40km (25 miles) N of Cumaná
Isla de Margarita is Venezuela's best known and most developed destination. Venezuelans come here in droves to take advantage of the island's status as a duty-free port, while Canadian, European, and Latin American travelers come to enjoy the warm sun, white sands, and turquoise waters of this small Caribbean island. In many ways, the pleasures to be had on Isla de Margarita mirror and compete with those offered in Cancún, Punta Cana, and other resort destinations around the Caribbean. Still, Margarita remains relatively undiscovered and unexplored by Americans.
Margarita is really two islands joined in the middle by a stretch of sand, mangrove, and marsh that make up La Restinga National Park. The western side, called the Peninsula de Macanao, is largely undeveloped. It's an extremely arid and dry area, crisscrossed with rugged dirt roads and horse trails, and home to the endemic yellow-headed and yellow-shouldered Margaritan parrot. Almost all development is found on the larger, eastern side, which boasts three principal cities -- Porlamar, Pampatar, and La Asunción -- and a couple dozen different beaches and resort areas. The island has two national parks and three nature reserves, as well as several colonial-era forts and churches.
Margarita's climate is hot and tropical, with ample sunshine and very little rainfall year-round. You're most likely to encounter some rain during the months of July and August and between November and January.
