Aruba is a Caribbean island and a famed tourist destination country off the coast of Venezuela. It is a constituent country of the sovereign state of Netherlands. It is, therefore, a Dutch territory and together with Bonaire and Curacao, the three form a group of islands known as the ABC islands. Consequently, the country is inhabited by mostly the Dutch with a small population of Colombian, Black and European ethnic groups.
Aruba experiences dry climatic conditions and an arid landscape which has aided its tourism industry as people looking for holiday destinations in the country are assured of warm sunny weather. This temperature is in fact moderated by the Atlantic Ocean’s trade winds which keeps the atmospheric and water temperature at a crisp of 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) thus offering a great reprieve for visiting tourists escaping harsh winter months in their countries.
The land is renowned for its blonde sunny beaches, turquoise seas and beautiful culture. Although Aruba is an independent state, most of its education and political system are derived from the Kingdom of Netherlands. This includes its legal system which defines, among many things, the legal age limit for anyone who wants to drink alcohol or gamble.
Legal Drinking Age in Aruba
The legal drinking age in Aruba for alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and spirits is 18 years. This is a conservative age limit and is in line with the majority of other countries around the world. The legislation around drinking in the island paradise cannot be particularly described as strict compared to other countries such as Saudi Arabia which does not allow alcoholic consumption at all and have harsh punishment for people who go against this rule. Drinking alcohol in Aruba is allowed along the beach. However, Aruban police may apprehend you if you are found littering as it is a serious offense and you should be careful to dispose of any empty beer bottles properly.
Nonetheless, the drinking age in Aruba is not strictly enforced. If you look old enough, you would very easily be served with alcoholic drinks. Waiters and bartenders are most likely not going to ask for any identification for age verification. According to tourists who have been to the country, revelers as young as 13 years old can have access to nightclubs, bars, and restaurants serving these drinks and partake. Basically, little attention is given to the drinking age as long as you appear mature. This law applies to drinking in public places and does not include doing so at home or in private places.
Aruba has a varied culture, but like any other constituent state, there still exists a lot of influence brought in by the Kingdom of Netherlands and its people into Aruba. For example, it is no coincidence that the legal drinking age in the Netherlands is also 18 years. Festival seasons are the biggest time of the year for alcohol beverage sellers. Aruba enjoys a stable economic condition which is better than most Caribbean islands, and many of its people can easily afford to buy alcoholic drinks.
Three-quarters of the people in Aruba are Roman Catholics, a religion that does not directly encourage its believers to drink beer. Nevertheless, if you are seeking to enjoy one, there is a variety of imported Dutch beers that are fairly priced. If however, you would like to have a taste of locally brewed beer, you could bottle down Aruba’s national beer called Balashi. It is described as a refreshing drink after a long day on the beach, and a must drink beverage for people new in the country. Enjoy!
