Venezuela's Best Beaches - Visit Venezuela

Venezuela’s Best Beaches

Venezuela has the longest coastline of any Caribbean country. Where can you go to enjoy it? These are just some of Venezuela’s most beautiful beaches.

There is a very popular Venezuelan song that ends with the following phrase: “Bury my body near the sea, in Venezuela”. The thing is, although this South American country offers a great diversity of landscapes, including mountains and jungles, it is no secret that the beaches are at the top of its main tourist attractions.

The Venezuelan beaches are part of the Caribbean Sea, located west of the Atlantic Ocean, which has countless paradisiacal places. It is estimated that Venezuela has about 412 beaches and 314 islands, and has the longest coastline facing the Caribbean in the world (2,800 km2). Here are some of its best.

Morrocoy Marine National Park

Located in the west-central region of Venezuela, Morrocoy National Park is a protected island and marine reserve known for its mangroves, beaches and islands, called cayos. It has coral reefs, sea turtles and dolphins. One of its most popular places is Cayo Sombrero, considered the largest and most beautiful of all. But there are also other options, such as Playuela, Playuelita, Cayo Alemán, Mallorquina, Cayo de Pescadores, Playa Mero, Punta Brava, Boca Paiclás, Boca Seca, Los Juanes, Bajo Caimán and Cayo Sal.

Morrocoy is in the state of Falcón, about three or four hours by road from Caracas. There are no flight offers to the area and there are no airports in the vicinity of the park, so it can only be reached by land. The closest tourist town is Tucacas, where there is a wide range of accommodations.

The easiest and cheapest way to visit Morrocoy is by joining a full day tour from Caracas. Many companies offer full day tours leaving by bus from Caracas at around 9pm and returning at 9pm the following night. Full day tours usually leave on Friday and Saturday nights, and cost between $30 and $50 per person, usually including breakfast, lunch and some drinks. You can also join a full day catamaran tour with music, drinks and many beach stops.

Isla de Margarita (Margarita Island)

Also known as the “Pearl of the Caribbean”, Margarita is an island located in the northeast of Venezuela, recognized for having beaches everywhere. One of the most famous is Playa El Yaque, favoured by windsurfers and kitesurfers lovers, thanks to its air currents, and with a space of calm, shallow waters, ideal for family groups.

Playa Parguito and Playa El Agua also stand out. The first, due to its waves, perfect for surfing; and the second, for its white sand, crystal clear waters and for having a reservoir of baby turtles. Playa Caribe is another favourite among tourists, and is considered a resting place with moderate waves.

Most national airlines have commercial flights to Santiago Mariño Airport, on Margarita Island. Laser, Conviasa, Rutaca, Venezolana and Estelar are some of them, and they all depart from the Simón Bolívar Airport in Maiquetía, in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. It can also be reached by ferry from Puerto La Cruz, which you can reach by bus from the capital Caracas.

Los Roques

The Los Roques Archipelago is one of the most beautiful treasures in Venezuela. Not for nothing, it was chosen in 2023 by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The place is famous for its paradisiacal beaches and for having some of the most impressive underwater corals in the Caribbean. Visiting Los Roques is choosing between more than forty cayos, or islands, one more beautiful than the other. Francisquí, Madrisquí, Crasquí, Cayo de Agua, Cayo Muerto, Cayo Pirata and Cayo Fabián are some of the favourite islands.

One of the most popular activities in Los Roques is diving, thanks to its coral reefs. You can also snorkel, paddle, kayak, kitesurf, windsurf, fish, or simply enjoy the white sand, warm crystal-clear water and wonderful tropical climate.

If driving on interstate highways, it is recommended to avoid travelling at night through remote areas. You will often drive through police checkpoints, where you will be asked to show your passport, and may have your vehicle checked.

Unless you travel by private yacht, the way to get to this archipelago is by plane from Caracas Airport to Isla Gran Roque, which is the largest island of Los Roques, and where there is a town with several posadas and boutique hotels. Some are between $150 and $400 per night. Small boats leave from Gran Roque to visit the keys and the other islands.

Bahía De Cata (Cata Bay)

Cata Bay is one of the best-known beaches in the central Venezuelan region, and is located about three hours from Caracas by road, on the coast of the Aragua state. It is surrounded by palm trees and is divided into two large areas: Cata Pública, busier and where public buses arrive; and Cata Privada, the quieter and less visited side, but with more expensive services.

It is a beach with a lot of waves, so if you are looking for a place without waves, the ideal is to go to the pier that is on the far left of the beach and go to Catita, a quieter beach that is in the same bay.

Isla La Tortuga (Turtle Island)

La Tortuga is the second largest island in Venezuela, after Margarita, and is the perfect option for those looking to do adventure tourism. It is a paradise with white sand resorts and crystal clear waters, located off the coast of Barlovento, on the central Venezuelan coast. The place has no permanent inhabitants, only a small number of fishermen who come seasonally.

The island has an exclusive hotel with boat and helicopter transfers, and more affordable glamping areas which can organize weekend trips.

Canaima Lagoon

One of Venezuela’s most beautiful beaches isn’t even on the sea. Rather, you’ll find it deep in the rainforest on the shores of Canaima Lagoon. Canaima village is most popular as the base camp for trips to Salto Angel, or Angel Falls. But the village has its own sandy beach with a spectacular view of the small but powerful waterfall Salto Sapo.

The waters of Canaima lagoon are stained red from the sediment of the giant tepuy mountains. The beachfront is shared by several hotels, with play areas for local children. Anyone can sit on the warm sand and watch the waterfalls send up clouds of mist.

To visit the Canaima lagoon, book a trip to the Canaima national park. Oh, and maybe visit Angel Falls while you’re there!

Eudomar Chacón

Eudomar is a Venezuelan writer, actor, singer and coach with a passion for travel, theater and music.

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