Margarita Island
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Isla Margarita (Margarita Island) Venezuela is a mountainous tropical Caribbean island paradise located off the north shore of Venezuela. Margarita is blessed with an average of over 320 days a year of sun, beautiful tropical beaches lined with palm trees like Playa el Agua or Playa Parguito and a temperature that is never too hot or too cold.
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[edit] Orientation
Margarita island is 43 miles long. It is actually two islands connected by a narrow Isthmus. The second Island is called Península de Macanao which is largely unpopulated. Peninsula de Macanao is at the western end of Margarita, and Porlamar is south-east. The international airport del Caribe is on the southern rim of the island, and is a half hour to 45 minute taxi cab ride from Porlamar. The islands' thick section is a three quarter circle from Porlamar to Juangriego, which is center-north. On that near full circle are Margarita's finest beaches, and a ride between the two towns is spectacular; twisted, cliffhanging roads that have the sea layed out in front of them, and have the green rolling hills behind.
The most important town on the island is Porlamar. Its original name was "Puerto de la Mar "but the people shortened it to Porlamar. Its extraordinary urban and commercial growth has taken place during the last fifteen years. It changed from a quiet fishermen village into a booming town with skyscrapers, excellent hotels, night clubs, large commercial firms, and luxurious restaurants.
Porlamar has 100,000 people. Cranes and hollow, tall structures bully Porlamar - the rest of the island is still subdued and quiet; the beaches dominate. La Asunción, the capital, is the nose of the fat face formed by Margarita's east side, and Santa Ana, a historical city, is the bridge of the nose. La Asunción has 12,000 inhabitants, and is the oldest town on the island. It was founded in 1561 in the Valley of Santa Lucia. It has several important structures, among which the Parish Church, built in the XVI century is outstanding and the old Convent San Francisco, also constructed In the XVI century, which is now used for the government offices. The Santa Rosa Castle, constructed towards the end of the XVII century, is another work of art full of history.
Although the island's capital is very small, it is easy to get lost if you drive through this quaint little colonial town in car. Walk along the boulevard and stop off at the Concejo Municipal, the Asamblea Legislativa, the Governor's Mansion, the cathedral and some of the government's offices. Across from the plaza, near the cathedral, visit the Nueva Cadiz museum. In the near courtyard you will find the best map of the island -a 33 foot-long scale model in raised relief- surrounded by water.
Pampatar, another wonderful colonial site, is east of Porlamar. It was founded in the sixteenth century. It now has 6,000 inhabitants. Its chief monuments are the Castle of San Carlos Borromeo, the Fortin de la Caranta and the Templo del Cristo del Buen Viaje, a deeply venerated image by all fishermen.
Finally, Punta de Piedra, the dock for the ferry to Puerto La Cruz, is located in south-west part of the island, very near to Peninsula de Macanao. The infrastructure of the island is in mint condition, and no ride is longer than an hour.
The flight from Caracas is under an hour, and the ride to Porlamar is another half hour. There are actually two distinct sections of Porlamar. As your cab first enters the city limits the small, crowded somewhat rusted apartment buildings of the residents are visible.
The streets are jammed with stores, houses, cars, and humans. Moving east on either Calle Zamora o Calle Igualdad, you pass several pedestrian thoroughfares that are strictly for shopping. Then, suddenly, you come to Hotel Bella Vista, and the streets become dotted with tourists, much less crowded, the rusted apartments become glass, shiny clothes stores, and you have reached the tourist section of Porlamar.
The tourist part of the city is dominated by two streets: Avenida Santiago Mariño and Avenida 4 de Mayo. They are crowded with stores selling international goods, fast food joints and restaurants; off one of these streets will inevitably be your hotel. Stores selling Nike, Ralph Lauren, Polo, Finlandia, Lindt, line these streets and give it a real 5th Avenue texture.
Avenida 4 de Mayo, east, leads to Pampatar, and the north-east rim where Margarita's best beaches are located.
[edit] Around the Island
The city of Porlamar is worth exploring on foot (in the cool part of the day, that is), particularly the main streets -Calles Igualdad and Guevara. Calle Igualdad runs from the Bella Vista Hotel to the Plaza Bolívar, the city's largest plaza, a 6 block stretch, which is the site of tremendous building activity. Seven story apartment buildings and ubiquitous shops are everywhere. As elsewhere in Venezuela, the Plaza Bolívar is the social center of the city. Friends meet on its benches, hard fought chess games are played and guitars are popular. At one ends stands St. Nicholas Church whose huge dome is visible throughout the city. It is as the main church here, the site of religious festivals, particularly on December 5 and 6 (The Feast of St. Nicholas) and at Christmas. A pleasant stroll along Calle Guevara (in front of the church) will put you at Porlamar's outdoor market on the coast. Along the way are jewelry shops and stores. The market which runs for five or six short blocks offers avocados, oranges and pineapples, plus fish and soft goods. Watch the women maneuver the baskets perched atop their heads.
