Beaches & islands
How do you get to Margarita Island in 2026? Flights, ferries, beaches and the free port
Official stated by a public body on its page, in a statement or in the Gazette. Reported from operators, press or travel media, with their date. Unconfirmed no reliable source: confirm before you go.
You reach Margarita Island by plane into Porlamar or by ferry from Puerto La Cruz or Cumaná on the mainland. Six airlines fly in from Caracas, Copa starts flights from Panama on 26 November 2026, and the Conferry ferry from Puerto La Cruz, back since 26 June 2026, costs 30 US dollars per adult.
Flying in
Porlamar’s Santiago Mariño airport (code PMV) is about 12 km west-southwest of the city Reported.
- From Panama: Copa has announced Panama City (Tocumen)–Porlamar from 26 November 2026 Reported. For many foreign travellers that means skipping Caracas altogether.
- From Caracas: Laser, Conviasa, Avior, Estelar, Rutaca and Venezolana fly the route Reported. An aggregator counted 20 weekly Laser flights, 10 with Conviasa and 5 with Avior, undated Reported.
- Flight time: about 35 minutes from the mainland, says Wikivoyage, without naming the city Reported.
| Fare seen | Price | Date of the data |
|---|---|---|
| Laser, Caracas–Porlamar, from | US$95 per leg | Nov 2026 |
| Avior, return (aggregator) | US$119 | undated |
On 8 November 2026, Laser’s site showed “from US$95” on several dates in November and December 2026 and February 2027 Reported. It is a snapshot of the last 48 hours, and the page labelled the same 95 as return on some dates and one-way on others, so treat it as a per-leg price and check when you buy.
If you connect through Caracas: after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes of 24 June 2026, Maiquetía airport reopened on 1 September 2026 in a temporary terminal with reduced capacity Reported. Give yourself a long connection.
The ferry from Puerto La Cruz (Conferry)
The Puerto La Cruz–Margarita route was suspended from 20 January 2025 for major work on the ship. It came back on 26 June 2026 Reported. Tickets are sold and booked at conferry.online, and the company warns the schedule is “subject to change”.
Fares published by Conferry, updated on 1 July 2026 Reported:
| Ticket or vehicle | Price (Jul 2026) |
|---|---|
| Adult | US$30 |
| Reduced fare | US$15 |
| VIP | US$75 |
| Pet (in a carrier, with vaccination card) | US$15 |
| Bicycle | US$10 |
| Motorbike | US$80 |
| Car | US$130 |
| SUV / station wagon | US$160 |
| Pickup | US$180 |
| Double-cab pickup | US$230 |
The reduced fare covers women aged 55 and over, men over 60, children aged 2 to 12 and people with disabilities Reported.
Puerto La Cruz is about 326 km from Caracas, roughly 5.4 hours of driving Reported (approx., computed on OpenStreetMap, without traffic).
The ferry from Cumaná
From Cumaná the crossing lands at Punta de Piedras and is run by Gran Cacique Express (Naviarca). In June 2026 it posted an updated schedule for its fast boat Gran Cacique III on social media Reported. We found no official 2026 fares. An aggregator quotes about 24 dollars and 3 h 50 min, and a March 2026 guide says 24 to 32 dollars per adult Unconfirmed. Check the operator’s social media before you go.
Beaches, with one sourced fact each
- Playa El Agua. Popular for its waves and restaurants, but Wikivoyage warns the surf can get very rough and there are no lifeguards on duty Reported. Swim with care.
- El Yaque. Village and beach about 10 minutes from the airport, internationally known for windsurfing and kitesurfing Reported.
- Juan Griego. A town of about 45,000 people. Next to the centre stands La Galera fort, scene of an independence-war battle in the early 1820s Reported.
- Parguito. Listed in guides, but we found no sourced fact about it Unconfirmed.
We have no verified guesthouse prices. Put your quotes into the trip budget calculator.
Money on the island
US dollars are widely accepted in Venezuela, and you can’t withdraw cash from foreign bank accounts at local ATMs, according to Canada’s travel advice Official. Paying in cash dollars carries a 3% IGTF surcharge on the whole bill, VAT included Reported. Bring enough cash for the whole stay.
The free port: what it means for your luggage
Margarita and Coche have a special customs regime under the Nueva Esparta Free Port Law, which is in force Official.
Decree 5,293 (Official Gazette 7,014), dated 20 March 2026, extended the exemption from VAT and “any tax, fee or levy” for goods leaving the Margarita free port and the Paraguaná free zone as accompanied luggage Official. The cap is the equivalent of 3,000 times the exchange rate of the highest-value currency published by the Central Bank of Venezuela Official. A reform of the law was proposed in March 2026 and was still a proposal in June Reported.
This is not customs advice. If you plan to shop in quantity, keep your receipts and check your home country’s allowance too.
Before you book
- Visas. Canadians need a visa before travelling, not issued on arrival Official; the US embassy says the same for US citizens Unconfirmed.
- Travel advice. Canada advises against all travel to Venezuela, and the UK against all but essential travel to most of it Official. Read is Venezuela safe to visit for each government’s advice and its date, and check your insurance.
- More of Venezuela. For the Andes, see the Mérida cable car. For cays and calm water, Morrocoy National Park.
Questions people ask
Can I fly to Margarita Island without going through Caracas?
Copa has announced a Panama City–Porlamar route starting on 26 November 2026. Otherwise, flights into Porlamar come from Caracas, with Laser, Conviasa, Avior, Estelar, Rutaca and Venezolana.
How much is the ferry from Puerto La Cruz to Margarita?
Conferry's fares, updated on 1 July 2026: 30 US dollars per adult, 15 for the reduced fare, 75 for VIP and 130 for a car. The route reopened on 26 June 2026 after being suspended since January 2025.
How much does a Caracas–Porlamar flight cost?
In November 2026 Laser's website showed fares from about 95 US dollars per leg on some dates. A booking aggregator saw 119 dollars return with Avior, undated. Fares change daily, so check with the airline.
Is Margarita still a duty-free island?
Yes. The Nueva Esparta Free Port Law is in force, and Decree 5,293 of 20 March 2026 extended the tax exemption on goods leaving the island as accompanied luggage, up to a limit tied to the Central Bank exchange rate.
Which Margarita beach is best for kitesurfing?
El Yaque, about 10 minutes from the airport, is internationally known for windsurfing and kitesurfing, according to Wikivoyage.
Sources checked on November 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport (accessed 2026-11-08)
- Laser: Caracas–Porlamar flights (accessed 2026-11-08)
- Kayak: Caracas–Porlamar route (accessed 2026-11-08)
- Wikivoyage: Isla Margarita (accessed 2026-11-08)
- El Diario: Conferry ticket prices (2026-08-19)
- El Diario: Puerto La Cruz–Margarita route returns (2026-06-09)
- El Universal: accompanied-luggage exemption extended, Decree 5,293 (2026-03-22)
- National Assembly: Nueva Esparta Free Port Law
- Government of Canada: Venezuela travel advice (updated 2026-10-13)
- OSRM on OpenStreetMap: distance calculation (2026-11-08)
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