Oranjestad is compact enough to explore on foot in a couple of hours. The Dutch-colonial centre, Fort Zoutman, and the harbour market are all within easy walking distance of the cruise terminal. The city's museums are small but genuinely worthwhile: the National Archaeological Museum covers the pre-Columbian Arawak past, while the Historical Museum inside Fort Zoutman tells the colonial story through to the 20th-century oil era.
The harbour market — Venezuelan boats selling fresh fish, produce, and spices along the quay — is the liveliest and most characterful part of the city. The Bon Bini Festival in the Fort Zoutman courtyard every Tuesday evening offers local music, dance, and craft stalls in an unpretentious setting. Away from the city centre, Eagle Beach and Manchebo Beach are a short bus or taxi ride north, and the dive sites around the offshore reef islands are accessible from the waterfront.