Stay in Aruba in March
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Opens Trip.com on Fri 5 Mar to Sun 7 Mar 2027; change the dates there.
March in Aruba is peak dry season, and the single most important thing to know is that every spring-break traveler from the northeastern United States has the same idea. Temperatures hold steady around 29.2°C (85°F) during the day and rarely dip below 25.3°C (78°F) at night, with the northeast trade winds keeping humidity at a tolerable 73%. Rainfall drops to about 31mm for the entire month, spread across roughly 10 days of brief showers that rarely last 20 minutes.
Accommodation costs run 30-50% above Aruba's annual average during this stretch. Palm Beach and Eagle Beach fill up by mid-morning, and restaurants in Noord and Oranjestad typically need reservations days ahead during spring break weeks. That said, the ocean hovers near 26°C (79°F), underwater visibility tends to exceed 25 meters, and you might go the entire month without losing a full day to rain. March 18 brings Dia di Himno y Bandera, when Oranjestad fills with parades, folk performances, and schoolchildren singing Aruba Dushi Tera.
If you can absorb peak-season pricing and book 3-4 months ahead, March is one of the most dependable beach months in the southern Caribbean. The island stretches only 32 km (20 miles) end to end, so even at peak occupancy, quieter spots like Mangel Halto and Baby Beach in the south stay comparatively calm.
Why visit in March
- Rainfall is near its annual low for Aruba, with showers that pass so quickly you might not bother putting down your book
- Persistent northeast trade winds, typically 15-25 knots, keep the tropical heat from becoming oppressive even at midday
- Calm seas on the western and southern coasts create prime conditions for snorkeling and diving, with underwater visibility at its annual peak
- Aruba's national holiday mid-month opens a window into local culture beyond the resort strips, from folk dancing in Oranjestad to community celebrations in San Nicolas
Worth knowing
- Peak-season pricing across Aruba's tourism sector, from hotels to rental cars to beachside lunch, with March rates often the year's highest
- Spring break crowds fill Palm Beach by 9 AM on weekdays, and the high-rise hotel restaurants run long waits most evenings
- Persistent trade winds make the entire east coast dangerous for swimming and can whip sand painfully across exposed beaches
Best for
Think twice if
March mornings start warm, with the northeast trade winds picking up by mid-morning to keep the heat manageable through the afternoon. The air carries a dry, salty quality closer to the Mediterranean than the steamy tropics most people expect from the Caribbean. Any showers that appear tend to be afternoon affairs, gone within minutes, leaving the limestone streets of Oranjestad steaming briefly before the sun takes over again. Skies stay predominantly clear, with the kind of deep blue that makes sunsets along the western coast particularly vivid. The nighttime temperature drop is only about 4°C from the afternoon peak, so air conditioning is a necessity in any room you book.
Seasonal caution
- UV index routinely reaches 11-12 at Aruba's latitude of 12°N, even when the trade-wind breeze masks the heat. Sunburn can develop in under 15 minutes on unprotected skin.
- Rip currents along the windward east coast, particularly at Boca Grandi and Dos Playa, are strong enough to overwhelm experienced swimmers. These are not swimming beaches despite their appearance.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 25 | 40 |
| Feb | 29 | 25 | 35 |
| Mar | 29 | 25 | 31 |
| Apr | 30 | 26 | 22 |
| May | 31 | 27 | 32 |
| Jun | 31 | 27 | 35 |
| Jul | 31 | 27 | 34 |
| Aug | 31 | 27 | 41 |
| Sep | 32 | 28 | 33 |
| Oct | 32 | 27 | 56 |
| Nov | 30 | 26 | 83 |
| Dec | 29 | 26 | 53 |
Holidays and festivals in March
Public holidays
- National Anthem and Flag Day(Dag van het Volkslied en de Vlag)18 March 2027
- Good Friday(Goede Vrijdag)26 March 2027
- Easter Sunday(Eerste Paasdag)28 March 2027
- Easter Monday(Tweede Paasedag)29 March 2027
Best things to do in March
Snorkeling at Malmok Beach
water sportsThe reef at Malmok starts within 20 meters of shore and drops to about 15 meters depth, making it one of the easiest walk-in snorkeling sites in the Caribbean. The coral formations shelter sergeant majors, blue tang, parrotfish, and the occasional sea turtle. No boat required.
