Aruba’s position at the southern edge of the Caribbean trades puts it in some of the most consistent sailing wind in the region. The northeast trade winds blow at 15 to 25 knots for much of the year, producing brisk conditions on the windward passages to Curacao and Bonaire while keeping the leeward anchorages along the west coast settled and comfortable. For sailing yachts, Aruba functions best as either a start or end point: a place to clear in or out, resupply, and position before a longer passage east toward the Leeward Islands or west toward Panama.
Sailing yachts available for an Aruba charter run from ketches and sloops in the 20 to 25-metre range to performance cruisers and bluewater passage-makers at 30 metres and above. Crew of two to four handle vessel management while guests manage the social programme from the cockpit and foredeck. Trade-wind passages to Curacao, around 35 nautical miles to the east, are typically fast beam reaches completed in under five hours.
Weekly rates for sailing yacht charters based in Aruba range from 30,000 to 120,000 euros. The advance provisioning allowance, typically 30 percent of the base rate, covers food, drink, fuel, and marina costs in Oranjestad. Bonaire’s marine park entry levy is paid separately per diver or snorkeller.
The standard sailing circuit from Aruba covers three islands in a week: one or two nights anchored off Eagle Beach, a day passage to Curacao and a night in the Spanish Water Lagoon, then a broad reach to Bonaire for two nights off Kralendijk. Returning west, the passage from Bonaire to Aruba is slightly upwind but manageable in a day for a well-found sailing yacht. Those extending the charter can continue to Los Roques, the Venezuelan archipelago 165 nautical miles to the southeast, where low-key fishing villages and crystal-clear shallow banks reward the extra passage time.
