Archipelago de Los Roques is a chain of islands and coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea about 166 km north of the Venezuelan mainland. Administratively, they are part of Venezuela's Federal Dependencies.

Francisqui, Los Roques

Understand

The Archipelago de Los Roques National Park spans 225,153 hectares of sea and land and includes over 40 cayos or islands as well as some 250 coral reefs.

History

Declared a National Park in 1972.

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Climate

Hot and unforgiving. There is very little shade on the cays, and even sun umbrellas don't stop all the sun's rays. If you burn easily, be sure to slap on protection at all times.

Get in

By Plane

About a 40 min flight from Maiquetia in fairly small planes, landing at the air strip on Gran Roque. There are also flights from Porlamar on Margarita Island.

By Boat

Private yachts stop off at the islands but there is no commercial ferry service.

Fees/Permits

Entry to the Park must be paid upon landing in Gran Roque. The latest prices were Bs.18,000 for Venezuelans and Bs.30,000 for foreigners.

Get around

The easiest but not the cheapest way of seeing Los Roques is by organising an all-inclusive tour from Caracas. If you arrange your own accommodation, your posada will probably find a boat that can take you out to the cays and may include it in the cost of your room. Alternatively, you can approach boat captains at the harbour area on Gran Roque. However you get out to the islands, almost all the boats, or lanchas, will leave you there all day and come back to pick you up around 4 pm.

On Gran Roque, the only vehicle is the rubbish cart, and everywhere can be reached by foot.

See

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Gran Roque, Los Roques

Lodging

Camping

Backcountry

Stay safe

Get out