Do You Need a Car in Aruba?

The bottom line: yes, for most visitors

A rental car saves money and adds freedom for most Aruba trips. At $35-50/day, a rental costs less than two taxi rides. After 4-5 days, the car has paid for itself versus taxi fares, and you can go anywhere on your own schedule.

The exceptions are short trips (2-3 days) where you're happy staying at Palm Beach, all-inclusive stays where leaving the resort isn't the point, or visitors who genuinely prefer not to drive.

The cost comparison that matters

Taxi math: $28-35 from airport to Palm Beach hotels. $25-30 to Eagle Beach. $45+ to the southern tip (Baby Beach). Each way. A day of beach-hopping by taxi runs $80-120 easily.

Rental math: $40-55/day all-in for an economy car with insurance. Drive to three beaches, grab dinner in Oranjestad, pick up groceries. All included. Over a 5-day trip, you'll spend $200-275 on a rental versus $300-500 on equivalent taxi trips.

Bus math: Arubus runs limited routes for $2.50/ride. Works for Palm Beach to Oranjestad, but doesn't reach most beaches. Slow (45+ minutes to the hotel zone from the airport), stops running early evening, and isn't practical with beach gear.

What a car lets you do

Beach flexibility: Hit Eagle Beach for sunrise, Arashi for snorkeling, Baby Beach for a calm afternoon. All in one day. Without a car, each trip requires scheduling and waiting.

Grocery savings: A supermarket run saves $15-25/meal compared to hotel restaurants. That adds up fast. The Super Food and Ling & Sons supermarkets are easy to reach by car but impractical by taxi or bus.

Sunset chasing: The California Lighthouse area offers the island's best sunset views. With a car, it's a casual 15-minute drive from Palm Beach. Without one, you're paying $35+ round-trip by taxi.

Arikok exploration: Even if you skip the rough dirt roads, the paved portions of Arikok National Park and the coast near San Nicolas are worth seeing. A car makes this easy; without one, it's a half-day taxi arrangement.

When you can skip the rental

All-inclusive stays: If you're at a Riu, Barcelo, or similar all-inclusive and genuinely plan to stay on property, you don't need a car. Book one or two excursions for any off-resort adventures.

Short Palm Beach trips: Staying 2-3 nights in the high-rise zone with no agenda beyond beach and restaurants? You can walk to Palm Beach, and taxis to Oranjestad run $15-20.

Non-drivers: If you don't drive at home or aren't comfortable driving on an unfamiliar island, skip the car. Aruba is manageable by taxi plus organized tours.

Cruise passengers: You're in port for 8-12 hours. A taxi or tour makes more sense than rental car paperwork for such a short window.

Practical considerations

Parking is free almost everywhere. Beaches, restaurants, shopping areas. No meters, no tickets. The only paid parking is in downtown Oranjestad (about $1/hour), and even that's easy to avoid.

Driving is straightforward. Right-hand traffic like the US. Well-maintained roads. The island is 20 miles long; you can't get seriously lost. Google Maps works fine.

Gas costs about $1.20/liter ($4.50/gallon). A compact car uses 1-2 gallons per day of normal driving. Budget $10-15/day for fuel.

Most agencies accept your home country license. No international driving permit needed for US, Canadian, or European licenses. Check requirements for other countries.