Worth exploring too is Urbanization Bella Vista on the Punta El Morro beach. Fishermen live on the strip closest to the sea. Their anchored boats are festooned with colorful balloons and they are extremely friendly to strangers. Stroll a block or two of the beach you will find yourself in the city's most attractive residential area with colonial style homes and fashionable cars.
[edit] Shopping
Margarita is often called the island of pearls and the rich oyster beds yield unusually shaped pearls which are primarily pink in color, fairly small and come in unusual shapes. There are some shops here selling jewelry using Margarita's pearls. Also sold here are cultivated pearls from Japan. These come in whites, grays and blacks and are good buys too. However, don't overlook great buys in ceramic, wood carvings, woven hammocks and straw articles which often are attractive works of art. For pearls try first the Casa Avila, Calle Gomez 47 which owner Juan Avila Guerra operates from his home. He has bags of pearls and tosses them out on a green felt table as If they were grains of rice. Both Margarita and cultivated pearls here.
Shopping, of course, is dominated by the stores selling international duty free goods. The Avenues of Santiago Mariño and 4 de Mayo are stuffed with stores, and Calles Igualdad, Guevara and Macanao are also brimming with shops.
[edit] Sights
Santuario de la Virgen: The legend says that the sacred image was found in the Cueva del Piache, in the former Valle Charaima, now called Valle del Espíritu Santo.
Isla de Cubagua: During colonial times Cubagua had its boom due to its rich pearl fisheries, which were soon exhausted. An earthquake destroyed the town. Now it is visited because of it quiet waters.
Isla de Coche: Eleven kilometers long by 6 kilometers wide, and a population of 5,000, it is devoted to fishing, salt mining, and tourism.
Columna Matasiete: A monument raised to commemorate the triumph of patriot forces over the Spanish army commanded by General Pablo Morillo, who had defeated the Napoleonic invaders in Spain.
Laguna Las Marites: A lovely lagoon, 12 kilometers from Porlamar, ideal for water-skiing, fishing and boating.
Bahia de Pedro González: Lovely fishermen's village, with quite waters.
[edit] Beaches
There are excellent beaches on each coast, some of them with fine surf, others bordered by water as tranquil as a lake. At Bella Vista and El Morro, beaches on Porlamar's Guaraguao Bay, the water is warm and calm; that at Playa Manzanillo, at the northern tip of the island, relatively cold. As can be expected where the annual rainfall averages only 700 mm. (27 Inches) a year, Margarita is a xerophytic land. Cardon cactus and the pale-green-barked yabo are the most prominent trees in the dry scrub which covers most of the island. Pairs of scarlet cardinals are not an uncommon sight. There are also wooded areas and fertile valleys.
You are never far from the sea on Margarita. Even from the fort in La Asunción and the church belfry in Santa Ana, the sea can be seen. The beaches here are virtually endless as they ring this enchanting island. Your only problem will be to find enough time to explore even half of them. One general rule: the best swimming in most areas is the early part of the day.
The beaches are the reason for coming to Margarita, - but what makes Margarita different from other Caribbean islands is that it is much cheaper, less blatantly tourist and the majority of the beaches are quite sun-catching white lines of sand and are not riddle with attractions such as the food stalls, wind-surfing outlets, scuba entrepreneurs, etc.
Striking off on a northern curve from Porlamar very quickly you come to Pampatar. The beach here is nice, calm and tranquil and dominated by a cluster of fishing boats. The setting is also majestic, with the beach shaded by Pampatar's castle and fort. But, again, you are not going to want to spend your day here if you priority is tanning and swimming.
Climbing north of Pampatar you will eventually arrive to Playa Guacuco. This beach is the starting line for a row of beaches that are Margarita's best, and are fit dueling partners for any in the Caribbean.
Playa Guacuco is the longest stretch of beach on the island; it is almost perfect, with the surf rough enough for playing but not overpowering, and the sand as soft as a mattress. There is not much shade on the beach, so a healthy dose of sun protector is necessary. There is a restaurant-bar on the beach, as well as showers and restrooms. The beach here never falls to impress newcomers.
