Air
There are too many flight options to list here: check with local offices for details. Gen Santiago Mariño Airport, between Porlamar and Punta de Piedras, has the international and national terminals at either end. Airport tax US$8.55. Taxi from Porlamar US$15, 20-30 mins. There are scheduled flights to Frankfurt and internal flights to almost all Venezuela’s airports. All national airlines have routes to Margarita. Many daily flights to/from Caracas, with Aeropostal, Láser, and Aserca, 45 mins flight; tickets are much cheaper if purchased in Venezuela. Reservations made from outside Venezuela are not always honoured. To Canaima and to Los Roques with Aereotuy and Rutaca.
Bus
Local
: Por Puestos serve most of the island, minimum fare US$1, few services at night and in low season: Airport, from Centro Comercial AB, Av Bolívar; La Asunción, from Fajardo, Igualdad a Marcano; Pampatar, from Fajardo y La Marina; La Restinga, from Mariño, La Marina a Maneiro; Playa El Agua, from Guevara, Marcano a Cedeño; Juan Griego, from Av Miranda, Igualdad a Marcano; Playa Guacuco, from Fraternidad, La Marina a Mérito (mornings), from Fajardo, Igualdad a Velásquez (afternoons).
Long distance
: Several bus companies in Caracas sell through tickets from Caracas to Porlamar, arriving about midday. Buses return to Caracas from La Paralela bus station in Porlamar.
Ferry
From Puerto La Cruz to Margarita (Punta de Piedras): Conferry, Los Cocos terminal, Puerto La Cruz, freefone T0501-2663 3779, http:// extsw1conf.conferry.com/extranet/. Terminal has restaurant, CANTV and internet services. Price varies according to speed of ferry and class of seat, fast ferry 2-2½ hrs, 4-6 a day, slow ferry 5 hrs, 1-2 a day, night departures too (check times, extra ferries during high season). Fast ferry , passengers US$26.50-38.50 one way, over-60s and children 2-7 half price (proof of age required), cars US$44. Slow ferries US$12.50-15 one way. Conferry office in Porlamar, C Marcano entre Av Santiago Mariño y C Malaver, Mon-Fri 0800-1200, 1400-1730, Sat 0800-1200. Gran Cacique, 2-3 fast ferries a day Puerto la Cruz-Punta de Piedras, US$24-33.50 one way, T0281-263 0935 (Puerto La Cruz ferry terminal), T0295-239 8339 (Punta de Piedras, or Av Santiago Mariño, Edif Blue Sky, loc 3, Porlamar, T0295-264 2945). Ferries not always punctual. It is not uncommon for delays up to 6 hours in high season. It is most advisable to book in advance, especially if travelling with a car or motorbike during high season. Insist on a ticket even when you are told it is full. Don’t believe taxi drivers at bus terminal who may tell you there’s a ferry about to leave. To get to terminal in Puerto La Cruz, take ‘Bello Monte’ por puesto from Libertad y Anzoátegui, 2 blocks from Plaza Bolívar. From Cumaná ferry terminal, El Salado, Gran Cacique, T0293-432 0011, 2-3 a day, US$21-28 one way (children 3-7 and over-60s US$9.25-14), and Naviarca, T0293-431 5577, continuous service, US$14 one way for passengers (children 3-7 and over-60s half price), vehicles US$28, motorcycles US$16.25. A ferry operated by Conferry from Punta de Piedras to Coche sails 1-2 a day, US$2, 1 hr.
Note
Ferries are very busy at weekends and Mon.
Taxi
Taxi for a day is US$15 per hr. Always fix fare in advance; 30% extra after 2100. Taxi from Playa El Agua to airport, US$16, from Restinga, US$22.
