Location :
Margarita Island is located in the
Caribbean Sea , roughly a little bit over 20 mi away from the northeast coast of Venezuela, which is at the north of the South American continent. It belongs to
Venezuela , and along with the Islands of
Coche and
Cubagua , confirms the only Insular State in the country.
See Map
Land Extension :
Margarita Island has an extension of 584 sq. mi,
Coche Island 35 and
Cubagua Island 15 sq. mi. The maximum distance from north to south is of 20 mi and 40 mi east to west. It has a 200 mi long coastline, with a total of 34 tourist oriented beaches.
Climate :
Margarita Island has an average temperature of 80ºF, with a variation of 98ºF between July and September and 75ºF from October through June. Waters are always warm, swaying between 73ºF and 86ºF. The Island seats on a privileged location right outside the hurricane route.
Capital City :
La Asunción. More Information
Important Cities :
Porlamar is the commercial heart of the Island and its main city.
Margarita Island is one of the most important “Duty Free” areas in the Caribbean and it counts on with over 2000 stores, with the best Liquor Stores, Jewelry Stores, Perfume Stores, Boutiques with International brand names and Hypermarkets.
More Information See Map
Pampatar: Main fishing town.
More Information See Map
Juan Griego: The second most important city in Margarita Island and home of the most beautiful sunsets in the Caribbean.
More Information
Currency & Exchange Rate :
The official currency in Venezuela is the
Bolivar .
At this moment, the Venezuelan government has implemented a tight currency exchange control, which anchors the value of the Bolivar at:
1 US$ = Bs. 2.150
Credit Cards: :
The most accepted Credit Cards are:
Visa, Mastercard, Diners and American Express .
Official Language :
Spanish is the official language even though being a popular tourist destination, you will always find people who will gladly speak in your own language to help you with anything you need.
Fresh Water :
Fresh water comes from the main land, through a submarine pipeline that provides the Island with over half a million gallons per minute. Water is safe for personal hygiene, but not for human consumption. It advisable to drink natural mineral water or filtered.
Electricity :
110 Volts.
Transportation :
The Island is easily traveled due in part to its excellent roadway system. Taxis can be recognized by their color, they are white, with a yellow stripe on their side, with a sign that says “Taxi”, their license plate should be yellow and issued in the State of
“Nueva Esparta” . We advise to always ask for the price before boarding a taxi, and have in mind the lowest rate within the city of
Porlamar is of Bs. 3.000 to 5.000 one way. The public transportation system is commonly known by the name of
“Por Puesto” , they are usually colorfully decorated minibuses and buses that will take you anywhere on the Island at a very low price. It is quiet an experience to at least take one ride in one of these public buses.
International Time :
GMT -4 Hrs.
Useful telephone numbers while on the Island :
General Emergencies : 171
Traffic : 262-1232
The Department of Tourism : 262-2322/2514
Santiago Mariño International Airport : 269-1135/1122
El Guamache Port : 263-5095/2045
Luis Ortega Hospital : 261-1101/0356
Consumer Rights : 262-7324
Animal Protection Agency : 287-0757
