First contact with
the Caribbean Sea in Venezuela will probably take place
when you approach and land in the country from your international
flight to the Simon Bolivar International Airport.
Venezuela owns 1,750 miles or 2,817 km
of Caribbean coastline (the country’s natural north
border) plus 72 islands in the Caribbean. The coastline
begins in the Paria Peninsula. Located in the east, this
is where Christopher Columbus "discovered" the
area during his third voyage in 1498. Truly surprised
by the lush vegetation and the beauty of the coast, Columbus
called the area the "Land of Grace." The Paria
Peninsula is now a national park. After bathing the shores
of Sucre, Anzoategui, Miranda, Vargas (the newest Venezuelan
state, established in 1998), Aragua, Carabobo and Falcon
states, the Caribbean coastline ends in the westernmost
state in the country, Zulia.
However, the Venezuelan Caribbean doesn’t
bathe the mainland alone. Nueva Esparta state, the only
entirely insular state in Venezuela, is comprised of Margarita,
Coche and Cubagua Islands and is located 24 miles from
the Sucre State coast. Wonderful archipelagos, such as
Los Roques National Park, Las Aves, Los Testigos and Los
Frailes and other virginal islands such as La Blanquilla
and Tortuga are also part of Venezuela and can be visited
by air or in a charter sailboat or yacht.
The Central Coast is tropical, with high
mountains, rain forests and secluded towns. The Eastern
Coast is semi-tropical, with few mountains, an adundance
od palm-lined beaches and semi-arid islands. The Western
Coast is also semi-tropical but flat.
You can enjoy the world’s best year-round
billfishing near Caracas, or perhaps you'd prefer bonefishing
in Los Roques. Scuba and snorkeling lovers will find plenty
of places to enjoy their hobby of choiceat the islands
of Los Roques, La Blanquilla, Tortuga, Los Testigos, Morrocoy
and Mochima. If you prefer windsurfing, your best bets
will be El Yaque Beach in Margarita, Coche Island (close
to Margarita) and Los Roques. The average wind speed in
El Yaque is 25-30 knots. Other beach-related activities
such as bodysurfing, boardsurfing, ultra-lights, wave
runners, parasailing and sailing are also available at
many spots. Don't forget, Venezuela is out of the hurricane
belt!
Nature lovers will be glad to know that
some major Venezuelan national parks are located along
the Caribbean coastline. For instance, Henri Pittier National
Park covers 266,266 acres of mountainous rainforest. Over
29,000 species of plants and 400 species of birds (some
of them migratory) have been identified here. Colonial
coastal towns like Choroni and Puerto Colombia are also
part of Henri Pittier.
Morrocoy Park covers 79,262 acres and consists
of a large bay with mangroves and canals. This park also
has white palm-lined beaches and small islands called
cayos (keys), surrounded by turquoise water and coral
reefs that are perfect for snorkeling and diving.
Mochima covers 234,489 acres of semi-tropical
coastal mountains and many secluded small bays, with semi-arid
islands and mangroves. This park is perfect for sailing,
snorkeling, diving or waterskiing.
Los Roques islands, one of the main tourist
destinations in Venezuela, are located 90 mi north of
Caracas International Airport. This national park covers
546,166 acres of hundreds of small flat islands with white
sand, mangroves and surrounded by turquoise water with
windsurfing and the best snorkeling, diving and bonefishing
in the Caribbean.
Contact
us to include the Caribbean
Coast in a customized itinerary of travel to Venezuela.
