We concluded, that it is essential to visit the coastal guard first to pick up the form, which all other agencies are supposed to stamp and the office for payment of fees at last. All other agencies [port control ANAYA, filing and issuing in and outbound clearance, respectively , immigration SAIME , national park office issuing the permit for access in restricted areas of the national park , national guard collecting ship and personal data in a handwritten book ] can most likely be visited in no predefined order.
Most officials spoke no English, except for port control, who at least knew a few words. Speaking Spanish is definitely a plus, but we managed with very little Spanish knowledge and there are local tourist guides available, who gladly help doing the paperwork for a small fee. As we cleared in the country there was an electricity outage, resulting in delays at SAIME who were supposed to copy our passports.
We have been asked to complete immigration the following day, but could finish all remaining clearance procedures at the first day. As the electricity outage continued also the next day, they took photos of our passports and issued immigration without taking copies the day after.
Our biggest hurdle in entering Los Roques was the lack of local currency bolivar and the fact that national authorities everyone else does did not accept USD.
As we did not succeed to change USD into bolivar also not at the pharmacy, which had been specified by previous reports on noonsite , we had been guided to Paul. Paul offered to transfer our national park fees 1. We gladly agreed and execution of conducted smoothly. All officials have been very supportive.
Paper filing at each office took us approximately 15 minutes, with 5 to 10 minutes walk in between the offices with 2 little kid. As we walked through town we noticed that the majority of shops has been closed, but restaurants still had sufficient supplies to serve food and drinks. The ones we tried did all accept USD, thus bolivars are only required for the national authorities.
We have been told that supply 2 ships each week from the mainland is still working well, thus assume that trading continues outside of the stores. Grand Roque is a very nice little town with colourful houses, white sand covered streets and a variety of shops and restaurants. It is most developed from all islands.
After completion of immigration, we travelled 3 miles northeast to Cayo Francis. Even though access to Cayo Francis is a bit tricky as one has to pass around several shallow spots which can not be done without local knowledge at night , the anchorage is popular as waters are quiet and are of stunning translucent beauty. Some of our nautical charts have been not accurate for this area, but supported by google earth pictures and eyeball navigation we successfully entered the bay.
We passed the most shallow spot 2. Holding again was very good over sand. We enjoyed our stay and have been amazed by the breathtaking colour play in the ocean. Unfortunately we have been in a bit of a rush, as we had an appointment on Curacao three days later. You'll return to Gran Roque in the late afternoon for your flight back to Caracas. The cost is BsF per person. Although there is a cattle-car feel to the operation, organization is tight, and the bilingual guides tend to be helpful, knowledgeable, and cheerful.
However, Los Roques is so isolated and enchanting, you'll definitely wish you had spent the night. By Plane -- Several daily flights connect Los Roques to Caracas and Isla de Margarita, with extra scheduled and charter flights on weekends and during peak periods although demand often outstrips supply, so I recommend reserving well in advance.
Prices fluctuate a little seasonally, and you can sometimes get good deals midweek or on afternoon flights to Los Roques. All visitors to Los Roques must pay a BsF46 one-time entrance fee for the national park, good for the duration of your stay. There are no passenger cars on Gran Roque -- just a garbage truck, a water truck, and a handful of golf carts.
You can walk from one end of the town of Gran Roque to the other in less than 10 minutes; you can hike to the more distant spots on the island in under an hour. The only permanent settlement is on the main island of Gran Roque. There are some private vacation homes and fishermen's shacks on some of the other islands, but for all intents and purposes, a visit to Los Roques implies a visit to Gran Roque.
Perfect for just relaxing or for some activity in the water. In addition to large fish and lobsters are other marine animals in Los Roques at home, an absolute must for Caribbean lovers and for an individual holiday far away from mass tourism. Furthermore, the coral archipelago is perfect for weddings or honeymoons, for the best time of Fresh lovers on one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean.
The flight to Los Roques from Caracas takes about 40 minutes. What makes Los Roques such an extraordinary place is the enormous extension of the calm sea, the presence of lagoons, cayos, beaches of bright white sand coral origin and crystal-clear water of unbelievable colours. The constant sea breeze, due to the NE trade-wind, is ideal for water sports such as wind surfing, kite surfing and sailing.
These are only some of the attractions the archipelago proposes to its visitors. It is a place without equal for fishing, diving and snorkelling.
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