Los Roques Archipelago National Park is Venezuela's crown jewel. Situated 85 miles north of Caracas and 100 miles east of Bonaire, it is the oldest and largest National Marine Reserve in all of the Caribbean.
The archipelago is comprised of 950 square miles of warm azure waters, strewn with 350 islands, islets, reefs, and spectacular pure white talcum-soft beaches. Established as a national park in 1972, it remains one of the best-preserved marine ecosystems in the Caribbean — a paradise of secluded and, until recently, largely unknown reefs alive with the unfettered wilderness of nature.
The lagoon acts as a nursery for all manner of fish life and is home to abundant conch. Tidal changes and currents wash nutrients and juvenile fish out into open water, attracting manta rays and eagle rays, and fueling the growth of enormous gorgonians.
Diving in the Los Roques archipelago is the very essence of a diving adventure. This is the kind of diving once found in the Caribbean 20 years ago, yet almost non-existent today. Huge amounts of marine life, walls of soft corals and sea whips descend to more than 200 feet through a kaleidoscope of tropical fish.
Along the flanks of submerged mountains, snappers, groupers, and jacks gaze while barracudas cruise in precise formation and stingrays lurk on the sandy bottom. A wide variety of dive sites — shallow reefs, perpendicular drop-offs, pinnacles, caves harboring sharks and crustaceans — provide experiences reminiscent of everything from the Galápagos to Bonaire.
As Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine famously declared: 'Los Roques — by far, the best new diving destination in the Caribbean.' The magazine praised the 'magical, wild, untamed diving' and noted 'more fish than I've ever seen in one place before' and 'reefs free of exploitation as I've found in 20 years of Caribbean diving.'
Los Roques has been named the best fly fishing destination in the world, particularly for bonefish. The vast, shallow flats that stretch between the islands create perfect habitat for bonefish, tarpon, and permit — the 'Grand Slam' trio that fly fishermen travel the world to pursue.
The crystal-clear waters allow sight-fishing in conditions that are unmatched anywhere in the Caribbean. Wading the flats at dawn, watching bonefish tail in the shallows as the sun rises over the archipelago, is an experience that keeps anglers returning year after year.
Los Roques is just a 30-minute flight from Caracas (Maiquetía International Airport). Once you arrive at Gran Roque, you can embark aboard your charter yacht and begin exploring this coral gem.
The archipelago has posadas (guesthouses) on Gran Roque ranging from basic to comfortable, and several excellent restaurants serving fresh seafood. However, for the true Los Roques experience, living aboard a charter yacht gives you access to the remote cays and deserted beaches that day-trippers never reach.
Park entry fees apply (approximately $100 USD for vessel and passengers). Cell phone coverage is available on Gran Roque but nowhere else in the archipelago.
Compare charter companies operating out of Gran Roqueand find the best routes to Venezuela's most remote islands.