Located south
of Margarita and west of Coche,
the tiny (8.5 square miles) and undeveloped island
of Cubagua is now completely barren and uninhabited in
spite of having housed the first spanish settlement in
America, the now ruined Nueva Cadiz. Founded the same
year the continent was discovered, Nueva Cadiz became
famous for the rich beds of pearls discovered in 1499
by the Spaniards, who slaved hundreds of local indians
that dived to death for a wealth sent in its entirety
to the Spanish crown. By 1528 the production of pearls
had already decreased due to the heavy exploitation and
on Christmas Day in 1541 an earthquake combined with a
tidal wave totally destroyed the settlement.
Visit
the excavated ruins of Nueva Cadiz or older traces of
a four centuries old culture that inhabited the northeast
part of the island. Find only seasonal fishermen in the
Charagato Cove, where the sandy beaches and the turquoise,
clear waters are very good for snorkeling and scuba
diving between grunts, groupers, trumpet fish, red
banner bennies, viejas, electric eels, basket stars and
star fish, including the wrecks of a barge and a car ferry
that caught fire in the late 70's, its sunk hull still
full of cars. All inclusive boat and catamarans day tours
leave from Porlamar on Margarita
Island. For more serious snorkeling and diving,
we charter equipped motor and sail boats.
Contact
us to include Cubagua in
a customized itinerary of travel to Venezuela.
