The free trade port of Porlamar, located on the southeastern tip of Margarita Island, is a rather quiet, chamber resort, “sharpened” for an excellent beach holiday surrounded by very beautiful nature and spending in multi-storey shopping malls not restrained by annoying VAT. Here you can stay in vast resort complexes right on the coast (however, adjusted for island size), and in nice family hotels. Gourmets will appreciate all kinds of dishes from lobsters and other seafood, and artistic natures will dilute lying on the beach with a visit to the museum of local artist Francisco Narvaez. In a word, a little of everything for every taste. See healthvv for South America overview.
Porlamar is entirely duty-free, so shopping here is extremely profitable.
How to get to Porlamar
According to a2zgov, Porlamar is located on the southeastern tip of Margarita Island, 20 km from Santiago Marina International Airport, where regular flights land from Caracas and other cities of the country, as well as local settlements. It is most convenient to overcome the distance from the airport to the city center by taxi – they are not expensive at all and will take you to your destination in about half an hour.
You can also arrive in Porlamar by ferry – to the city itself or the second port of the island – Punta de Piedras, 29 km from Porlamar. On the mainland, ferries depart from Puerto La Cruz and Cumana. Travel time varies from 3 to 4 hours, the ticket price is 180-260 VEF. A bus ticket from Punta de Piedras to Porlamar costs about 8-10 VEF. Prices on the page are for July 2021.
Transport in the city
In the center of Porlamar you can move on foot – in a colonial way, wide avenues and picturesque promenades along the sea are conducive to walks. For trips over longer distances, it is recommended to use the services of a taxi – it will cost mere pennies. Do not forget to decide on the fare before boarding the car. In Porlamar, there are also mini-buses that quickly carry the local population around the districts. There are also intercity buses and minibuses connecting the city with other settlements on the island.
Porlamar Hotels
There are about twenty hotels in Porlamar – from resort complexes like the Concorde to modest and pleasant family pensions with a homely atmosphere. Beach hotels have their own access to the ocean, from the city to the beach you have to walk or take a taxi.
Accommodation prices start at about 80 USD per room, in expensive hotels they ask from 200 USD per person. Family hotels always have a restaurant, so if you want to try real Venezuelan cuisine, you should definitely dine “at home”.
Bella Vista is the main city beach and a popular holiday destination for tourists and locals. The surface is fine sand.
Beaches
Of the more than 300 km of excellent beaches, there are many in Porlamar and the surrounding suburbs, so you can enjoy the sun and swimming in the ocean here to the fullest. The beaches of Porlamar are sandy, in some places there are rocky areas, so you need to be careful when walking along the bottom. Hotels on the first line have their own sections of the coast, equipped with umbrellas, sunbeds and everything you need.
Bella Vista is the main city beach and a popular holiday destination for tourists and locals. The coverage is fine sand, the beach is located in a natural semi-bay, so sea disturbances are minimal here. The excellent Concord Beach belongs to the hotel complex of the same name. The Valdes beach in the southeastern part of the city is small and quiet, with a very beautiful palm “frame”. And the beach on the east coast, next to the El Morro lagoon, was chosen by surfers – there is an open ocean and almost always decent excitement.
Cuisine and restaurants in Porlamar
Fish and seafood are the main strong point of Porlamarian chefs. You can try everything that the waters of the Atlantic are rich in in a huge number of cafes, restaurants and restaurants with a name, which are literally on every street of the city. Their largest concentration is, of course, on the waterfront (the ocean view is included for free) and on the main street of the city.
While in Porlamar, be sure to go to dinner at the oldest institution in the city, La Casa de la Langosta (“The Lobster House”), which has been serving a respectable audience for 20 years now. As the name suggests, the restaurant’s specialty is lobster in almost a dozen different variations – hot, cold and marinated, with all sorts of sauces and a la naturel.
In addition, in the city you can eat chicken dishes everywhere (look for the sign “Pollo…”), as well as products of quasi-world cuisine – pizza, spaghetti, rice, vegetable stews, and so on.
3 things to do in Porlamar
- Swim at Bella Vista Beach.
- Eat lobster at a restaurant with history, La Casa de la Langosta.
- Join the beauty in the museum of the artist Francisco Narvaez.
Shopping and stores
Tempting for every shopaholic, the saying “tax-free” in Porlamar hits the eyes literally at every turn. The entire city is a duty-free zone, so shopping here is extremely beneficial. In order to encourage tourists to spend, Porlamar has acquired several European-style shopping centers – multi-storey, with a huge range of brands. You can buy almost everything here: clothes, shoes and accessories, cosmetics and perfumes, leather goods, interior items and electronics.
The two largest malls in Porlamar are the pompous Sambil and the six-story Jumbo, but besides them, the city has a huge number of shopping centers and hypermarkets.
In addition to the ubiquitous world brands in Porlamar, you can also buy “general Venezuelan” souvenirs – countless varieties of rum, wicker Indian hammocks and mats, baskets, original hats and capes. Please note that private souvenir shops close for lunch, which lasts from about 12:00 to 15:00 here.
Entertainment and attractions of Porlamar
Beach holidays and enjoying the unhurried rhythm of local life are the main “trick” of Porlamar, so you should not be picky about the sights of the city.
A cultural “dose” can be obtained at the museum of the artist Francisco Narvaez, located at the intersection of Igualdad and Diaz streets. On the first floor, canvases and sculptures by a native of the island are exhibited, the second is reserved for temporary exhibitions.
For the sake of exoticism, you can go to the Porlamar food market – take a look at the freshly caught seafood and admire the variety of vegetables and fruits, as well as the colorful color of the locals.
Several nightclubs are responsible for nightly entertainment – the beach “Kami Beach”, the American “Chierz”, the cheerful “Senior Frog” and the rock cafe “British Bulldog” with live music concerts.
