Comparison · Aruba vs Barbados · Aruba / Barbados
Aruba vs Barbados
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: SIryn, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Choose Aruba for Eagle Beach, Palm Beach and free sights; choose Barbados for Rum and Oistins Fish Fry. Day-to-day costs are similar, and the two are about 1,133 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 1,133 km
- Less expensive
- About the same
- Best time for Aruba
- January–May
- Best time for Barbados
- December–April
Side by side
| Aruba | Barbados | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Aruba | Barbados |
| Known for | Eagle Beach, Palm Beach and Arikok National Park | Rum, Oistins Fish Fry and Crop Over festival |
| Best time to visit | January–May | December–April |
| Ideal stay | 7 days | 7 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $250–$400 | $220–$380 |
| Cost level | Expensive | Expensive |
| Warmest month | August, 33°C (91°F) | May, 31°C (88°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 30°C (86°F) | January, 29°C (84°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 9 | 5 |
| Day trips in our guide | 4 | 4 |
| Beaches | Eagle Beach | Carlisle Bay |
| Airports | AUA | BGI |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Aruba for…
Eagle Beach, Palm Beach and free sights. Aruba is a small, dry island about 30 km long, lying some 25 km off the coast of Venezuela. Almost all hotels line the calm west and southwest coast, from the low-rise resorts of Eagle Beach to the high-rise strip at Palm Beach, a short drive north of the…
Choose Barbados for…
Rum and Oistins Fish Fry. Barbados is a coral island about 34 km long, the most easterly in the Caribbean chain. Its calm, turquoise west coast — the 'Platinum Coast' around Holetown and Speightstown — has the upscale hotels and villas, while the livelier south coast around St…
Top sights compared
| # | Aruba | Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eagle Beach | Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison |
| 2 | Palm Beach | Carlisle Bay |
| 3 | Arikok National Park | Harrison's Cave |
| 4 | Conchi natural pool | Oistins Fish Fry |
| 5 | Fontein and Quadirikiri caves | Bathsheba and the Soup Bowl |
Food compared
| Aruba | Barbados |
|---|---|
| Keshi yena | Flying fish and cou-cou |
| Pastechi | Macaroni pie |
| Pan bati | Fish cakes and bakes |
| Fried fish and funchi | Cutters |
Which is cheaper?
Aruba and Barbados cost about the same: a mid-range day is roughly $250–$400 in Aruba and $220–$380 in Barbados (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Barbados on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 1,133 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 15 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Aruba or Barbados cheaper?
Neither is clearly cheaper: a mid-range day costs about $250–$400 in Aruba and $220–$380 in Barbados (estimates).
+Is Aruba or Barbados better for a first trip?
Pick Aruba for Eagle Beach, Palm Beach and free sights, or Barbados for Rum and Oistins Fish Fry.
+How far is Aruba from Barbados?
About 1,133 km in a straight line.