es, Casa Viento is known for Windsurfing and kite sailing, but there is a plenty to do that does not involve either one, so we suggest the following diversions:

COCADA PARTY - What do the Casa Viento gardeners do with all those coconuts? Once a week or so, we make cocodas from our coconuts and local rum. Get to know your fellow guests who you missed at breakfast. Good times for all - ask anyone who's been there. BOOGIE BOARD - This is best integrated with an island tour. Casa Viento has some boards for use. There are three primary locations to choose from. Waves seldom exceed a meter in height unless there's a storm offshore. Fun, and accessible to anyone.   SNORKELING/DIVING - You can snorkel off the bluff where the locals fish, but more interesting areas require a boat ride. There is diving in these other places as well. Los Frailes, Cubagua, El Coche, and La Guardia each offer something a little different. Los Roques is the best. There are half day and all day snorkel and dive trips that can be arranged. You will be picked up at Casa Viento and brought back. TOUR LA RESTINGA - Resembles the Everglades. A one hour tour for 5 people is $15. This is a national park and area of international ecological significance. It's a moving experience, and one of my absolute favorites and not to be missed. There are sea horses and parrots as you take a boat ride through the mangroves. MARINE MUSEUM - Close to La Restinga, visit both the same day. Marine charts, fishing boats, fish, forts, dioramas, nicely done, something for everyone. SURFING - There is some surfing on the north and east coasts. It's a bit hit or miss with November to January storm surges generally being the strongest. RUN THE DESERT TRAIL - Run to the beach then along the coast and into the desert where there is a well defined trail that is a loop. There are also maps and photos of the routes in the rooms. The desert environment is very spectacular with small owls and bright red cardinals and only steps away. EXPLORE THE SPANISH MAIN - Margarita is filled with forts built by the Spanish to protect against pirates. They are in various states of restoration. As you might expect, the common denominator is great views. RELAX BY THE POOL - First thing in the morning, after sailing, or just anytime, swim, read a book and relax. SHOP DUTY FREE - Porlamar is a mecca for duty free shopping, so go and worship. CATAMARAN TRIPS - The hemisphere's largest day charter cat, Catatumbo, runs daily from Porlamar to El Coche, with a stop on the reef to snorkel. It's mostly a booze cruise but the ship is very nice and the trip is scenic. Cats are the primary way to see Los Roques. HORSEBACK RIDING - A great adventure - the guides are wonderful; the trails, both mountain and beach in the same trip, are scenic; the stables are clean, the horses well behaved but by no means old nags. You are given a lot more freedom than in the States. Mountain portion of the horseback ride. ENJOY FINE DINING - Venezuelan food is simple and fresh but also varied. I have a notebook in the rooms that I update with menus, my favorites and price ranges. Playa El Agua. EXPLORE BEAUTIFUL BEACHES - Whether you are seeking secluded beaches, tourist beaches or something in between; you'll find plenty. VISIT FISHING VILLAGES - Fishing was once the backbone of the economy in Margarita and was the biggest cultural influence. Those days have passed but fishing still has a big impact. There are lots of villages where you can watch fishermen at work; pulling in nets loaded with fish, unloading the nets, repairing the nets, working on boats… In Manzanillo most of the village comes out to help with the pull in the nets. GET INTO "CARIBBEAN COMA" - After a few days you’ll get into the local flow and feel your blood pressure drop. GAMBLE IN THE CASINOS - There are casinos if you like to gamble. SALSA IN THE NIGHTCLUBS - Venezuelans are party animals and love music and dancing. The clubs in Porlamar rarely get rolling before midnight but once they do watch out! Things begin to slow down at about 4 a.m. can steer you to this season's happening places. El Yaque has Los Pirates for the late night bash. HIKE IN THE RAIN FOREST - Margarita has mountains 3000 feet ( 900 meters) high. As soon as you start climbing the moisture level increases substantially and the vegetation changes completely. There are a number of trails with varying degrees of difficulty. READ A GOOD BOOK - When was the last time you had this luxury? Casa Viento has plenty of shady, breezy spots with chaise lounges, sky chairs or hammocks where you can rediscover the power of the written word. We have accumulated a good library, so take a book, leave a book. KAYAK - Kayaks are available for rent, and the lagoon immediately east of Casa Viento is a wonderful place to go. There are lots of birds and it's a cleansing way to start the day. It is an early morning event, as the wind is too much sometimes even by 9 a.m. BEACH VOLLEYBALL - on no wind days there will be plenty of people looking to play. PLAY BASKETBALL - Every Venezuelan village, no matter how small, has it's central basketball court. El Yaque is no exception. The local kids know all about the NBA. AMUSEMENT PARK - Porlamar has an amusement park with a state of the art roller coaster with a loop and barrel roll. Get the feel for your next move on the water!! The park also has a monstrous Ferris wheel - as well as the usual, and some unusual rides- all for under 10 dollars. DIVERLAND - Want to swim with the dolphins? - Jump in! TOUR TO ANGEL FALLS - The world's highest waterfall at 3,600 feet (1100 meters). A day trip generally costs about $160 per person. When we went it was the high point of a month of 30-40 knot sailing in El Yaque. You fly by a couple times , then stop at Canaima, a group of smaller falls that are quite spectacular as well. You'll skirt the falls in a dug out boat, then take a short hike to a beautiful pool at the base of Sapo Falls. After a swim you'll walk behind the falls through a crack in the rock. The power of the falls crashing next to you is a heck of a rush. TOUR LOS ROQUES - You'll think you are in the South Pacific. Los Roques is a true treasure. There is every color of sea; deep purple, midnight blue, navy blue, turquoise, pale green, clear; all contrasted against brilliant white sand. The intensity of the colors is awesome. It's a one hour flight; a nice way to do it is with one overnight and an early morning return. The daytime sun will make you wilt; there's little shade and a light breeze. You need a swimsuit, hat, long sleeves, serious sunscreen, sunglasses, water shoes, and a change of clothes. Don't forget a camera; preferable a waterproof disposable. Tours have a catamaran trip; both sailing and motoring. Lunch is quite tasty. The catamaran stops at several locations, allowing you to explore, and lands at a spectacular snorkeling venue. By the end of the day you'll be totally wasted but it will be one of the most memorable days of your life. Cost runs around $160 for one day or $225 for the overnight. Last year there were a lot of 2 for 1 sales making it a great bargain.