Playa Guacuco ends at the little town of El Tirano. And right past El Tirano, and a rocky dyke is Playa El Agua, Margarita's finest beach. The beach is matchless, with great waves, palm trees and soft sand. El Agua has a beach house with showers and bathrooms. Clothes and souvenir stalls are on the road behind the restaurants.
A little north from El Agua is Playa Manzanillo, which is only slightly less wonderful than El Agua. Stop periodically along the route to peer down the slopes to the fishing villages and secluded beaches far below. Camera buffs should find that the route will yield the best postcard perfect land and seascapes. Playa Manzanillo is a departure point for fishermen, and the back of the beach is lined with huts, boats, nets, and other fishermen's tools. In the morning, Manzanillo's activity is great, and is a sight worth watching. In all likelihood, they will quote you a price to take a group of up twenty people on a round- trip excursion to the off-shore islands of Los Frailes. If you prefer to simply travel along the northern coast, in other words, to wade up onto the beaches, the trip will be to the beaches of Caracare, Bahia Constanza or Puerto La Cruz. Puerto Príncipe is the beach which most of the fishermen recommended due to the clarity and tranquillity of its waters. The price will vary depending upon the amount of time that travelers want to remain on the beaches before the fishermen return to take them back.
The twist around Margarita's northern spur, Cabo Negro, and the ride south to Juangriego is inexpressibly spectacular. The mountains sway and nap behind you and the water engulfs you. Below is a litany of beaches that look abandoned. Fixing your eyes south from the beach opposite Manzanillo, you can see Los Morros de Constanza, Puerto Viejo, Puerto Cruz, Bahia Pedro González, Playa Caribe, and Bahia La Galería, the most modernly built up beach of the bunch. All of the beaches are quiet and somewhat isolated.
Finally, at Juangriego, which is on the bay, with stiller and cooler water, the sunset will glaze your eyes.
From downtown Juangriego the adventurous tourist is within walking distance of several splendid beaches. By foot or car, a mere two kilometers separates the traveler from the cool and peaceful waters of Playa Galera. The passage of another two will take him to the more insistent surf of Playa Caribe. And just around the next bend, less than one-half kilometer from Playa Caribe, a marvelous stretch of white, isolated sand known as Playa Boquita is his alone for the taking. It is perhaps the most accessible of all the deserted beaches.
To reach these beaches, travel east along the bay of Juangriego, and then veer to the right around the that holds the Galera Fort at its summit. Continue east along the waterfront before situating yourself in the vicinity of one of the kiosks along Playa Galera. Here you can stop briefly to recline on the sand, bathe in the gentle waters, rent some water sports equipment, or venture inside to the air-conditioned comfort of the dinning room and bar.
Further to the north and east on the same road, just over the hill and down the ridge, lies Playa Caribe. Long a favorite of nomadic tourists who scour the island in search of the secluded, the setting at Playa Caribe is highlighted by smooth, fine sand, and cool breeze. The western border of the first of two horseshoe shaped beaches is defined by a hill of sparse vegetation that descends to the water. A row of palms blend among several kiosks that sell food and refreshments in addition to renting chairs and umbrellas to beach patrons.
Of all the beaches on the northern shore, Playa Caribe offers the best view of the island's long, mountainous northern coastline.
At the far southwestern end of Playa Caribe lies Playa Piel, the favorite place for those seeking that all-over-body tan. At low tide, you can maneuver around the rocks at the far end to a sheltered cove. If the mood strikes you, it's a good place to skinny dip. The only surprise intrusion would come by sea in the form of fishing skiff suddenly rounding the rocky point.
Playa Puerto Cruz is perhaps the most spectacular of all of Margarita's beaches. This long, gently curving bay offers the visitor the whitest, widest stretch of sand on the island. Until early 1986, there were no food or beverage services available at Playa Puerto Cruz. On weekdays, it was often possible to find yourself completely alone in this tropical paradise climbing the top of the sand dunes, baring your hidden flesh to the sun and viewing the placid blue waters far below.
During the past few years, several refreshment shacks have been added and the crowds have grown. It has been a particular favorite of what in other words would be denominated the "college crowd." Among travelers who have scoured many Caribbean islands in search of beaches, it is generally regarded as Margarita's finest. The surf is beautiful, tempting and extremely treacherous. When swimming stay very close to shore, because the pounding water carries with it an even deadlier undertow.