Margarita Island

From eTripTips Wiki

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

A view from Juangriego, northwest of Margarita

[edit] Regions

[edit] Cities

• Porlamar

[edit] 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.

[edit] Understand

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 necesary to get around while on the island is Academia Peter 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.

[edit] Talk

Be friendy and smile, please don't embarrass yourself by being to pushy or by yelling at people. Learning Spanish could help a great deal to get along better. Most people on Margarita Island don't speak English. They don't need to their language is Spanish after all.

[edit] Get in

Via flights from wikipedia:Del Caribe International General Santiago Marino Airport with service from several airlines.

Via ferry from mainland Venezuela at Puerto La Cruz with Conferry [1].

[edit] Get around

A hire car is a good way to see the island, though there are also local bus services and taxis.

[edit] See

[edit] Itineraries

[edit] Do

• Kite-surfing 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.

[edit] Eat

Empanadas which you can find in stands in almost every beach, family owned restaurants and near the ferry and Hot Dogs (Perros Caliente) from the street stalls that are everywhere, just use your good judgement when choosing a street place to eat.

In Playa del Agua, El Pacifico restaurant has good seafood, and is on the beach and pretty. Most beaches sport some kind of food and beverage sale. Playa el Agua being one of the most commercial beaches followed by Playa Parguito. Playa Caribe as well as Playa Guacuco are popular among the local population.

In high season almost all beaches are full with people. Prices are generelly a bit higher in high season.

Arepas are fomous as the breakfast dish any Venezuelan loves, worth a try, they are grilled (asada) or fried (frita) (due to the female caracter of the word "Arepa".

Papellon is "the" national dish, shredded meat with black beans and rice, a must try. Don't mix it up with papelon which is a sugarcane drink, free of alcohol and very tasty indeed, if served cold, ice cold.

Mero, Pargo and Dorado are the fish people should wriggle their tongs around follows: .

[edit] Drink

• 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.

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Stay safe

To stay safe is fairly easy, do not behave like a typical tourist running around (in the wrong area) with maps in bright t-shirts and bathing shoes. Try to avoid to walk to slow and do not trust people too easily. Walking drunkenly into shady areas is not recommended anywhere.

Should you meet someone and end up at the beach please don't give your clothes or your rucksack to your newly found mates. The opportunity is just too great for even the ordinary citizen. Most tourist carry too much cash antway and the wild imagination of the newly found friend could exagerate even the tiniest amount.

[edit] Get out

• Coche Island
• Cubagua IslandWikiPedia:Isla Margarita

Dmoz:South_America/Venezuela/Localities/Margarita_Island/ World66:southamerica/venezuela/margaritaisland