Los Roques Destination Guide
The qualities that make Los Roques so lovable are its peaceful atmosphere and the beauty of the colourful sea. Apart from innumerable lagoons, there are more than fifty tiny islands and nearly 300 sand banks with white coral sands - most of them uninhabited. Los Roques not only has breathtaking views but also lots of fun activities to indulge in. Sports like windsurfing, kite surfing, kayaking, bone fishing, snorkelling and diving let you experience adventure while admiring nature’s beauty.
Christopher Columbus called Los Roques a “True Paradise on Earth” when he discovered it in the 15th century. This place is now known to be the world’s third largest coral reef.
Use this Los Roques Destination Guide to find out what there is to see and do while you are in the archipelago. Our Los Roques tours page lists some great tours which are the ideal way of exploring this beautiful destination. More general information about things to do around the country can be found in our Venezuela Country Guide.
Los Roques Destination Guide
Los Roques is around 80 nautical miles north of Caracas. Located only 11 degrees above the equator, this archipelago is made up of 42 coral reef islands and a hundred little islets known as keys. In the year 1972, the government of Venezuela took a great step to protect the large number of species of birds and aquatic creatures found on this reef by declaring Los Roques a National Park. Thankfully, till now, there has been no major commercialisation and this place still retains its natural charm.
Though this reef is known as ‘The Rocks’ or Los Roques, one cannot find many rocks here, other than the El Gran Roque cliffs. The islands have powdery sand everywhere. The weather is very dry as there are not many rain-causing mountains. The only vegetation that thrives well is cacti, leafy plants at the ground level and mangroves though the trade winds blowing all year act as coolants.
Follow the links below or scroll further down the page for details on some of the many interesting tourist attractions in Los Roques:
National Park
You can find a lot of iguanas and turtles safely living on the protected cays. The fishing bat is the only mammal here, apart from the domestic animals. This protected park has an enormous array of bird species like the pelicans, laughing gulls, blue-eyed brown booby, frigate birds, lapwings, plovers, great blue-and white-necked herons and terns. A majority of these migrate to North America in summer. Pink Flamingos sometimes land here from mainland Venezuela and Bonaire.
Turtle Sanctuary
Posadas
Other interesting options for stay are boathouses and camping in selected points, but visitors love the posadas the most, for their quaint charm.
Beaches
If you are interested in snorkelling, Francisqui Island is ideal. The Crasqui is a beautiful combination of powder white sand against the deep blue sea – something akin to Robinson Crusoe’s island. For some mystery, go to Cayo Pirata or Agustin. Try to spot pirates or fishermen still believed to be living amidst the thick mangroves by the locals.
The Isla Margarita is another great beach but if you are looking for some peace and calm, it is best avoided as it is becoming commercialised due to the flow of the tourists on package trips from North America and Europe.
Hola and welcome from Viajes Valencia Los Roques, your local connection in Los Roques, Venezuela. We are a group of enterprising people focused on showing you the marvels of our region’s well-preserved national parks (Los Roques, Canaima, Margarita and Morrocoy), the beautiful landscapes, the diversity of exotic flora and fauna, the warm clear waters of the Venezuelan Caribbean, but most importantly the hospitality of the people of Los Roques.
