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TravelTips24 : South America : Venezuela : Caribbean Islands : Nueva Esparta : Margarita Island

Margarita Island

Margarita is a Venezuelan island in the Caribbean Sea and is part of Nueva Esparta state.

Regions

Cities

Other destinations

  • La Asuncion - Officially the island's capital, La Asuncion boasts a fine colonial era pink cathedral.
  • Punta de Piedras
  • Juangriego - A small town with a beautiful bay and spectacular sunsets that can be seen from the hill of La Galera fort.

Culture and History

Travel to Margarita Island & Visa Requirements

Via flights from Del Caribe International General Santiago Marino Airport [1] with service from several airlines.

Via ferry from mainland Venezuela at Puerto La Cruz with Conferry [2].

Tours & Getting around Margarita Island

A hire car is a good way to see the island, though there are also local bus services and taxis. A reputable car hire company that help visitors who are Spanish challenged is Gringo Rent a Car [3]. Their contracts are in English, they give the customer service travelers are use to and they have new and late model vehicles at competitive prices.

Margarita Island attractions and sightseeing

Itineraries

Margarita Island city tours

  • Kite- and windsurfing at Playa El Yaque
  • People-watching at Playa El Agua, the most popular beach on the island and with numerous nearby bars and nightlife.
  • Visit La Restinga National Park, which consists of a sandbar that unites the eastern part of Margarita with the Macanao Peninsula and is home to interesting flora. The park's mangrove-covered natural canals can be accessed by boat from El Indio sector, boats also pass along the coastal area from El Saco to the town of La Guardia, or the park can be crossed by car on the road to San Francisco.
  • Visit Isla de Coche, a quiet fishing island with around 7,000 inhabitants. The island offers windsurfing and kitesurfing. Take a ferry from Punta de Piedras or a lancha from El Yaque. The most popular beach on the island is Playa la Punta.

Go for a night out at Kamy Beach, a great club where the rich Caraqueno tourists go.

Learn

On Margarita Island you can learn the Spanish language in Cela Spanish School in Playa El Angel. The school is owened and managed by Sabine Loffler, PhD in Linguistics and specialist in teaching Spanish as a foreign language. The school has also a free on-line version where you can learn Spanish for your travel to Venezuela.

Another Spanish language school where you could learn Spanish, or pick up the first words necessary to get around while on the island is Academia Peter [4] That School is owned and run by their teachers. You also could do a tandem language course, teaching English or German in the time you take a Spanish course. On their site you'll find some spoken examples of Spanish.

Margarita Island Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

El Pacifico restaurant (Playa El Agua) has good seafood. Pretty and located on the beach.

Margarita Island nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

  • Kamy Beach, just outside Porlamar, where the rich Caraquenos party.
  • Woodys in Playa El Agua is free drinks for ladies all night with a door cover fee of 5000Bs (£1.30).
  • Panare in Playa El Agua is more popular for locals, especially on a weekend.

Margarita Island cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

Keep in mind that the beds in many hotels (mostly up to the mid-range levels) are nothing more than mattresses on concrete slabs that resemble box springs. Depending on what your sleep preference is, they may not be the most comfortable for you. Something for you to consider when looking for a hotel to stay at. Many are opting for a self catering condo over a hotel. When one compares prices they may learn that a self catering condo is preferred over a hotel. In a condo one pays a per night fee, not a per person fee. In addition, when staying in a self catering condo one has the option of eating in or eating out.

Stay safe

Avoid walking too slowly and be wary of trusting new friends, particularly at the beaches. Walking drunkenly into shady areas is not recommended anywhere. Don´t go to the beaches at night. Be careful in Porlamar downtown area at night, you could get mugged.

Get out

  • Coche Island - several kite-surfing schools are based here.
  • Cubagua Island

This page was last edited at 18:38, on 16 September 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by David and Randy Bush, Wikitravel user(s) Episteme, The Yeti, Ixer and Cacahuate, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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