Venezuela is a country in northern South America. Possessing shorelines on the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, Venezuela borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east and Brazil to the south, and is situated on the major sea and air routes linking North and South America. Margarita Island, known as the "Pearl of the Caribbean", lies some 40km (25 miles) off the mainland north of Cumaná, far from the track of Atlantic tropical storms. Margarita’s Caribbean climate and 167km long shoreline with white sandy beaches, draw increasing numbers of swimming, surfing, snorkeling and diving enthusiasts.
Margarita Island is divided into two sections linked by a 24 km sand spit, which separates the sea from the Restinga Lagoon National Park. Most of the people living on Margarita Island live in the eastern part where the capital of Asuncion and the shoppers paradise of Porlamar are located. The western part of Margarita island is called the Macanao Peninsula. It is sparsely populated and has seen little tourist development due to the limited availability of water. Wild deer, goats and hares roam the mountainous interior and the sandy beaches are only visited by the local fishermen.
Things to See & Do
* Lagoon of La Restinga National Park
* Visit castles and churches
* Diving & Snorkeling
* Water sports
* Shopping in Porlamar
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Bolivar
Language – Spanish, (official) English, French & German
Land Area – 2170 sq kms
Population – 300,000
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time – GMT minus four hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 1 - 58
Port Location – Cruise ships dock in the capital Caracas.
Transport Links –It is a 35 minute flight from the capital Caracas, or ferries link Puerto La Cruz and Cumana with Margarita Island.
The taxis are extremely cheap and reliable and you can easily rent a taxi a whole day. The buses run to the most of the places in daytime. The locals often go Por Puesto, a taxi for 5 people which goes a fixed route.