Beaches & islands
How do you visit Morrocoy National Park? Cays, boats, prices and the 2026 rules
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.
Morrocoy is a national park of cays and beaches in Falcón state, and you visit it by boat from Tucacas or Chichiriviche. At Carnival 2024 a boat to a cay cost 20 to 32 US dollars per person. Since February 2026 there are new rules: tourist registration through an app and mooring on buoys only.
Tucacas or Chichiriviche: where the boats leave
You don’t explore the park by road: the cays are reached by boat. Boats leave from the docks in Tucacas and Chichiriviche, either shared (you join other passengers) or private (you hire the boat for your group) Reported.
Pick your base by the cays you want to see and where you find a room. Always ask at the dock what time the last boat back leaves.
What boats and day trips cost
The latest sourced prices are from Carnival 2024, reported by El Diario Reported. Almost two years have passed and prices have very likely risen. Use them as a rough idea, not as today’s rate.
| Service | Price (Carnival 2024) |
|---|---|
| Boat to Cayo Sombrero, Cayo Sal, Cayo Varadero or Cayo Muerto | US$20–32 per person |
| General boat tour | US$20–50 per person |
| Full day Cayo Sombrero | US$20–35 per person |
| Full day Punta Varadero | US$30–45 per person |
| Full day Cayo Muerto | US$35–45 per person |
| Group package | US$80–120 |
| Couples deal with transfer from Caracas | US$65 |
The couples deal included transport from Caracas, the boat, breakfast and lunch, but not shade or chairs Reported. Full-day trips left from Caracas, Valencia or Maracay, and operators asked for a 5 to 10 dollar deposit to hold your seat Reported.
Where to sleep and what to eat
Also from El Diario, Carnival 2024 Reported:
| Expense | Price (Carnival 2024) |
|---|---|
| Guesthouse in Tucacas or Chichiriviche, per night | US$50–150 |
| 4-day, 3-night package with transfer from Caracas | US$140–270 |
| Simple meal | US$10 |
| Dinner at a good restaurant | US$30 |
Carnival is peak season, so prices at other times may differ. If your package includes the boat or meals, don’t count them twice. Put your quotes into the trip budget calculator.
Park fees and permits
An undated travel guide says INPARQUES, the national parks authority, charges 1 to 3 dollars at the dock or checkpoint, a bit more for foreigners Unconfirmed. We found no current official fee.
Visiting Playuela requires a prior permit from INPARQUES, according to 2026 press reports Reported. Ask for it before you go.
Bring cash in small US dollar bills. Dollars are widely accepted, and you can’t withdraw cash from foreign bank accounts at Venezuelan ATMs, according to Canada’s travel advice Official.
The 2026 rules: registration and buoys
At Carnival 2026 a party on Cayo Los Juanes went over the park’s visitor limit. INPARQUES reported two arrests for alleged damage to the park Official.
On 24 February 2026, acting president Delcy Rodríguez announced Official:
Mandatory tourist registration
An app to control visitor numbers, also meant for Holy Week. We could not find the app's name or link Unconfirmed, so ask your guesthouse or operator whether you need to register before you reach the dock.
Mooring on buoys only
Boats must tie up to buoys and not over the coral.
A technical working group
With INPARQUES and the Environment Ministry, to manage use of the park.
She also ruled out closing the park Official. In practice: respect the limits, don’t stand on coral and take your rubbish back with you.
A park since 1974
Morrocoy National Park was created on 26 May 1974, according to Wikidata Reported.
Getting there
From Plaza Bolívar in Caracas to Tucacas is about 253 km, roughly 3.9 hours of driving Reported (approx., computed on OpenStreetMap, without traffic). Real journeys take longer with traffic and checkpoints. On a full-day tour, transport is usually included.
Most international travellers arrive at Caracas–Maiquetía, which reopened on 1 September 2026 in a temporary terminal after the 24 June earthquakes Reported.
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.
- More of Venezuela. For a bigger island with more flights, see Margarita Island. For the Andes, the Mérida cable car.
Questions people ask
How much is a boat to the cays in Morrocoy?
The latest sourced figures are from Carnival 2024: 20 to 32 US dollars per person to Cayo Sombrero, Cayo Sal, Cayo Varadero or Cayo Muerto, depending on the cay. Prices have very likely gone up since, so ask at the dock.
Where do the boats to Morrocoy leave from?
From the docks in Tucacas and Chichiriviche, as shared or private boats.
Do I need to register before visiting Morrocoy?
In February 2026 the government announced a mandatory tourist registration app to control visitor numbers. We could not find the app's name or link, so ask your guesthouse or boat operator before you go.
How far is Morrocoy from Caracas?
About 253 km to Tucacas, roughly 4 hours of driving according to our calculation on OpenStreetMap, without traffic.
Sources checked on November 8, 2026
- El Diario: what Morrocoy costs and full-day prices (2024-02-05)
- El Diario: registration app for Morrocoy visitors (2026-02-24)
- El Diario: Morrocoy will not close (2026-02-24)
- El Diario: Morrocoy tag (accessed 2026-11-08)
- Wikidata: Morrocoy National Park (accessed 2026-11-08)
- Government of Canada: Venezuela travel advice (updated 2026-10-13)
- OSRM on OpenStreetMap: distance calculation (2026-11-08)
Something changed or looks wrong? Send us a correction.