How Lesbian Friendly is Aruba

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What We Want to Know

When we’re travelling to a new destination as a lesbian couple, there are a few things we take into consideration to figure out how lesbian friendly it is. We like to know what the LGBTQ+ laws are in that country, as well as what the social climate is. In some places the laws and the feelings of the local people don’t necessarily match. We also like to know if there are any “gaybourhoods” or areas that are especially lesbian friendly. This blog series is meant to inform other lesbian travellers about different destinations around the world, and help empower them to travel more openly when it is safe to do so. We will be sharing our experiences in each country as well as our recommendations, but as always we encourage everyone to do their own research. We can only speak to our own experiences, and everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to being out and open while travelling. The travel destinations that an LGBTQ+ person chooses, and the way in which they travel is a very personal decision, and we encourage everyone to do what feels right to them.

Keep reading to find out how lesbian friendly Aruba is!

LGBTQ+ Laws

The LGBTQ+ laws in Aruba are some of the best in the Caribbean, with fairly progressive legislation for LGBTQ+ rights. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Aruba, and there have been discrimination protections in place since 2012. The Aruba criminal code prohibits “unfair discrimination and incitement to hatred and violence” on various grounds and includes people of homosexual orientation. Same-sex marriage is not yet legal on the island, but because Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba does recognize same-sex marriages from the Netherlands and other “Caribbean Netherlands” islands such as Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. Since 2016, same-sex registered partnerships have been legally recognized in Aruba, and hopefully same-sex marriage will be the next step! At this time there are no adoption rights or access to IVF for same-sex couples, as well as no legal protection for transgender individuals. Hopefully we will continue to see steps toward full equality and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in Aruba.

Social Climate

Aruba, along with the rest of the “ABC Islands”, is generally considered to be one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly destinations in the Caribbean. The Aruban parliament was the first in the Caribbean to legalize same-sex civil unions back in 2016, despite opposition from the Roman Catholic Church. While the public opinion is certainly not as positive as in the Netherlands, things have certainly come a long way in the past ten years. There are several LGBTQ+ rights advocacy groups and associations on the island, and there are various establishments that advertise as being LGBTQ+ friendly including hotels, resorts, and eateries. The official Aruba tourism website states that they “welcome LGBTQ+ travellers with open minds and hearts”, and proudly claims that the island celebrates diversity. It goes on to say that all resorts, restaurants, and nightclubs on the island are LGBTQ+ friendly. All this considered, Aruba can definitely be considered a LGBTQ+ friendly island to visit!

Gaybourhoods

The LGBTQ+ community in Aruba seems small and there isn’t a designated “gaybourhood”. That being said, there is a gay club in the capital city of Oranjestad called 7 Club Lounge that offers drag shows, karaoke, and bingo nights! It’s fairly quiet on weeknights but tends to be busy on Fridays and Saturdays. Other nightclubs appear to be quite inclusive, and the entire island calls itself LGBTQ+ friendly. There are even some LGBTQ+ events like the annual “Rainbow Night” hosted by T.H. Palm & Company. Many businesses on the island openly show their support, like the Aruba Marriott resort which lit up their palm trees with the rainbow flag to celebrate Pride Month. Overall, Aruba is definitely a Caribbean destination where you can feel welcome as a same-sex couple or LGBTQ+ individual.

Our Experience

We visited Aruba together on a trip to the Caribbean in the Fall of 2019 and completely fell in love with it! We stayed for one week at the beginning of October (which is considered Aruba’s low season), and the island was very peaceful and quiet during our time. We stayed in an Airbnb apartment in the Noord neighbourhood, which is nearby the Palm Beach area, and rented a car to explore as much of the island as we could! We had an incredible visit. We felt safe knowing that Aruba openly welcomes LGBTQ+ travellers and that the country has anti-discrimination laws that protect us. We had no issues at all with safety, and felt completely comfortable being out and open. Our Airbnb host was local to the island and greeted us warmly as a married lesbian couple. Everyone we met throughout the week was kind and respectful when we mentioned we were spouses, and we never felt the need to hide our relationship. We spent the week relaxing on the gorgeous beaches, exploring the desert, and eating at all of the incredible restaurants we found. Aruba is a beautiful and unique little island, and we’re so happy we visited! We would love to return one day and continue eating our way through all the vegan restaurant menus. We definitely recommend Aruba as a lesbian friendly travel destination for gay women and same-sex couples!

If you’re interested in travelling to Aruba, be sure to read our Lesbian Guide to Aruba! 

Have you been to Aruba? Share your experience in the comments below!

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