We just returned from an Aruba honeymoon, and wanted to give a heads up on increased taxi fares.
The 2010 Fodors Aruba guides incorrectly say that the fare from the airport to Eagle & Palm Beaches is US$17 & US$20, respectively. It's now US$22 to US$27, plus maybe some extra if your driver handles your bags. Everyone takes U.S. dollars, so just hit the ATM before boarding your flight to the island. Getting around between the low-rises (Manchebo/Eagle Beaches) and high-rises (Palm Beach) is about US$9, and longer trips to downtown or Noord may be US$12 depending on where you start. Also, if you're traveling on a Sunday, holiday, or after 11 p.m., it's an additional US$3 surcharge for all taxi rides.
Our hotel, the Bucuti Beach Resort, gave us a "taxi cheat sheet" at the concierge desk saying what to expect for fares from the hotel to popular destinations like Palm Beach, downtown, and certain restaurants. I'm sure other hotels offer the same.
The manager at our resort explained that the fare increase is a result of the development of Palm Beach as the new center of tourist activity. Because the taxis were losing money with fewer tourists making the trek from the high-rises to downtown, they had to raise fares to compensate for the shorter trips they were making. It seems to be a legit reason: we drove through downtown Oranjestad around 11 p.m. on a Friday night, and it was a ghost town.
We'll post a full trip report soon, but wanted to let everyone know ASAP about the taxis.
UPDATE: Aruba Taxi Fares
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Thanks for the heads-up.
I will be in Aruba next month, staying in the Palm Beach area.
The only time we take a taxi anywhere is to Madame Janette's and maybe one or 2 other restaurants. If we want to go downtown, it's usually in the daytime and we take the bus.
As for coming from the airport, we usually take the DePalm bus as a transfer - they're pretty good and I really don't need a private taxi.
But this is useful info - thanks.
it is really best and cost efficient to just rent a car. We have done this every time we went to Aruba. Driving is easy there, not like other islands. You can come and go as you please, not wait for a bus. I highly recommend it.