Isla Margarita: beaches, kitesurfing and colonial villages

The beaches

Margarita's beaches vary from busy and lively to wild and empty.

• **Playa El Agua** is the most famous, a long stretch of sand with palm trees and beach restaurants on the northeast coast.
• **Playa Parguito** next door is known for surfing and a younger crowd.
• **Playa Manzanillo** and **Playa Puerto Cruz** in the north are quieter, with fishing boats and calmer water at times.
• **Playa El Yaque** in the south is shallow, windy and world famous for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with schools that teach complete beginners.
• **Playa La Restinga** is a vast, wild shell beach reached by boat through the mangroves.

The east and north coasts can have strong currents, so swim where locals swim and watch for flags.

La Restinga and Macanao

**La Restinga National Park** links the two halves of the island. Boatmen take visitors through tunnels of mangroves, past oyster covered roots and birds, to the long beach on the far side. Beyond it lies the **Macanao Peninsula**, drier, wilder and much less visited, with cactus covered hills and quiet fishing villages.

Towns and history

**La Asunción**, the state capital, has a colonial cathedral and the Castillo de Santa Rosa. **Pampatar** has the Castillo de San Carlos Borromeo overlooking the bay and a lively seafront. The **Basílica de la Virgen del Valle**, in El Valle del Espíritu Santo, is a major pilgrimage site, especially around the feast in September. **Juan Griego** is famous for its sunsets from the hill fort of La Galera. Porlamar is the main commercial city, with shopping centres and duty free shops.

Food

Margarita is the place for seafood. Try **empanadas de cazón**, made with small shark, **pastel de chucho**, a layered dish of stingray and plantain, fried fish with tostones at beachside shacks, and fresh oysters at La Restinga. **Sopa de pescado** is a classic Sunday lunch.

Wind, water and activities

Beyond the beaches, Margarita is good for boat trips to the small island of Coche, with its long calm beach, and to Cubagua, where the ruins of Nueva Cádiz, one of the first Spanish towns in South America, lie on a deserted shore. Diving and snorkelling trips run to the Los Frailes islets off the northeast coast. Surfing is best at Parguito, and the wind at El Yaque blows most strongly from about December to May. In the evenings, Pampatar and the bay of Juan Griego are the most pleasant places for a stroll and dinner.

Getting there and around

Flights connect Margarita with Caracas and some international routes. Ferries run from Puerto La Cruz and Cumaná on the mainland, and the crossing takes a few hours. On the island, use taxis or drivers arranged by your hotel. Distances are short, but public transport is limited and not ideal for visitors.

Staying safe

Margarita is calmer than the big mainland cities, but crime does occur. Keep valuables out of sight on beaches, avoid deserted stretches and walking at night, and use trusted taxis. Power and water cuts can happen, so bring a torch and check that your hotel has a generator. Read your government's current travel advice before you book.

Use the free trip planner to fit Margarita into your route.