La Blanquilla — 'The White One' — is the island of white sandy beaches northwest of Isla Margarita. Located 60 miles north of Juan Griego and 70 miles northwest of Porlamar on Isla Margarita, this 72-square-mile limestone island is shaped like an arrowhead and named for its bright white sand beaches.
La Blanquilla sits well off the beaten track of charter boats. It is low-lying, about 50 feet high at its peak, and surrounded by spectacular beaches, water you can see straight through to the sand, and some of the best snorkeling you will find without a crowd. Most sailors skip this one, which is exactly why you should go. The beaches are so white they hurt your eyes at noon, and the water is so clear you can count sea urchin spines at 30 meters.
Blanquilla is the undisputed home of Venezuelan wall diving, sitting as it does on the edge of a deep open oceanic trench. The wall starts just 65 feet from shore and drops more than 3,000 feet. Straight down.
At some spots, including the famous Piedra del Ahogado ('The Drowned Rock'), coral pinnacles scratch the water's surface before dropping away into darkness. The walls are covered in black corals, which are increasingly hard to find throughout the world. Massive barrel sponges, delicate sea fans, and dense forests of whip corals decorate the vertical faces.
The waters here are cooler than Los Roques due to deep ocean upwelling, which creates a completely different underwater ecosystem. With luck, divers may encounter dolphins, manta rays, small whales, and reef sharks patrolling the wall.
Los Hermanos — eight miles southeast of La Blanquilla — are five dramatic rock spires rising up from the ocean depths to form a convenient anchorage for fishing boats. The local crews often clean their catch here, discarding the scraps overboard where it becomes manna from heaven for a dense collection of fat and happy fish — from moray eels to barracuda and triggerfish.
For divers, Los Hermanos offers some of the most exciting underwater terrain in the southern Caribbean, with sheer underwater cliffs, swim-throughs, and encounters with large pelagic fish that are drawn to the nutrient-rich waters around the rock spires.
La Blanquilla's beaches are among the finest in the Caribbean, each with its own character and appeal. On the western coast, Playa El Yaque has flour-fine white sand and easy snorkeling right off the beach — no experience needed.
Playa El Americano ('The American Beach') is a different scene entirely, with a natural stone bridge and home to numerous Cachicares (a type of small eagle) and large iguanas that bask on the warm rocks.
Las Tres Playas ('The Three Beaches') rounds out the trio of must-visit shores — three crescent-shaped bays separated by low rocky headlands, each offering different conditions for swimming, snorkeling, and beachcombing.
A few fishermen live on the island during the fishing season, and joining them for an early morning fishing expedition is one of the best experiences you can have in the Caribbean. Setting out before dawn in a traditional wooden boat, watching the sunrise paint the sky over the open ocean, and then hauling in fresh fish for your dinner that evening — it does not get much better than that.
Preparing the day's catch later on the beach, with nothing but the sound of waves and seabirds for company, is the kind of evening that makes you forget what day of the week it is.
The Venezuelan Guardia Costa (Coast Guard) occasionally visits Blanquilla to check vessel documentation and crew papers. They are generally friendly and professional. Ensure your vessel papers, passports, and any required Venezuelan entry documents are easily accessible. Some cruisers report being visited within hours of anchoring.
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