March's minimal rainfall means virtually no terrestrial runoff clouding the water. The calm western coastline sees visibility at its annual best during the dry months.Booking tipNo booking needed. Bring your own gear or rent from vendors along the road. Arrive before 9:30 AM for the calmest conditions.
Hiking Arikok National Park
natureArikok covers about 18% of Aruba's total land area, with trails ranging from easy loops to rocky coastal scrambles. The Cunucu Arikok trail runs about 3 km through former farmland where the island's distinctive divi-divi trees stand permanently bent southwest by the trade winds. The park's north coast holds blowholes that shoot spray 5-6 meters high when the surf is up.
Dry-season trails in March are firm and dust-free, unlike the slippery conditions after October-November rains. Morning temperatures stay comfortable for the 2-3 hour loops.Booking tipBuy tickets at the visitors' center or online ahead to skip the queue that builds after 10 AM on weekends.
Visiting the Natural Pool at Conchi
natureA volcanic rock formation on Arikok's north coast creates a natural swimming pool sheltered from the open ocean. The 45-minute 4x4 ride through the park to reach it is half the experience, passing through cactus-studded terrain that looks more like the American Southwest than the Caribbean.
The unpaved road to Conchi is at its most passable during dry season. March's low rainfall means the approach is firm rather than the muddy obstacle course it becomes after November storms.Booking tipRent a 4x4 or join a guided UTV tour. Regular vehicles cannot make the approach. Book guided tours at least 3 days ahead during spring break.
Kitesurfing at Fisherman's Huts
water sportsHadicurari Beach sits at the northern end of Palm Beach and catches the full force of the northeast trade winds across flat, shallow water. Locals call it Fisherman's Huts. The conditions draw intermediate to advanced kiters from across the Americas and Europe, and the sandy bottom forgives wipeouts that reef breaks punish.
March trade winds are among the most consistent of the year, with few calm days interrupting the season. The shallow launch area and onshore direction make it safer than most Caribbean kite spots.Booking tipLesson spots fill up weeks ahead during March. Book with a local school by early February if you are learning.
Deep-sea fishing for wahoo
fishingCharter boats run out of Oranjestad's marina toward the drop-offs south of the island, where wahoo, mahi-mahi, and yellowfin tuna patrol the 200-meter depth contour. Half-day charters typically run 4-5 hours and target the same waters the local fishing fleet works year-round.
Wahoo tend to concentrate closer to Aruba's shelf edge during the dry months. The calmer seas also mean less time managing seasickness and more time with lines in the water.Booking tipBook charters at least a week ahead during spring break. Morning departures catch cooler conditions and calmer seas.
Walking the San Nicolas street art district
cultureAruba's second city transformed its downtown with large-scale murals by international and local artists. The San Nicolas Art Walk covers roughly 30 murals across 6-8 blocks of the old refinery town, turning what was once an industrial neighborhood into an open-air gallery.
March's dry, breezy conditions are ideal for spending 2-3 hours on foot. San Nicolas is also far quieter than the Palm Beach tourist corridor, offering a genuine break from spring break crowds.Booking tipNo booking needed. The murals are on public streets. Go in the morning when shadows create better light for photography.
Sunset viewing from California Lighthouse
sightseeingThe lighthouse at Aruba's northwestern tip, named after the steamship California that sank nearby in 1891, sits on a bluff overlooking Hudishibana. The 360-degree view from the top takes in the entire windward coast and, on clear evenings, the dunes below turn gold about 40 minutes before the sun drops.
March sunsets occur around 6:30-6:45 PM, a comfortable hour that does not require staying out late. The dry-season atmosphere means fewer clouds obscuring the horizon line.Booking tipThe lighthouse interior has limited capacity for guided tours. Walk-up availability is easier on weekday evenings.
What to eat in March
On menus now
Keshi Yena
Aruba's signature dish. A hollowed Gouda cheese ball stuffed with spiced chicken, raisins, and olives, then baked until the shell softens. The versions served at community events during Aruba's national holiday tend to be closer to the home-cooked original than what tourist restaurants offer.
Sopi di pisca
A hearty fish soup seasoned with cumin, annatto, and Scotch bonnet pepper, served with funchi, a dense cornmeal cake that soaks up the broth. The soup appears on menus across Savaneta and Oranjestad year-round, but the pot benefits from whatever the boats brought in that morning.
