Sights—View the wind-shaped rock formations at Ayo and Casibari; bird-watching at Bubali Bird Sanctuary; history at the restored 17th-century Fort Zoutman; soothe your skin at the Aloe Factory in Hato; go spelunking to see the impressive Caiquetio petroglyphs at the entrance to the Fontein Cave (in Arikok National Park).

Museums—Local art exhibits at the Cas di Cultura; an amazing coin collection at the Numismatic Museum.

Memorable Meals—A late lunch at Don Carlo's; local seafood specialties at Charlie's Bar; Caribbean dishes at Papiamento.

Late Night—Evening concerts, musicals and ballet at Cas di Cultura; gambling, live bands, shows and discos at one of the island's casinos; mingle with the sophisticated crowd at The Lounge at Crystal Casino; dance to merengue at Bahia, Mambo Jambo or Carlos & Charlie's; sail on the Tattoo, Aruba's No. 1 party boat.

Walks—Climb to Yamanota Hill in Arikok National Park, the highest point in Aruba; hike up the steps of Hooiberg Hill for another great view of the island; stroll through Oranjestad to explore its Dutch-Colonial architecture.

Especially for Kids—An early-morning visit to the Butterfly Farm; baby ostriches at the Aruba Ostrich Farm.

Just 15 mi/24 km off the coast of Venezuela, Aruba is the farthest west of the Dutch islands known as the ABCs (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). It is 19 mi/30 km long and 6 mi/9 km wide, and the land is mostly flat and arid with scattered fields of cacti and aloe plants.

The islands off the Venezuelan coast and their Caiquetio inhabitants (part of a larger group of Caribbean people called Arawaks) were sighted by the Spanish in 1499, but the island was not developed because the newcomers found nothing useful there. (They were not aware of the gold.) However, Captain Henry Morgan and the infamous Edward Teach (Blackbeard) found use for the island's many hidden coves during their pirate days plying the waters.

Although the Dutch claimed Aruba in 1636, no European settlers arrived until the 1750s. The discovery of gold in 1824 brought some excitement and colonists to the island. The mining lasted 100 years and produced more than 3 million lbs/1.4 million kgs of the glittering mineral. For several years in the mid-1800s, Aruba was the world's largest exporter of aloe, and aloe products are still produced there on a small scale.

The arrival of the oil industry in the 1920s, after black gold was found in nearby Venezuela, had a big economic impact. Lago, which later became Exxon, was a crucial supplier of fuel to U.S. naval ships during World War II. At its height in 1965, the refinery in San Nicolas produced 550,000 barrels of oil a day. When the market declined in the mid-1980s, Exxon closed the facility. Successive companies failed to maintain the operation, but the San Antonio (U.S.)-based Valero Energy Corporation gained control of the facility in 2004 and reportedly invested close to US$640 million in upgrades; San Nicolas is hoping the new Valero Aruba Refinery will revive the town's economy.

Tourists began arriving in the 1960s, but development of large resort hotel/casinos really started in earnest in the 1980s, when declining oil revenues led the government to seek new ways to bolster the economy. The boom outdid itself in enthusiasm, and the government had to issue a five-year moratorium on hotel building in the 1990s to keep supply and demand at the proper ratio; still, many new resorts have risen along Aruba's windswept shores in the past decade. Today, tourism is the leading industry, and more than half a million people visit Aruba each year, making it one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean. As a result, the island is prosperous by Caribbean standards, and its citizens enjoy a high rate of literacy, good housing, education and health care.

Aruba has been quasi-independent since 1986, when it became a separate entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Actually, the island has been influenced as much by Venezuela (only 15 mi/24 km away from Aruba) as by the Netherlands. Most Arubans speak English, Spanish and Dutch, as well as Papiamento (a mixture of African, Arawak, Dutch, English, Portuguese and Spanish idioms).

Formerly a part of the six-federation Netherlands Antilles (whose remaining members are Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten), Aruba gained separate status on 1 January 1986. This means that Aruba has direct ties to Holland and no longer relies on the central government of the Netherlands Antilles (headquartered in Curacao) to manage its affairs. This island has its own constitution, based on Western democratic principles. This calls for a governor and an eight-member council of ministers vested with executive powers and headed by a prime minister. A 21-member parliament is responsible for legislative matters. Judicial powers lie with the common courts in Aruba and in the Netherlands Antilles, and ultimately with the High Court of Justice in Holland.

Aruba's foremost attractions include beaches, shopping, casinos, watersports, excellent restaurants, high-energy nightlife and very friendly people.

If you enjoy good beaches, ethnic food, gambling and quality shopping, Aruba is for you. Don't expect, however, to partake in a "Bali Hai" island experience (Aruba resembles a flat desert) or to find much distinctive Caribbean culture. If you prefer lush rain-forest-type destinations, Aruba may not be your preference. It's more like Arizona or New Mexico than Puerto Rico or St. Croix.

Aruba holds two annual competitions of paso-fino horses—descendants of the Andalusian and Arabian horses brought to the New World by the conquistadors. The creatures' controlled and elegant gait is delightful. The competitions are held in September and early November.

Those unusual-looking trees bent over by the wind are watapana (divi-divi) trees, and they make it impossible to get lost on Aruba. All of the trees are bent to the southwest, where the majority of the hotels and resorts are located.

The frequently used description cunucu house refers to a house in the countryside. Cunucu means "country" in Papiamento.

The name Oranjestad was established in honor of the Dutch Royal Family and became official in 1824.

Fort Zoutman, site of the Bon Bini festival every Tuesday night, was built in 1798 to protect the east side of the island. Bon Bini means "welcome" in Papiamento, and the festival is a year-round folkloric event that celebrates Aruban music, local cuisine and crafts.

Nature lovers: Be sure to pay attention to the lizards and cacti on the island—there are unusual species of both.

If you want to speak Papiamento, start with con ta bai ("how are you"). Masha danki means "thank you." Bon dia means "good day."

When tromping about in undeveloped areas on the southern tip of the island, watch out for a rattlesnake that's native to the island. For some reason, it chooses not to rattle a warning before striking (the danger of being bitten is very slight—in fact, the snake is an endangered species).

Aruba's Natural Bridge was once one of the island's most recognizable attractions, gracing every tourist item from shot glasses to postcards. Alas, this wave-carved wonder collapsed into the sea in 2005.