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Aruba public holidays add up to 11 official days a year, and the government’s own list is the one to trust. Four of them move with Easter or Carnival, so a date from an old blog can cost you a grocery run. Banks and most shops close, supermarkets close or cut hours, and resort-area restaurants usually carry on. This guide gives you the dates, the closures, the difference between a real holiday and a street celebration, and what to ask before you book a tour.

Quick answer: Aruba public holidays

  • Official days: 11 on the government list, seven on fixed dates and four that move.
  • Banks: closed on every official holiday, while ATMs usually keep working.
  • Supermarkets: closed on the major holidays and often shut around 1 p.m. on the others.
  • Restaurants: most close, but those in hotel and resort areas usually stay open.
  • Tours: we found no island-wide rule, so confirm your tour runs that day.
  • Not holidays: Dera Gai, Sinterklaas, Kingdom Day and December 24 and 31.

Official holidays in Aruba and their dates

The list below follows the Government of Aruba holiday page, which covered 2025 and 2026 when we checked in November 2026. A 2027 list wasn’t posted yet. We worked out the 2027 moving dates from the rules shown here and cross-checked them against a published 2027 Easter calendar and a holiday database.

Holiday Type Rule 2027 date
New Year’s Day Fixed January 1 Fri, Jan 1
Betico Croes Day Fixed January 25 Mon, Jan 25
Carnival Monday Moving Monday before Ash Wednesday Mon, Feb 8
National Anthem and Flag Day Fixed March 18 Thu, Mar 18
Good Friday Moving Two days before Easter Sunday Fri, Mar 26
Easter Monday Moving Day after Easter Sunday Mon, Mar 29
King’s Day Fixed April 27 Tue, Apr 27
Labor Day Fixed May 1 Sat, May 1
Ascension Day Moving 39 days after Easter Sunday Thu, May 6
Christmas Day Fixed December 25 Sat, Dec 25
Day after Christmas Fixed December 26 Sun, Dec 26

Easter Sunday falls on March 28, 2027, and Ash Wednesday on February 10, 2027. Easter Sunday isn’t on the government list, although aruba.com calls it an official holiday.

The flag of Aruba flying over Plaza Betico Croes in Oranjestad
Plaza Betico Croes in Oranjestad, home of the Flag Day folkloric production. Photo: Louis Luna via Unsplash

What happens when a holiday lands on a weekend

Mostly nothing moves. When Betico Croes Day fell on a Sunday in 2026, Sunday stayed the legal holiday. Civil servants got the Monday off, but private employers didn’t have to close, and Aruba News reported that current law blocks shifting weekend holidays to a weekday. The labor minister planned to propose a change; we found no report that one has passed.

Labor Day is the exception to watch. The government’s older lists show May 2 in 2016 and 2022, when May 1 was a Sunday. In 2027, May 1 is a Saturday. The government school calendar marks April 30 for it, but that covers schools only, and no 2027 public list is out yet.

What closes on Aruba public holidays

VisitAruba’s holiday guide gives the most detailed pattern, and aruba.com’s holiday pages back up the broad strokes. Treat these as the norm.

Service What to expect on an official holiday
Banks All closed. They close at noon on December 24 and 31. ATMs usually keep working.
Supermarkets Closed on the major holidays listed below, often closing around 1 p.m. on the rest. Some small markets stay open.
Shops Most close, and some close early the day before. Stores near resorts may open for part or all of the day.
Gas stations Closed, with some closing early the day before. They usually reopen around 10 a.m. the next day.
Restaurants VisitAruba says most close, except in hotel and resort areas. Aruba.com says most restaurants and bars open as normal on December 26. Call first.
Hotels Normal operation, per aruba.com’s Easter and December 26 pages.
Government offices Plan on closed. Holidays count as extra days off for employees, and aruba.com lists offices as shut at Easter and on December 26.

VisitAruba’s major-holiday list for supermarkets is New Year’s Day, Betico Croes Day, Flag Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and the day after. That leaves Carnival Monday, King’s Day, Labor Day and Ascension Day as the likely early-closing days. Aruba.com says only that they may close early or all day.

Fill the tank the day before, especially ahead of Easter, when Good Friday and Easter Monday bracket a closed weekend.

White sand and resort buildings along Palm Beach in Noord, Aruba
Palm Beach, where hotels and nearby restaurants are your safest bet on a holiday. Photo: Benjamin R. via Unsplash

Buses and taxis

We couldn’t find a published holiday timetable. The Arubus routes page doesn’t address holidays, and a published bus schedule we reviewed lists separate Sunday timetables without saying whether holidays follow them. Check with Arubus and leave extra time. On Carnival days, VisitAruba notes that routes change because parade streets close.