Click here for more snorkeling photos.       Click here for more photos of La Restinga. Click here for more running photos Click Here for more Spanish Main Photos Click Here for more pictures and information about Trimaran Tours The beach portion of the horseback ride. Click here for more Horseback Riding Photos. Playa Caribe. Click here to see more beach photos. Click here for more hiking photos. Angel Falls. Click here for more photos of the tour. Los Roques. Click here for more photos of Los Roques.

AN ISLAND TOUR

It's a shame that the typical windsurfer vacationing in El Yaque seems to be so firmly planted there. There is world class food readily available in Porlamar; a mere 25 minutes away. Prices are generally much lower than in El Yaque and there is an enormous selection. You can integrate a dinner trip with a survey of the nighttime street vendors on Avenida Santiago Marino or a trip to the casinos or you can have a great lunch during an island tour. If you like lighter wind, sail in the morning then go out to lunch and tour. If you like higher wind, tour in the morning, have lunch, and be back in time for the afternoon blast.

Margarita is an incredibly diverse and beautiful island. Many windsurfers are so focused on sailing that they don't even explore the island. Several companies offer island tours with English speaking guides. If you have a sense of adventure you can rent a car and find your own way. This gives you more freedom than a tour and the price is equivalent if you hook up with some friends. If you avoid Hertz, Avis, Dollar and the other big name companies a daily rental will be about $40. It's best if you plan ahead by one day to ensure availability.

The eastern half of the island is lush, the western half is very arid. If you tour the island I would recommend the following: See the eastern half of the island first and then Macanao another day. Macanao has some very nice beaches but the east has more variety. I like to go clockwise on the eastern half and counterclockwise on Macanao. After you leave the airport and pass La Guardia the road runs right along the coast. You will be surrounded by cacti and looking over turquoise waters at the dark peaks of Macanao. The tiny fishing camps and boathouses are classic scenes for painters. Once you turn the corner and see the harbor of Juan Griego an adobe artist colony appears on your right. The colony has a good selection of local crafts and the barro architecture is reminiscent of Santa Fe. The Juan Griego harbor is sheltered by the large mountain backdrop of La Sierra. The peaceful harbor is full of local fishing boats and the ubiquitous pelicans looking for a free lunch. The harbor is protected by the fort of La Galera. The fort is located high on a hill with magnificent views of the harbor. The sunset views there are spectacular and you can have a romantic dinner on the sand of the beach below.

After you leave the airport and pass La Guardia the road runs right along the coast. You will be surrounded by cacti and looking over turquoise waters at the dark peaks of Macanao. The tiny fishing camps and boathouses are classic scenes for painters. Once you turn the corner and see the harbor of Juan Griego, an adobe artist colony appears on your right. The colony has a good selection of local crafts and the barro architecture is reminiscent of Santa Fe. The Juan Griego harbor is sheltered by the large mountain backdrop of La Sierra. The peaceful harbor is full of local fishing boats and the ubiquitous pelicans looking for a free lunch. The harbor is protected by the fort of La Galera. The fort is located high on a hill with magnificent views of the harbor. The sunset views there are spectacular and you can have a romantic dinner on the sand of the beach below.