Street food peaks
Pastechi
Deep-fried turnovers filled with cheese, meat, or fish, sold from roadside snèks across Oranjestad and San Nicolas. A morning pastechi with a café con leche costs less than a resort coffee and keeps you going until noon.
What to drink
Coecoei
A bright-red Aruban liqueur distilled from agave sap and blended with sugar and rum. It forms the base of the Aruba Ariba cocktail, served at every beach bar along Palm Beach in some variation. The taste is bittersweet and herbal, closer to Campari than to the sweet rum liqueurs most Caribbean islands produce.
In markets
Fresh wahoo
March falls during wahoo season off Aruba's southern coast. Restaurants in Savaneta, the island's oldest fishing village, tend to serve the freshest catch, often grilled the same morning it came off the boat.
Regular events in March
Dia di Himno y BanderaFree
Aruba's national holiday celebrates the island's flag and national anthem, both adopted in 1976. Parades through Oranjestad, folk dancing performances, traditional food stalls, and a community atmosphere distinct from the tourist-facing culture along the hotel strips. Schools, offices, and many businesses close for the day.
March 18Bonbini Festival
A weekly cultural showcase held every Tuesday evening in the courtyard of Fort Zoutman, Oranjestad's oldest building dating to 1798. Local musicians, dancers, and artisans perform traditional Aruban arts while vendors sell crafts and food. The name comes from the Papiamento word for welcome.
Every Tuesday evening year-roundAruba Carnival closing eventsFree
In years when Easter falls in late April, Aruba's Carnival season, one of the Caribbean's longest-running celebrations, extends into early March. The Grand Parade through Oranjestad and the Jouvert Morning pre-dawn street party are the headline closers. When Carnival ends before March, you might still catch the energy lingering in clubs and bars across the island.
Early March in years when Ash Wednesday falls in MarchBest places this March
Eagle Beach
beachWider and less developed than Palm Beach to its north, Eagle Beach is lined with low-rise hotels and resorts capped at 4 stories. The iconic fofoti trees along the shoreline, bent into permanent arcs by decades of trade winds, are likely the most photographed subjects on the island. March mornings before the crowds arrive offer the kind of calm that makes the 6 AM alarm worth it.
Eagle BeachArikok National Park
natureAruba's only national park protects the eastern interior's desert landscape, from towering columnar cacti to the Fontein Cave with its centuries-old indigenous drawings. The terrain shifts from scrubby hilltops to exposed volcanic coastline within about 4 km.
Santa CruzBaby Beach
beachA shallow lagoon at Aruba's southeastern tip near the old Lago refinery in San Nicolas. The crescent-shaped beach sits behind a natural breakwater that keeps the water calm and rarely deeper than waist-height for 50 meters out, making it the safest swimming spot on the island for small children.
San NicolasMangel Halto
beachA mangrove-lined cove near Savaneta where you can swim out through a narrow channel to reach a reef wall. The shallow, protected water inside the mangroves shelters juvenile fish and sea life that the open-coast sites tend to lack. March's clear water makes this arguably the best snorkeling spot on the island for those willing to skip the more famous sites.
SavanetaCalifornia Lighthouse
landmarkBuilt in 1916 on the island's northwestern tip, the lighthouse offers panoramic views of Tierra del Sol, the Hudishibana dunes, and the open Caribbean. The surrounding scrubland is home to Aruban whiptail lizards, a species found only on Aruba and a few neighboring islands.
NoordAlto Vista Chapel
culturalA small yellow chapel on the north coast, originally built in 1750 by a Spanish missionary and reconstructed in 1952. The pilgrims' path leading to it passes through quiet, cacti-dotted terrain with ocean views. It is one of the few spots on the island where you can reliably escape other tourists, even in March.
NoordFort Zoutman and Willem III Tower
museumOranjestad's oldest structure, built in 1798 and expanded with the Willem III Tower in 1868. The Historical Museum inside covers Aruba's colonial past and indigenous Caquetio heritage. The courtyard hosts the weekly Bonbini Festival cultural evening.
Oranjestad
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Insider tips
Supermarkets in Oranjestad and Noord sell Balashi beer, pastechi, and local snacks at a fraction of resort prices. A grocery run on your first day saves hundreds of AWG over a week of eating every meal at hotel restaurants.