Taxi fares are fixed by the government, and the official fare calculator treats holidays as a factor in the price. Carry cash in small bills; card payment may be possible when you book through the official taxi app. See getting around Aruba for your other options.

What each holiday looks like on the ground

  • Carnival Monday: the official rest day after the Grand Parade in Oranjestad. Parades and routes belong to our Aruba Carnival guide.
  • Flag Day: aruba.com lists a folkloric production at Plaza Betico Croes, plus games and sports around the island.
  • Easter: families camp on beaches such as Eagle Beach, Hadicurari and Baby Beach. Aruba.com says camping isn’t allowed in front of the Palm Beach hotels.
  • King’s Day: a morning ceremony in Wilhelmina Park, then street fairs, games, kite contests and a lot of orange.
  • Christmas and New Year: the food, music and fireworks are in our Christmas and New Year’s guide.
Aerial view of swimmers and parasols on a palm-lined beach in Aruba
A palm-lined beach in Aruba. Easter weekend brings families out to the sand. Photo: martin passchier via Unsplash

Official holidays vs. celebrations that aren’t

VisitAruba separates the two groups, and the government list confirms that none of these appears as an official holiday.

Date Celebration What it means for you
June 24 Dera Gai (St. John’s Day) Song, dance and bonfires. Not on the holiday list.
November 11 Start of the Carnival season A season kickoff, not a day off.
December 5 Sinterklaas A children’s tradition. Not on the holiday list.
December 15 Kingdom Day A flag day for public buildings, per Wikipedia.
December 24 and 31 Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve Normal day, shorter hours. Supermarkets may close between 2 and 6 p.m.

For a wider view of the year, see our Aruba events calendar, and for everyday culture, try these local experiences in Aruba.

How holidays affect tours

We found no official rule covering tours, so assume each one sets its own calendar. Some run as usual; others pause or change times. Confirm your exact date when you book, and again the day before.

  • Ask about pickup. Carnival road closures and holiday traffic can shift times.
  • Ask about lunch. A planned stop outside the hotel areas may be closed.
  • Check what’s at each stop. Attractions set their own holiday hours. The Aruba Conservation Foundation lists the San Fuego Visitor Center at Arikok as open daily, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (as of November 2026), with no holiday note.

A closed-shop day is a good day to let someone else do the driving. A guided island tour works well when downtown shops are shut.

Weather, crowds and booking around the holidays

All 11 official days fall between December and May. These are averages from the Departamento Meteorologico Aruba: air and rain from its 1991–2020 normals, and sea temperature from its 1971–2000 sheet.

Month Average high Rain Rain days Sea (1971–2000)
December 30.7°C (87°F) 80.1 mm (3.2 in) 11.0 27.0°C (81°F)
January 30.3°C (87°F) 44.0 mm (1.7 in) 10.8 26.1°C (79°F)
February 30.6°C (87°F) 19.5 mm (0.8 in) 4.5 25.9°C (79°F)
March 31.1°C (88°F) 10.0 mm (0.4 in) 2.0 26.0°C (79°F)
April 31.9°C (89°F) 8.6 mm (0.3 in) 1.5 26.5°C (80°F)
May 32.0°C (90°F) 14.1 mm (0.6 in) 1.7 27.0°C (81°F)

Aruba.com calls December through April peak season, with higher prices, and advises reserving restaurants, rental cars and tours ahead. Our month-by-month guide compares the quieter months.

Thatched umbrellas and palm trees on Arashi Beach, Aruba, at sunset
Arashi Beach at sunset. Photo: Bernin Uben via Unsplash

Planning for 2027

  • Buy groceries and fill the tank the day before any holiday.
  • Reserve holiday meals, since hotel restaurants fill up.
  • Pack for heat and wind all year; our Aruba packing list has the details.

FAQ

How many public holidays does Aruba have?

The government list has 11: seven on fixed dates and four that move each year.

Are supermarkets open on public holidays in Aruba?

Usually not on the major ones, including Christmas, Easter and Betico Croes Day. On other holidays they often close around 1 p.m., and some small markets stay open.

Are restaurants open on holidays in Aruba?

Most close, but restaurants in hotel and resort areas usually stay open. Call ahead and reserve, because those tables fill up.

Do tours run on Aruba public holidays?

Some do, but we found no island-wide rule. Confirm your specific tour, its pickup time and any meal stop for that date.

When is Carnival Monday in Aruba?

It’s the Monday before Ash Wednesday, so it moves every year with Easter. Check the table above for the next date.

Is December 31 a holiday in Aruba?

No. It isn’t on the government list, but banks close at noon and supermarkets may close between 2 and 6 p.m.

Sources