Living La Vida Los Roques

Located due north of the Venezuelan capital city of Caracas, the Los Roques archipelago captures the true essence of the Caribbean – white sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, intense blue skies and amazing coral reef ecosystems. Once visited by Spanish conquistadors and pirates, the archipelago is Venezuela’s largest marine park and is now visited primarily for sailing, wind surfing, snorkeling, diving and relaxation on beaches. This atoll of 42 reef-islands, tidal islets and reefs surrounding the Laguna Central is one of Venezuela’s most beautiful sights and houses a massive variety of marine life in and around the reef habitats, prompting the declaration of Los Roques Archipelago National Park in 1972.

Green mangrove coastlines surround an immense coral garden that provides fantastic snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Los Roques is renowned for its variety of marine fauna, including parrotfish, barracuda, red snapper, dolphin, shark, octopus, lobster and the near-extinct queen conch. Green turtles visit the beaches to lay their eggs, and the island of Dos Mosquises Sur is the home of La Fundación Científica Los Roques, a biological research station dedicated to preserving the region’s green turtle populations. The resident and migrant bird population of the archipelago exceeds 90 species and includes enormous gull colonies, boobies, frigates, pelicans, herons and scarlet ibis. Many reptiles, including iguanas, chameleons and salamanders, live on the larger islands.

Tourists visiting Los Roques can explore the region by taking day-trips or by chartering a boat. El Gran Roque, the largest of the islands, contains about 30 hotels, while other islands provide visitor posadas. Camping also is available, but Inparques permits are necessary. Daily flights operate to Los Roques from Margarita and Maiquetia. The archipelago also can be reached by boat from La Guaira, a town northeast of Caracas. Some tour operators offer all-inclusive package deals to the islands.

Are you getting a taste for La Vida Los Roques? If so, check out this 2-Day Marine Adventure, which features snorkeling, diving and plenty of marine wildlife.