Isla Margarita - Tourism

Tourism

In recent years crime (see Crime section) has increased sharply on the Island in line with a soaring crime rate in Venezuela generally since Chávez came to power in 1999. In 2011 three tourists were murdered in separate robberies and armed gangs can occupy and rob entire hotels. Some tour operators have pulled out of Margarita, notably First Choice, and there are now fewer direct or chartered flights, so it is sometimes necessary to fly to Caracas first on a scheduled flight and then on to Margarita. International tourism fell 50% in 2011 compared to 2010.

Margarita Island can usually be reached by ferry or by airplane, as the Santiago Mariño International Airport is located 25 kilometers away from the city of Porlamar. Its status as a duty-free port and proximity to the mainland make it one of the top vacation spots for Venezuelans. Vacationers crowd the island especially during Christmas time, Easter week, and from July to mid-September. Venezuelan tourists come on shopping sprees; whiskey, cheese, chocolate, and electrical appliances, are among the goods that can be purchased less expensively than on the mainland. It's also the most wanted shopping location of all Venezuela. The city of Pampatar has the biggest malls in the island, including the sambil mall, one of the biggest in Venezuela, with 250 stores of luxury shopping and low-cost shopping.

There are at least 50 unique and magnificent Margarita beaches which are scattered along 106 miles of coastline. Its location as an island in the Caribbean sea offers lots of beaches to explore which range from crowded to solitary and most of them virgin. Playa El Agua, in the north, is the most popular with 4 km of fine sand. Playa El Yaque is internationally known as an excellent location for windsurfing. Playa Parguito, Playa Caribe, and Playa Punta Arenas are also popular beaches. Many resorts cater to the international, Caribbean-loving crowd, especially from European countries. The beach of Playa Puerto Cruz is one of the most popular with tourists.

One of the most interesting places to visit is the "Laguna de la Restinga", where you can go boating through a multitude of channels formed by mangroves.

The island is undeveloped compared with Aruba and Curaçao.

Margarita Island will be the venue for the 2014 Caribbean Series. Margarita Island has never hosted the Series before, and it is expected that the development of the tourism industry on the island will be expedited by the influence of predominantly Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Venezuelan sports enthusiasts for the duration of the competition.