It’s
all true! Those folks who’ve found their mecca on Isla Margarita, and have
shared their thoughts with you, tell it like it is! Gentle tropical
breezes, the azure blue Caribbean, exquisite views, fun of all types, friendly
and welcoming people.
And, with the current
exchange rate, all for pennies a day! After a most memorable vacation,
this is definitely my Paradise for vacations to come! I figured it out.
My week in Isla Margarita cost me less than a week at Myrtle
Beach. My traveling companion and I selected the Portofino Resort
Complex package. Located on the northeast coast of Isla Margarita
just next to the popular Playa El Agua beach area, the
well-groomed and well-managed Portofino Resort has everything you could
want or need.
Enjoy
the clean and comfortable accommodations and the beautiful grounds. There
are several pools for “quiet”, “sports” or “fun” activities. The Portofino
boasts several open-air buffet restaurants (with the comfortable temperature,
almost everything in Isla Margarita is open-air), an air-conditioned ala
carte restaurant (with food as delicious as I’ve tasted anywhere), and
even a pizza/hamburger snack bar. Eat any time you’re hungry. Our
vacation package included all the food you could eat and all the local
beverages you could drink at the several resort bars. (“Local” means
locally sold brands of beer, wine and liquor. We sampled generously and
found them all quite good.)
We were
treated like royalty! The management and the staff bent over backward
to make our stay pleasant. Bill O’Brien, the President of Veterans Vacations
and a resident of the Portofino at the time of our stay, was a gracious
host. He supplied us with tips on local attractions, scheduled our island
jeep expedition, suggested shopping trips, provided real estate information,
translated for us on numerous occasions, and provided us assistance through
his vast local network. It was the middle of May when we vacationed
- not yet “high” season. We were the only Americans (you could tell because
we were the only ones using sunscreen), along with several Europeans.
Many Columbians
and Venezuelans vacation at the Portofino. Personally, I liked being among
the local folks. It was fun immersing in the local culture, and we were
treated like one of the “family”. No military connections? No problem.
No question
about it! Isla Margarita is a vacation in Paradise! I exchanged $200 US
for Bolivars (the official exchange rate in May 2005 was 2150 B’s/$1 US,
and we got an even better exchange on the local market).
I bought gifts,
ate out a couple of times, took taxi’s here and there, and still had a
bunch of B’s to spare. Some of those B’s went for exit taxes (count on
almost $100 US in entrance and exit taxes in Venezuela). Some B’s are safely
stowed away for my trip next year. We are definitely going back! Where
else can you get Paradise for pennies?
Picture
this: For my 65th birthday dinner, we ate at a French restaurant on
the beach in Playa El Agua. VIP seating under a crescent moon and myriad
stars. The Caribbean lapping gently a few feet away, a beautiful sunset
beyond the mountains, and a gentle tropical breeze to accompany my delicious
(and inexpensive!) meal! This is Isla Margarita! Paradise for Pennies!
