Margarita Island off N.E. Caribbean coast of Venezuela was discovered by Christopher Columbus on 15th August 1498 during his 3rd visit to the Americas. It forms part of three islands comprising the state of Nueva Esparta of some 1150 square kilometers, largest island and most developed being Margarita with 1071, Coche 55, and Cubagua 24 square kilometres (see map political map below). The highest point is some 1000 metres (3,280.83 feet) above sea level and with a spectacular view. The estimated center of the island near La Guardia is at 11º latitude 64º 05´ longitude. Average temperature is estimated at around 28ºC with little rain like 22" a year (our visitors love this). It is also one of the larger and more contrasted islands in the Caribbean, as well as being a modern and bustling small metropolis with large hypermarkets, malls like Sambil, Rattan Plaza, AB, Provemed and Jumbo, duty free stores, good private clinics and excellent communications by sea and air, not to mention the numerous very economical and modern internet cafes and other communications centers. Native language is Spanish.
A duty free status was granted on 19th August 1966 and then upgraded by law to free port on 1st April 1975. Resident population is around 350000 but can increase dramatically during holiday seasons. The island is well developed and has several hotels, posadas (B&B), guest house inns and plenty of self catering fully equipped rentals from which to choose starting from as low as US$10! Check on our website Amargarita.com below for some of these. Transport to and from Margarita is by air via Caracas international airport charter flights direct to Margarita or by modern ferries from Puerto La Cruz Cumaná and La Guaira, more important being Conferry and Naviarca Gran Cacique.
If you cannot catch a same day flight to Margarita from Caracas, we would recommend you to stay at the coast close to the airport in the Litoral Central coast area rather than going up to the capital city of Caracas. Be careful with taxis at night especially. See our Accommodation Directory page for some of these nearby hotels.
Margarita island being virtually hurricane free is much visited by the sailing community who anchor principally at the Concorde Hotel bay at Porlamar. The last recorded tropical storm was in August 1993, although we got some side effects from a Caribbean hurricane in 2004 but with no real damage.
Marine VHF radio channels mainly used here by our foreign visitors are 16/72 and legal checking in (immigration etc) is normally done by Juan Baró of Chilean origin who runs Marina Juan Telf. +582952631332 juanbaro@hotmail.com who speaks English and Spanish.
We have about 4 important local newspapers of which the more important are El Sol de Margarita Diario La Hora Diario del Caribe and El Caribazo. Margarita island´s El Yaque beach (behind aiport) is also a world famous destination for wind surf and related sea sports. There are some very quiet places to live and a selection of real estate properties to purchase at attractive prices. The average drive is about 20 - 30 minutes and longest about 1-1/2 hours from one end of the island to the other.
Margarita is probably the top tourist destination for Venezuelan visitors and high seasons are usually fully booked up. Read when high seasons are in my vacation rentals section.