Savaneta's restaurants serve the freshest seafood on the island at prices noticeably below the Palm Beach hotel strip. It is a 15-minute drive south of the main tourist area and rarely appears in hotel concierge recommendations.
The wind shadow on the leeward side means beaches around Arashi, north of the California Lighthouse, tend to have calmer conditions in the morning. By afternoon the trades shift and even the western coast picks up chop.
The snorkeling directly off the rocks at Boca Catalina is comparable to the organized boat trips out to the Antilla wreck site, and it is free. Most boat tours pass right over the same reef you can reach by wading in 50 meters from shore.
If you are renting a car, fill the tank at stations in Oranjestad or Noord rather than near the hotel strips. The price difference per liter can run 10-15% higher near the tourist corridor.
Avoid these mistakes
- Booking a full day of outdoor water activities without accounting for the wind. A guided kayak tour or stand-up paddleboarding lesson on the exposed east coast in March can turn into a fight against 20-knot trades. Book water activities on the sheltered western side.
- Spending the entire trip in the Palm Beach hotel corridor and missing the real character of the island. San Nicolas, Savaneta, and the Arikok interior are all within 25 minutes by car and feel like a different country.
- Skipping sunscreen reapplication because the trade winds make the heat feel moderate. The wind cools your skin but does nothing to block UV radiation at this latitude. March visitors consistently underestimate their sun exposure until the burn appears hours later.
- Arriving without a rental car reservation during spring break. Inventory sells out entirely some weeks, and taxi fares between the hotel strip and attractions like Arikok or Baby Beach add up quickly over a week.
Practical tips for March
The Aruban florin (AWG) trades at 1.79 per USD, but US dollars are accepted at nearly every tourist-facing business, often rounded to a 1.75 rate. Carrying florins is optional outside local markets and snèks in San Nicolas. The national holiday mid-month closes banks, government offices, and many local businesses for the day. Book rental cars and waterfront restaurants at least 2 weeks ahead during spring break weeks, as March inventory is the tightest of the year. Tipping follows US convention at 15-20% in restaurants, though some add a service charge automatically. Dress codes are casual everywhere except fine-dining spots along Palm Beach, where resort-elegant means collared shirts for men. The island is small enough that even the farthest attractions are within 45 minutes of the Palm Beach hotel strip by car.
FAQ
Is March a good time to visit Aruba?
March is one of the best months for weather in Aruba, with reliable sunshine, minimal rainfall, and comfortable trade-wind breezes. The main downside is cost and crowds. This is peak season driven by North American spring break, so expect the highest hotel rates of the year and crowded western beaches. If weather reliability is your priority and your budget is flexible, March is a strong choice.
What is the weather like in Aruba in March?
Warm, dry, and consistently breezy. Temperatures stay in the upper 20s°C (mid-80s°F) during the day, dropping only slightly after dark. The month sees very little rain overall, with any showers tending to pass within minutes. The northeast trade winds are constant, keeping the heat manageable but making the east coast beaches unsuitable for swimming.
Is Aruba crowded in March?
Yes, particularly along the Palm Beach high-rise strip and at popular restaurants in Noord. March coincides with spring break for US and Canadian schools, bringing some of the year's peak visitor numbers. Eagle Beach and points south like Savaneta and Baby Beach are noticeably less congested. Booking accommodation and rental cars well in advance is essential for this month.
Is Aruba safe for LGBTQ+ travelers in March?
Aruba scores 7.5/10 for LGBTQ+ friendliness (sourced from TTDI's editorial rubric) and is generally considered one of the more welcoming islands in the Caribbean. As a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba has legal protections that many other Caribbean destinations lack. The tourist areas around Palm Beach and Oranjestad are cosmopolitan and accepting. Public displays of affection outside resort zones may draw occasional attention in more traditional neighborhoods, but open hostility is rare.
How much does a trip to Aruba cost in March?
March is the most expensive month on an already-premium island. Mid-range beachfront hotels on Palm Beach or Eagle Beach typically run in the high hundreds of USD per night during spring break weeks. Budget travelers can reduce costs by staying in Oranjestad or Noord rather than the beach strip, shopping at local supermarkets, and eating at snèks where pastechi and a drink cost only a few dollars.
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