Los Roques is a Caribbean archipelago of white-sand cays and turquoise water, 40 minutes by small plane from Caracas, protected as a national park since 1972. No cars, no high-rises and beaches that are empty for real, not just in the brochure. This is how it works.
We are Venezuelans, and Los Roques is the destination we are asked for most. If you want to see how we put the trip together, this is our Los Roques trip (in Spanish), and we are happy to plan it with you in English.
Where Los Roques is
Los Roques is an archipelago of some fifty islands and around three hundred cays in the Caribbean Sea, about 176 km north of Caracas. The whole archipelago has been Archipiélago Los Roques National Park since 1972, which is why it still looks the way it does: clear water, coral reef and cays with nothing built on them.
Only one island is inhabited: Gran Roque, a village of sand streets, colourful guesthouses and fishing boats pulled up on the beach, with the airstrip a short walk from everything. You sleep there, and every morning a boat takes you to a different cay.
How to get to Los Roques
There is no regular boat for visitors: you fly. Small planes leave from Maiquetía, the Caracas airport, and the flight takes about 40 minutes, coming in low over the cays. A few things to know:
- Baggage is limited to about 10 kg in the hold on these small planes, so pack light.
- Morning departures: international flights land in Caracas in the afternoon or evening, so plan on one night in Caracas before flying to Los Roques.
- National park fee: it is paid on arrival at Gran Roque.
The best beaches and cays in Los Roques
Every morning, the boat skippers check where the wind is coming from and choose the cays with the calmest water. These are the ones worth knowing:
| Cay | From Gran Roque | What it is like | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrisquí | About 5 minutes | White sand and calm water right by the village | Your first afternoon |
| Francisquí | 10–20 minutes | Three joined cays with a natural pool | Snorkelling and families |
| Crasquí | Further, depending on wind | A long, open beach with little shade | Long beach days and walks |
| Carenero | About 30 minutes | A calm lagoon surrounded by mangroves | Children and flat water |
| Cayo de Agua | About 50 minutes | A sandbar between two seas, when the tide shows it | The photo of the trip |
| Dos Mosquises | 45 minutes to an hour | A distant cay with a sea turtle station | Seeing turtles and a long day out |
Times are approximate and depend on the sea, the wind and the boat. Our full guide to the beaches of Los Roques is in Spanish.
What to do in Los Roques
Mostly, water. The whole archipelago is coral reef, so snorkelling works almost anywhere, and Francisquí's natural pool is the best place to start. For scuba diving there are dive centres on Gran Roque. The wind from December to May makes it one of the best spots in the Caribbean for kitesurfing and windsurfing.
Los Roques is also famous worldwide for bonefishing: fly fishing on the shallow sand flats, always with a guide and always catch and release, because it is a national park. And with children it works beautifully, thanks to the lagoons with no waves.
The best time to visit Los Roques
Any time of year. The Venezuelan Caribbean has no bad season for swimming; what changes is the wind, which is stronger from December to May, the season for kite and windsurf. Weekdays are quieter than weekends and Venezuelan holidays.
How many days you need
Three or four nights is ideal: enough for several different cays, near and far, without rushing, and leaving the wind to choose the order. With a night in Caracas on the way in, it fits easily into a week, or into a longer trip combined with Angel Falls.
Before you travel
US citizens need a Venezuelan visa, which is not issued on arrival; since April 2026 it is applied for online as an e-visa, according to EY. Requirements for other nationalities vary, so check them with your government before booking. In the cays there is no shop and little shade: bring high-factor sun protection, a rash guard and water, and take everything back with you. For the big question, read our honest answer to is Venezuela safe?
In short
A 40-minute flight from Caracas, a village of sand streets and a different empty cay every morning: that is Los Roques. The small plane, the park fee, a guesthouse on Gran Roque and the boat each morning are what we organise for you. Have a look at our Los Roques trip and write to us on WhatsApp for a tailor-made proposal.
