Located in the Caribbean Sea between latitudes 10°52′N and 11°11′N and longitudes 63°48′W and 64°23′W, it belongs to the State of Nueva Esparta which also comprises the islands of Coche and Cubagua.

The island is formed by two peninsulas joined by an isthmus. It covers an area of 1,020 km². It splits into two sections linked by an 18-km (11-mi) spit of sand. It is 78 km long and its widest side measures roughly 20 km. The climate is very sunny and dry with temperatures from 24 to 37°C.

Most of the island’s 420,000 residents live in the more developed eastern part, especially in the city of Porlamar and adjoining city of Pampatar. Others are found in the much smaller city of La Asunción, the capital of the region or Juan Griego. Direct flights from Caracas and other Venezuelan cities, as well as scheduled or charter flights from a number of North American and European cities, ferries from Puerto La Cruz, Cumaná, and La Guaira also travel to the island.

Some tips from the Forumites…

Invest in bag balm.

Take numerous rashies as rash vest ming sets in really quickly in the humid air.
Practise drinking cocktails (or learn to cope with amazingly small beers)

Learn to recognise toadfish

Mug up on Salmonella

Watch out for the hilarious joke the fishermen play where they string a 500m rope under the surface and then sweep the sailing area with it

Work on your small talk so you can sustain a 9hr conversation with the couple next to you on the way to their all-inclusive

Numb your conscience, so when you change high denomination dollar bills on the black market, you don’t pause to speculate about what industry needs those high denomination bills

Practise parrot killing

Exchange cash on the black market (actually most of the shops in El Yaque, two grocers or internet cafe probably best bet) for a sensible exchange rate, often nearly double the official rate

Take large denomination dollar bills (20’s and 50’s) as you get a better (black market) rate

Cheap shorts are from the market an hour or so away so it depends whether you can be bothered

Most of the places are OK to eat - ask the CM staff if there’s anywhere they’re avoiding this week

Pizza place up the street next to hotel California is good but f-ing slow so try not to show up starving en masse (couple of nourishing cocktails first to take the edge off)

Feurze-6 “The chicken place” runs out of chicken after 7ish

The locals are really good at freestyle but really cr@p at pool - get on the tables early at Gabi’s and get some revenge

Cheap sarnies and milkshakes from the Beach bum bar in front of windsurf paradise

Fresh tuna salad from restaurant on the beach near the Vela center.

‘Chocco Monkey’ goes down a treat for a luiquid pudding (from the above place)

Cheap baguettes for lunch further down the beach towards pontoon.

Watch out for anyone driving seemingly drinking tea in a large thermal mug …. its not tea!

Happy hours! everywhere has one each with different cocktail menus. A coco loco was my personal favourite on the sun loungers on the terrace of the furthest bar towards the pontoon overlooking the freestyle action as the sun set.

Don’t try and spend your last local cash on bottles of dark rum at the airport, you won’t be able to carry the amount you can buy!!!!!! Its that Cheap!!!!!

House next door to fuerte-6 once opened up as a chicken bbq when fuerte-6 was shut. All they did was pollo and cola/serveza (chicken with a spot of salad and a coke or beer). Amazingly tasty and a tenth of the price.