Savaneta

Savaneta on Aruba's southern coast was the island's first Dutch settlement and its capital before Oranjestad took over, and it is now a quiet strip of village along the coast road with cunucu houses, the traditional Aruban form with steep roofs and thick walls, standing among the newer building. Fishing boats work off the shore and mangrove lines parts of the water. Cunucu houses were built with steep roofs to shed the rare heavy rain and thick walls to hold the cool, and few of them survive intact.

History

Savaneta is the oldest village on Aruba and in the 16th century became the seat of the Spanish administration; after the Dutch took the island the governor lived at Commandeursbaai, a natural harbour nearby, until the government moved to Paardenbaai, later Oranjestad, in 1797. By 1816 only one house was still lived in, and although the Canashito plantation of 1852 drew only 13 men and five boys despite eight years free of tax, other plantations did better, and by 1867 Savaneta was a village of about 150 people, with a school from 1877 and a church from 1900; Commandeursbaai is now the Marine Barracks Savaneta (Wikipedia, Savaneta).

What you'll find

• The cunucu houses - the traditional Aruban form with steep roofs.
• The former capital - the island's first Dutch settlement.
• The fishing boats - the craft worked off the southern shore.
• The mangrove - the stands along parts of the coast.

When to go

December to April is the dry high season. The village is quiet year round. Weekends bring some local visitors.

What to expect

There is very little for a visitor and no formal sites. The village is strung along the road rather than clustered. Facilities are a couple of restaurants.

Nearby

San Nicolas is southeast, and Oranjestad is northwest.

Key facts