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.

Maracaibo - Venezuela

Maracaibo, a big metropolitan city in Western Venezuela, is the capital of the state Zulia. The city, Nueva Zamora de Maracaibo, located in the banks of Lake Maracaibo, has now emerged as one of the most important commercial centers of the Venezuela.

Maracaibo city is divided into two municipalities for administrative purpose. Maracuchos, the local inhabitants, are individualistic people, who boast of their cultural heritage and try to treasure it for future generations.

Maracaibo, also called, “La Tierra del Sol Amada”, which means “The Land Beloved by the Sun”, holds a key position in the economy, culture and politics of Venezuela. The growth of the city attracts many people to come around the city to spend a nice vacation over there.

Maracaibo had been an isolated place in the beginning of the last century, because of its unique geographical positioning in the bank of the lake. With the opening of the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge in 1962, Maracaibo became easily connected to the mainland. Now, Maracaibo is well connected to its transportation facilities including bus, taxi and ferry.

La Chinita International Airport connects Maracaibo to the rest of the world. The development in the transportation facilities, put in the economic growth of Maracaibo in pace. Now, the city has become a hub of commercial centers and large buildings. Apart from the economic growth, Maracaibo has become an important educational hub also. Maracaibo is home to many important colleges and universities.

Maracaibo feature many important land marks also. Our Lady of Chiquinquirá Basilic is the most important land mark of the city. Plaza de la Virgen de Chiquinquirá y todos los Santos is the beautiful park near the church, which feature a unique statue of Virgin Mary. The commitment to preserve the heritage is reflected in the restoration of the old town and maintenance of Santa Rosa de Agua, the wood houses over water.

Vereda del Lago Park, a tourist destination is a large lake front park, which feature sports facilities, ostrich farm, and zoo. Conoce tu Puente Museum is another attraction, which feature a historic museum and balcony to view the fantastic display of lights. La marina Park is another lake view park of Maracaibo.

Maracaibo offers opportunities for one day trips also. San Carlos Island in the Gulf of Venezuela is a favorite attraction of tourists, which feature a Spanish fortress, called Castillo de San Carlos. Costa Oriental, the center of oil industries in Venezuela, is a nearby attraction of Maracaibo. The historic cities such as Cabimas, Santa Rita, Lagunillas and Ciudad Ojeda are near by places of interest, to Maracaibo.

Accommodation is not a big problem in Maracaibo. Good restaurants and hotels are available in the city limit. The cordial behavior of Maracuchos, the local inhabitants, makes living in Maracaibo, a memorable experience. The ambience and attributes of Maracaibo, makes the vacation a life long treasure.

Caracas - Venezuela

Caracas – the capital of Venezuela - displays the common sight of a populated city in a developing country. Hemmed by verdant forested hills, the city packs within its contours, a vast cross section of a population - 4 million of them - that includes the abject poor living in shanty towns to middle class and upper-middle class populace to the extremely rich businessmen.

It is one of the populated cities in Venezuela, and the one in the continent with a rich cultural heritage and history. Caracas is also a popular tourist destination in South America.

Caracas is classified into districts called Urbanizaciones. For somebody who is on a tourist sojourn, a bit of idea about the famous places and districts in which they are located will make things a lot easier, both in planning and scheduling the trips.

The major Urbanizaciones include El Silencio (home to Teatro Municipal), El Conde, famous for its colonial past, San Bernadino, Parque Central, known for its shopping centers, Chacaito, Las Mercedes, Sabana Grande (city center, famous for top notch restaurants and night clubs), and Altamira. To find out where to start and where to end the tour, it would be a better idea to seek the advice of some expert tourist guides or refer the suggestion of few of the popular tourism magazines.

Here is a brief peep into the must-visit locales in and around Caracas. The most overwhelming attraction in Caracas is the mount El Ávila. Thousands of people of Caracas flock into the mountain slopes and its valley to breathe some fresh air, a brief evening stroll, or a little bit of exercise. The national park that the mountain hides within its greenery caters to the nature and animal loving lots.

Other popular tourist spots in the city include Capitolio Federal, the green paradise at the city center, Parque del Este, which also houses a small zoo, the UNESCO heritage site, Ciudad Universitaria, Casa Natal de Bolívar Museum that reminds of the Caracas’ colonial past, Parque Central, Plaza Bolivar, Museo de Arte Colonial, and Panteón Nacional. Caracas also has a number of other parks littered all around its geography. So, if you are looking for some good place to rest and relax in between, you may not have to go too long to find one. If you have more time to spare, consider taking a trip to the suburb towns and to the serene country sides.

The weather of Caracas facilitates a near round-the-year sort of favorable atmosphere for tourist activities. From June to October, it is rainy season in Venezuela, but it rarely rains in this part of the world (max 100 mm), and the climate is mostly mild and constant without any extremes. No wonder, travel magazines describe Caracas as the ‘land of never-ending spring’.

Caracas is served by the Simón Bolívar airport in Maiquetía, located 26 km from the city center.

Venezuela Travel Guide

Venezuela is a beautiful land that offers a wide range of geographical features. Depending on where you are, you will see mountains, beaches, forests and other natural wonders. In the northern part of Venezuela is where the best beaches are. Many tourists head to this region on their trip to Venezuela. In the South is where the magnificent Angel Falls is located, a definite must-see for any vacationer.

In the West is the Andes, a spectacular mountain range that sports the Pico Bolivar, a peak you can travel close to by cable car. You'll see charming villages and snowy peaks, at least until you head Northwest. In the Northwest area of Venezuela, you'll see plains and deserts. Venezuela also features great dining, shopping and nightlife -- as well as culture and heritage everywhere you look. Venezuela is truly a vacationer's paradise, and if you travel there, you'll see why!