Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao
Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are known as the ABC islands. All three lie off the coast of Venezuela and were part of the Netherlands Antilles.
Aruba left the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 to become an autonomous country. On 10 October 2010 the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved: Curaçao and Sint Maarten also became autonomous countries, while Bonaire became a special municipality of the Netherlands.
Travelling between the islands
Curaçao lies about 113 kilometres east of Aruba. There is no scheduled ferry service between the ABC islands because of the rough seas, so island hopping is done by plane. The flight to Curaçao takes about half an hour.
Why visitors choose Aruba
- The driest and sunniest of the three islands
- Long white-sand beaches such as Palm Beach and Eagle Beach
- A very high number of repeat visitors
Good to know
- ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao
- Netherlands Antilles dissolved: 10 October 2010
- Distance to Curaçao: about 113 km
Information on this page can change over time, so check official sources for the latest details.
See also: more about Aruba.
Last updated: September 2026.