If you leave the fort and head north you will pass Playa Caribe, which is a great place to swim; Manzanillo, a beautiful fishing village where you can often watch the villagers pulling their nets up onto the beach; and Playa El Agua, the island's largest, most well known, tourist beach. Playa El Agua is popular for good reason - it's spectacular, there are lots of people to watch and it's loaded with casual beachside restaurants. Playa Parguito is a boogie board and surf area just southeast of El Agua. It's more secluded and is a beautiful blend of desert and ocean.

Continuing south on the main road you find the old colonial town of La Asuncion. The fort of La Castilla overlooks the town and positions you for the steep winding road up La Sierra. The road passes through several climatic zones before arriving at the wind swept summit. Swirling hawks soar with the thermals pushing them up the ridges. Porlamar rests 3000 feet, and several worlds, below. The road drops like a rock as you leave until you enter El Valle.

El Valle is a religious center with an impressive cathedral and beautiful town plaza. The plaza is full of huge trees and has a very serene feel. The plaza is surrounded by little shops with baskets, jewelry, crafts and such. There are great empanadas there also.

When you leave El Valle and return to the main road you'll see the overpass and go up to the road returning you to El Yaque. You will see the Mercado de los Conejeros (Market of the Rabbit Hunters) on your right. You should go there some morning. Although it's become a bit touristy it is still the heart of Margarita. I love the farmers and fish market sections with the weathered old women chewing on big cigars. I love cruising all the stalls on the far side of the parking lot for deals on linen shorts, beach towels, jewelry, cheap T shirts for the nieces and nephews, etc. Coffee is a good thing to pick up for yourself or as a gift. Cafe Madrid is the smoothest and richest of the easily available brands.

Across the street from Conejeros are two good liquor stores, El Rey de Liquor and Punto Ideal. Since Margarita is a duty free island, alcohol is incredibly cheap. I've purchased 750 ml bottles of Stoli for less than seven dollars and Tanqueray for under eight dollars. Grand Marnier sells for way less than at home. The best local rum is Pampero Anniversario which comes in a nice leather bag and sells for under seven dollars a bottle. This is a nice rum to take home. If you don't want the bag it's much cheaper. Selecto is the best standard rum and is under two dollars a bottle. Some of the real deals are on brands that are made locally under license rather than imported. For instance, you can buy Frangelico or Kahlua for one third the price of the import. The taste is identical. Polar beer not only has the coolest name and logo around, it's also the best local brew and pretty tasty stuff. Since beer weighs a lot you'll just have to drink whatever you buy before you leave.

If you go to Macanao, go up to San Francisco which is an oasis in the midst of total aridity. The Nature Conservancy has a preserve there. Playa La Pared and Playa Arena are nice beaches. Many people take the boat tour of La Restinga. It's sort of a mini-Everglades. There is a marine museum in Boca del Rio for a diversion and insight into the history and culture of the island. La Casa de La Langosta is a lobster place in nearby Cachachare which is expensive but has a nice ambiance and good food. The lobsters in their tanks are the biggest you'll ever see. Porlamar has great shopping. In the primary tourist areas of Santaigo Marino and Cuatro de Mayo you can buy Italian imports for a bargain. There is a Veracse store and other great stores. This area is full with restaurants. Do not leave Porlamar without eating at Mediterraneo Café which has some of the best Italian food known to man. Four Ds, the ice cream shop around the corner, is as good as it gets. Da Mikele and Bella Napoli are two other excellent Italian restaurants in the same neighborhood. La Attaraya de Las Quince Letras has excellent seafood at local prices. All these restaurants have the excellent service that Americans expect but often don't find south of the border.

Of course Porlamar also has plenty of nightlife. It's best to ask Rocky where to go.

Punta Tigre.

Links and Other Resources

• Mango Mike's
  
• Gaastra
• F2
• Mistral
• North Sails
• Breakwind
• Club Caribe Winds
• One Man's Guide to Windsurfing El Yaque, Margarita Island, Venezuela
• Guide to Venezuela
• Lonely Planet -- Destination: Venezuela
• windsurfer.com Travel Information
• Windsurfing in The Gorge
• The World-Wide Web Virtual Library: Windsurfing
• Other Web Sites
• Venezuela on the Web