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Due to its privileged location, where the top of South America meets the Caribbean Sea, Venezuela is blessed with incredible coastal beauty. Extending close to 3,000 km, these shores encompass expansive and diverse environments, offering visitors numerous ways to enjoy the sun and the sea.
Venezuela has been a pioneer in nature preservation, and today many of the coastal regions and islands sprinkled throughout the Caribbean are protected under an expansive nature park system. Thanks to these efforts, marine areas such as the Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques offer visitors pristine and unspoiled sanctuaries full of natural splendors to be enjoyed both above and below the sea.
The Coast
In western Venezuela the land is arid, the climate is hot, and the vegetation is low and close to the ground. In this area the most notable coastal regions are those of the peninsula of La Guajira and Paraguaná, and the area surrounding Lake Maracaibo. Also notable are the Medanos de Coro-- expansive sand dunes resembling a North African desert that clash with the sea-- and the mangrove channels and sandy cays of Parque Nacional Morrocoy in the state of Falcón.
In the central and eastern region, the coast is shaped by countless sandy beaches and steep rocky cliffs. In the central state of Aragua, near the capital city of Maracay you will find Choroní and Puerto Colombia. The famous nature refuge Parque Nacional Henri Pittier also covers coastal regions of the state of Aragua. The beautifully shaped Playa Medina is in the State of Sucre. Straddling the border between the states of Sucre and Anzoátegui, is El Parque Nacional de Mochima and its numerous rocky islands-- the most popular national preserve in this area.
It is on the easternmost side of Venezuela where the jungle meets the sea, near the Peninsula de Paria, and further south in the Orinoco Delta where the rumbling waters of the river begin to slow as they meet the Atlantic Ocean near the island of Trinidad.
All along the coast, you will find archaeological and historical testaments to communities that have long depended on the sea for survival. Diverse cultural traditions dating back to colonial times can still be observed in numerous patriotic and religious festivities celebrated in all coastal towns.
The Islands
There are over 300 islands in Venezuelan territorial waters. Of these, the most well known and populated is La Isla Margarita. Margarita is a bustling free port, with many beautiful beaches, five-stars hotels, cultural and historical centers, and an exciting nightlife. El Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques is a coralline atoll, known for its crystal clear waters, powdery-sand beaches, and for its reputation as one of the best places in the world for bonefishing, scuba diving, and windsurfing.
Other well known islands are those that form part of the archipelago Parque Nacional Morrocoy, in the state of Falcón. La Tortuga, Los Testigos and Las Aves-- old pirate refuges-- are also protected preserves. These pristine islands offer a natural sanctuary to diverse wildlife, and a vision of unspoiled beauty to be savored by the visitor just passing by.
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Sights & Activities
