find parking in the lot at Seaport Marketplace, on the south side of town,
near Wilhelmina Park.

TIP: Taxis are not permitted to pick up or drop off
passengers on L.G. Smith Blvd, the waterfront
highway, but drivers make stops on all side streets.
Buses run frequently between the resorts and town,
and are more convenient than hassling with traffic
and parking, unless you plan to make heavy or nu-
merous purchases.

During prime cruise-ship season, many stores time their opening and clos-
ing hours to coincide with passenger schedules, and most open on Sun-
days. Otherwise, expect most to open at 9 am and close at 6 pm, Monday
through Saturday. A few shops still follow the old-style practice of opening
around 8 am, closing during the lunch-siesta hours, and reopening from
2 until 6 pm. Those shops located in resorts follow a whimsical schedule,
adjusted seasonally to match occupancy levels and guest activities.