Margarita Island - Venezuela

Margarita Island or La Isla Margarita is a Caribbean island of Venezuela, situated 38 km north-east of the Venezuelan mainland and far enough from the path of the periodical tropical storms, typical of the Caribbean region. It is a popular tourist destination in the country, the major attraction of the island being its many beaches that virtually caters to the tastes of any kind of a tourist.

There are beaches with or without waves, shallow and deep, large and small, cold or warm, or whichever combination you can think of. No wonder, most of the tourists taking a flight from Caracas to the ‘Pearl of the Caribbean’ are the ardent fans of sea, its waves and sand. Margarita Island can be reached by a 35 min flight from Caracas or few hours by ferry from the coastal towns of Cumana or Peurto La.

Geographically, Margarita Island appears in the form of a distorted dumbbell, with the two unequal halves linked by 24 km sand split that separates the stunning Restinga Lagoon National Park from the sea. From east to west, the island measures 67 km from west to east, and 32.4 km at the longest part in the north-south direction. The western part of the island – called the Macanao Peninsula – is sparsely populated due to its arid features. Most of the 300,000 inhabitants of Margarita are concentrated on the eastern part of the island, which is home to the capital city Asuncion, shopper’s paradise, Porlamar, and the second biggest city, Pampatar. Juan Griego is another major town in the eastern part of Margarita.

The average temperature in the island is 27 degree Celsius. Rainfall is scarce.

From a tourist point of view, beyond its beaches, Margarita Island also has many places worth paying a visit and that includes churches, old castles and Mother Nature. Castle of la Asunción, Church Del Valle, Castle of Juan Griego, and Castle of Pampatar are some famous edifices from the past, located in the island. But, the most overwhelming of the attractions is the majestic Lagoon of La Restinga National Park, which covers a vast stretch of the island.

It is said that a trip to Margarita is never complete without spending few hours exploring the national park. Other enticers in the island include night life opportunities, water sports vistas, an 18-hole golf course, shopping, and delicious Venezuelan cuisine.

In any case, never miss the latter, especially the sea food and prawn dishes.

Margarita Island has a small airstrip that caters to the flights coming in from Caracas. Nearest major airport is the Simón Bolívar airport in Maiquetía, Caracas. For transport within the island, one may have to depend on rented cars.

Side note: USA and Margarita have the same founder father – Christopher Columbus.