The Second Largest City in Aruba

Up until the late nineteenth century, San Nicolas, the oldest city in Aruba, existed as a peaceful settlement of a few fishermen and their families living in small huts scattered along the southwest coast. All that changed in 1879 when the Aruba Phosphate Company began exporting locally mined phosphate in large quantities to the US. Subsequent demand, combined with the need for a larger workforce, prompted officials to build houses for their employees, and the makings of the town began. After vast oilfields were discovered off the coast of Venezuela during the early part of the twentieth century, the Largo Oil and Transport Company announced plans to build an oil refinery near town.

By 1951, the once-quiet village had a population of just over 20,000 residents, almost twice the size of Oranjestad. Social clubs, golf courses and luxurious homes in the new suburbs of Largo Heights and Seroe Colorado were built for the hordes of workers - from the island and beyond - who flocked to this boomtown. When the refinery closed in 1985, the thriving metropolis began to shrink. The refinery has since been reopened and closed by several oil companies. Currently, the area is owned by the Aruban government which has plans to

The town has a unique draw - you can stroll through the streets to catch a glimpse of the British-Caribbean charm of its former glory days. Restaurants, snack stalls and a handful of shops selling local crafts and souvenirs can be found alongside the picturesque promenade on Zeppenfeldstraat. There are also many fascinating hand-painted murals. On the more "colorful" side, San Nicolas sports a Red Light District with a few chica bars.

The most famous bar of the island can be found in San Nicolas: Charlie's Bar. Everywhere you look in the bar, on every spot, are souvenirs of all kinds - baseball caps, soccer shirts, little flags, train tickets, postcards... everything. It's really fun to look around. Charlie's Bar was founded in 1941 by the original Holland-born Charlie and Marie Brouns. The second World War made San Nicolas a boom town. Seaman, contractors, refinery and harbor workers made Charlie's Bar famous. In 1977 Charlie was decorated by the Queen of Holland with the order of Oranje Nassau and he promptly retired. As he always said: "The gold medal belongs to Marie." Charlie Jr. born and raised in Aruba, took over the bar and ran it from 1976 to 2004. Charlie Jr's son, Charlie Brouns III, now proudly continues the family legacy.

Nearby are two small popular public beaches. To reach them, take Fortheuvelstraat out of town until you come to a huge cement anchor at the end of the road. Turn right on the main road and follow the signs to Rodger's Beach (known locally as Nanki) and Baby Beach. You'll first hit Rodger's Beach, which, despite a view of the nearby oil refinery, is a good spot with decent swimming conditions. Just east of here, the sheltered waters of Baby Beach offer ideal swimming conditions, especially for families with small children, as well as good snorkeling. You can have a meal and ice cream from the snack stand, and there are chairs and umbrellas for rent.