Idyllic Island Destinations: Isla de Margarita

Posted by Jude Buttle on Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Beautiful beaches, wonderful weather and stunning scenery, Isla de Margarita has got it all. So, there's no surprise that this lovely island in the Caribbean, stumbled upon by Christopher Columbus, is being discovered by holiday seekers and property investors alike.

Lovely Location

Isla de Margarita (Margarita Island) is located in the Caribbean Sea, 38 kilometres north east of the mainland of Venezuela. The island belongs to the State of Nueva Esparta, which also comprises the islands of Coche and Cubagua.

Margarita Island is divided into two sections tenuously linked by 24 kilometres sand spit, which separates the sea from the fascinating Restinga Lagoon National Park.

Paradise in the Sun

Margarita Island was discovered in 1498 by Christopher Columbus. The local natives, named Guaiqueries, received the voyaging Spaniards with open arms unaware that later they would become victims to their conquering guests, who purloined the islands pearly assets. Almost a third of the Spanish Crown's New World payments came from the pearls that were confiscated from Margarita. In 1814, the islanders fought successfully for independence from the Spanish, and Isla de Margarita became the first free territory in Venezuela.

Known as the "Pearl of the Caribbean," Margarita is a precious place with a lovely climate, regularly sunny and dry. Temperatures range from 24 to 37°C and the annual rainfall averages 27 inches, resulting in mostly arid landscapes with some wooded areas and fertile valleys.

Athough situated within the Caribbean, Margarita is not in the hurricane belt and despite the closeness to the mainland, remains practically untouched by Venezuelan influence. Life goes on in a typically relaxed way, the Latin lifestyle mixed with European and American influences make for a developed, democratic and friendly environment.

The western part of Margarita Island is called the Macanao Peninsula. It is sparsely populated and has seen little tourist activity due to the limited availability of water. Wild deer, goats and hares roam the mountainous interior and the beaches are only visited by the local fishermen.

Island Life

Margarita has some lovely beaches, including Playa El Agua, which is the longest, widest and busiest beach on the island. Blessed with fine white sand and coconut palms, this beach hosts music concerts and numerous sporting activities. Another popular beach is Playa El Yaque, located in the south of the island. This little beach is one of the world's greatest spots for windsurfing and there are steady side shore winds at around 25 knots plus.

Over 300,000 people live on Margarita Island most of whom live in the eastern part where the capital of Asuncion and the shoppers paradise of Porlamar are situated.

The main food on the island is fish, shellfish and a kind of bread called Arepas, which is made of corn flour, water and salt. Arepas is usually topped and eaten with cheese, ham, chicken or even jam.

Margarita Island can normally be reached by ferry or by airplane, as the Santiago Mariño International Airport is located 25 kilometers away from the city of Porlamar.

Tempting Treats

There are a number of developments in various stages on Isla de Margarita, as the demand for property increases and the interest from foreign investors intensifies.

The Caracola Beach & Spa Resort comprises of 1244 apartments & duplexes spread over 15 floors. The complex has great views overlooking the stunning Caracola Beach, on the eastern edge of the island's main town, Porlamar.

With four different floor layouts to choose from, populated across three blocks, the apartments vary in size from 58.5 square metres to 125.8 square metres and nearly all of them have sea views.

Construction will be to the highest standard in accordance with stringent building regulations, and comes with a 10 year building guarantee. Each apartment will have a fully fitted kitchen (including white goods) as well as climate control air conditioning systems and all other furniture. Prices start at £ 63,200.

The Marina Caribe Resort is an amazing apart-hotel development, with 184 units consisting of studios and one and two bedroom apartments.

With the beach, the marina and an assortment of bars and restaurants close by; this complex is in an excellent location.

All apartments come fully furnished. There are no legal fees and a 10 year rental scheme, with the first two years offering 8 per cent guaranteed return. Prices start at £ 52,000.

Search for property in Venezuela

To browse for property in Margarita Island, such as villas, apartments or other types of real estate, why not check out TheMoveChannel.com Venezuela, which has a large number of listings from Venezuelan estate agents and developers selling properties in the area: http://venezuela.themovechannel.com/

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