Islands

Los Frailes
The Los Frailes Archipelago is a group of 5 small uninhabited islands and rocks, located 10 nautical miles north east of Isla Margarita. Because of its northerly location, it has some unique characteristics, such as the presence of a variety of sea nutrients, which makes it biologically diverse and a haven for all kinds of exotic marine life. Ranked as the best diving around the island,  the maximum depths are about 25m, with visibility of 10-30m and water temperatures of 21-24°C.

Isla Cubagua
Isla Cubagua is one of the sister islands of Isla Margarita. At Cubagua you can dive off the wreck of a sunken ferry, the Cacica Isabel. In 1981 she was en route from Puerta la Cruz to Punta De Piedras, Isla Margarita, carrying a cargo of cars, trucks and passengers. The crew and passengers all escaped unhurt but the trucks and cars were not so lucky.

Less than 5 feet behind the Cacica Isabel is another wreck, the San Esteban. The San Esteban was purposely sunk years later by students of the La Salle College to serve as an artificial reef. Both wrecks are now sitting in about 45 feet of water in an upright position. Divers can descend through open decks or swim around their exteriors.

history
When Christopher Columbus made his third voyage to America in 1498, he discovered this island. Columbus baptized the island “La Margarita”, the Greek word for “Pearls” since he noticed that the seabed was laden with pearls. The legend says that once upon a time pearls as big as eggs from a dove existed on the island. The name was later changed by the Spanish monarchs to Isla de Margarita to honour the princess from Austria who was to marry the Spanish Prince Don Juan. Today the income from the pearls has been replaced by that from tourism. After all, who could resist a total of 50 stunning beaches scattered along 106 miles of coastline?

Places of interest
La Asuncion
La Asuncion boasts buildings dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, including the oldest church in Venezuela and the fort of Santa Rosa. From the top of the fort you can view the valley, the hills in the distance and the blue waters of the Caribbean. On the roof is an entrance to a tunnel that served as an escape route for the soldiers of the revolution. During holy week, religious statues are carried through the streets of the city.

Porlamar
This is the island’s largest town where major hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and stores are located. The Franciscan monastic order founded Porlamar in 1536, and it remained a quiet fishing village until the end of the 19th century, when it was flooded with foreign merchants in search of pearls.

Restinga National Park
The fascinating La Restinga Lagoon is a national park consisting of an amazing mangrove forest, water channels and lagoons. Located on the small piece of land connecting the eastern & western sections of Isla Margarita. The park is home to many species of birds, tree crabs, sea horses and starfish.

venezuela

A myriad of landscapes, cultures and experiences awaits you. It has everything from snowy Andean mountains and Amazonian jungles to a turquoise coastline.  The diverse environment makes travelling and exploring the country all the more enjoyable. Rock climbing, hang-gliding and snorkeling are all possible here, as well as a trip to the worlds tallest waterfall, Angel Falls. The height is a heady 3,212ft. That’s about 16 times taller than Niagara Falls. It is located in the south-east of the country in the stunning Canaima National Park.

In the west of Venezuela are the impressive Andean range of mountains and the city of Merida. The capital of the municipality of Libertador, Merida is the main centre for education and tourism in western Venezuela. It is the home of the highest and second longest cable car in the world finishing at 15,633ft above sea level.

The countrys’ beauty is not just limited to its landscape, it has produced more winners of Miss Universe per capita than any other country. But this country has a lot more to offer than just beautiful people and stunning terrain.

In the south of the country is the Amazon jungle. This is more for the adventurous travellers as the jungle boasts a remarkable set of exotic plants and wide variety of animals, including the Jaguar, Ocelot, Tapir, Armadillo, Anteater, and the longest snake in the world, the Anaconda.

The capital city of Caracas is the birthplace of Simón Bolívar. The most important leader in South America’s successful struggle for independence. The city is a bustling metropolis of nearly 5 million inhabitants. Both progressive and cosmopolitan, the city boasts some of the finest historical monuments and most impressive modern architecture in South America.

Venezuela is a stable democratic country with consistent GDP growth, benefiting from having the second largest export income (behind China) and strong trading relationships throughout the world (for example, it is the forth largest oil exporter to the US). Increasing tourist demand and continued GDP growth makes it ideal for inward investment.