We loved touring this island. You need to get out of the port area to really see it. Hire a car and driver and you will experence a lovely day. Here is an article from Cruise Travel but it doesn't do the island justice.
If you only have a day in Margarita Island: a decidedly different deep Carribbean Port with a tour for every taste
Cruise Travel, March-April, 2002
Margarita Island (Isla de Margarita), only 25 miles northeast of the Venezuelan mainland, is gradually joining the list of popular cruise ports in the Deep Caribbean. But it is a decidedly different type of island.
Largest of the Venezuelan island--42 milts, in length from east to west, and 20 from north to south--it covers 444 square miles. Long a popular sea-sand-sun tourist area with both Venezuelan (mainly from Caracas, the capital) and international visitors (usually arriving by air), Margarita has added a third group to its tourist list--cruise passengers. Crystal, First European, Holland America. Princess, and Windstar are among the lines with calls currently scheduled at Margarita Island, but this number is sure to grow as the Caribbean becomes increasingly crowded with cruise ships this year. But no matter how they arrive, all visitors soon find they've found a beach lover's paradise with 42 miles of white sands.
Cruise passengers begin to realize Margarita is decidedly different as their ship docks fit the port of Gumache--not at Porlamar, the island's largest city. The port is in a virtual desert, miles from anywhere. Porlamar is a 45-minute cab-ride away, at a roundtrip fare of $50.
From the upper decks of your cruise ship, you gain an unusual perspective of the port. You're docked in a surprisingly barren area. Stretching off landward from the docks are miles of semi-desert with only scrubby vegetation. On the horizon are bills rising 3,000-odd feet. The island's obvious scanty rainfall creates the desert-like appearance. The rainfall is so minor that water is piped in from the mainland. But that hasn't stopped development. Porlamar is a modern city with an abundance of skyscrapers.
Gumache, however, is obviously very new, with some construction still under way. This, however, does not impair the port's operation. There are ample souvenir vendors under canvas canopies along the route to the bus-loading area. Fortunately, they're not the irritating, aggressive types you encounter on some of the islands.
Margarita was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century; Porlamar itself was founded in 1536. As a result of the island's long history, there are numerous physical reminders of the past such as the Church of Our Lady (built in 1580) in La Asuncion, the state capital, and several forts that you can visit on the ship's land tours. Margarita and two small islands--Cubagua and Coche--comprise the state of Nueve Esparta.
On a chart, Margarita appears to have once been two islands, now linked by a narrow, crescent-shaped sand bar called La Restinga. A modern highway bridge provides a more physical connection. The western part, Peninsula de Macanao, is arid, hilly, and lightly populated. The bulk of the islanders are located in the largest eastern portion, which has a well developed series of roads, as you discover on whichever ship's bus tour you take. The island is large enough to provide eight different excursions plus an opportunity to visit Angel Falls (tallest in the world) and Canaima National Park by air.
You fly over Angel Falls, which tumbles from Auyantepuy (Devil's Mountain) 3,212 feet, a distance about 16 times the height of Niagara Falls. There's nothing religious about the name--which comes from Jimmie Angel, a daring American bush pilot and gold-seeker who landed his four-seater plane on top of the mountain in 1937. Unfortunately, it was marshy ground. His plane was stuck, and he couldn't take off. He, his wife, and two companions fought their way through rough, virgin wilderness to the edge of the plateau. There they faced the challenge of descending almost three-quarters of a mile of vertical cliff. They succeeded, and after an 11-day trek finally reached civilization.
Your tour flight lands at Canaima National Park. This mainland area is said to have some of the oldest rock formations in the world. You also make a dugout canoe trip, gliding past three waterfalls to reach a remote beach. There's an optional hike to El Sapo falls, which requires considerable walking and climbing over rough terrain for approximately one-and-a-quarter miles.
To sample a bit of the island's history, you can take a tour of El Valle, the first capital, founded in 1529. This is the birthplace of Santiago Marino, one of the hero's of Venezuela's struggle for independence from Spain. In the central plaza is the twin-tower, pink and white shrine, where the Virgin of Fisherman is revered. If you should happen to visit on September 8, you encounter hundreds making a pilgrimage to the shrine. In front of the church are numerous vendors with canvas stalls selling a wide variety of religious items.
This tour also visits La Asuncion and the Santa Rosa fortress. Then a scenic drive through modern Porlamar brings you to the colonial town of Pampatar. Naturally, there's also a pause for shopping.
It's very interesting visiting La Restinga National Park for a boat trip through the mangroves lining Restinga Lagoon. Under the thick canopy of branches and leaves covering the winding waters, you get closeup views of the flora and fauna of this tropical ecosystem. However, don't expect a running commentary--the boatmen only speak Spanish. Your tour guide provides explanations in English before and after the boat excursions.
If you want a bit of soft yet bouncing adventure, you can board all-terrain 4x4's and be driven to Macanao, the desert-like western half of Margarita. This area is undeveloped, with few inhabitants. Sun, sand, mountains, and cacti dominate the landscape. You visit fishing villages and travel off-road, exploring rugged terrain and encountering unspoiled beaches accessible only by 4x4's. A brief stop is made at a local Museo Marino.
If you've a yen to play amateur cowboy, you can take a tour offering two hours of horseback riding on patient steeds. The stables are located only a 45-minute drive from the port on a ranch in Macanao. The excursion includes an hour riding in the low hills and higher ground, and another along the beach. You see panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea, as well as a desert landscape of cacti, wind-battered trees, and brush.
If you only want a sample of the island with time to swim and sunbathe, you will be interested in the El Agua beach sortie. This is the most popular beach on the island, as well as the longest, and is a 45-minute drive, one-way, from the cruise port.
For an unusual trip into history, take the five-hour tour by motorboat to Cubagua Island, now deserted. In colonial times, it was famous for its abundant and prolific oyster beds from which millions of pearls were extracted. Sent back to Europe, these beautiful pearls fetched astounding prices as European society became pearl conscious. Neuva Cadiz, founded in the early 16th century, was located on Cubagua and was the first settlement in what is now Venezuela. A tidal wave destroyed the town in 1541. You can explore the ruins, and still have time for the beach.
A cross-the-island tour enables you to visit Tacuantar village museum, a collection of colonial items from Venezuela's past. The displays afford an excellent glimpse of what life was like a century or more ago. And, of course, there's a gift shop.
Margarita Island has been a free port since 1973. However, be careful shopping. Prices may be good compared to mainland ones, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are bargains on the world market. Even with shopping, Margarita Island is different.
For more information contact your travel agent, or log on to the island's web site, <http://www.margaritaonline.com>
