Visit the wonderful little town of La Asuncion
Take a taxi (or a bus) to Plaza Bolivar in La Asuncion. This quiet town is actually the capital of the state (Nueva Esparta) and is located in a valley making it very fertile and green. Plan to spend a couple of hours wandering through the museums around the plaza, admiring the Cathedral (widely believed to be the second oldest surviving colonial church in the country) and walking amidst the colorfully painted houses. There is also a very nice Artisans shop on the corner of the plaza. Inside is a cafe where we had surprisingly decent pasta. Just outside of La Asunsion (just follow the signs from the plaza) you will find the beautiful Castillo de Santa Rosa. The fort is only about a 15 minute walk from the plaza but is uphill. An alternative to the walk is to get your taxi driver to make a stop on your way out of the city. Although the fort is not spectacular, some old cannons, ball and chains and the fabulous views make it worth a visit. Admission is free (although there is a place for donations, have 1000 Bs available) and a visit the Castillo de Santa Rosa will not take you more that 15 or 20 minutes.

Visit the beautiful national park of La Restinga
Although tours are available to the park it is cheaper and incredibly easy to do this trip independently. Simply take a taxi (or a bus) to La Restinga and approach on of the many boat drivers who will take you on either a half hour or hour long tour of the mangroves. For more information on La Restinga see our post. Plan on 2 and a half hours at the park. This will give you enough time to take the hour long boat ride (well worth the extra money!) and spend a bit of time on the beach. This tour consists of a half hour boat tour after which your boat driver will drop you off at a fine shell beach for as long as you choose (make sure to arrange the pick up time). Although this beach was interesting and worth the visit, more than an hour or two would certainly be too long – there are much better beaches on margarita for both swimming and suntanning. There is a little restaurant on the beach as well. An hour long tour of La Restinga costs 50000 Bs per boat, approximately $23 (which can carry up to 5 people). The taxi ride from Porlamar took about 45 minutes and cost 30,000 Bs (under $15) each way. Buses run regularly from Porlamar and cost under $1 per person. We found that the best time to visit the park was around 2 o’clock in the afternoon as the light was excellent for photographs. The park closes at 5 o’clock so be certain to leave yourself enough time.

See our full review of La Restinga

Watch a spectacular sunset
Take a taxi to the Fortin de la Galera (free admission) just north of Juan Griego. This fort is perched high on a hill and is renowned for its beautiful view of the sunset. If you arrive around 6pm you should be just in time for a spectacular view of the panoramic sunset. Be sure to bring a camera! Upon arrival to the fort you will likely be swarmed by local youngsters trying to tell you about the history of the fort. If you speak Spanish its worth the 1000 Bs to make them happy. As we don’t speak Spanish we got one of them to pose for a photograph and gave him a tip.

Spend a day basking in the sun on the beautiful Playa El Agua
One of the most popular beaches on the island. If you get bored (or burned!) take some time to have a bite to eat in one of the many restaurants along the beach. The Limonada at Cafe Margarita was amazing. As for meals, although expensive, we have heard very good things about El Pacifico. Playa El Agua is also a wonderful spot to arrange tours or to do some shopping from one of the many artisan stalls selling everything from jewelery to paintings to hand carved sculptures. See our Margarita Island Beaches post for more information about Playa El Agua.

Get a taste of Paris at Cocody restaurant
If you eat at one restaurant on Margarita Island we would suggest Cocody Restaurant located on Av Raul Leoni. This amazing French restaurant was certainly our favorite. Sitting on the outdoor patio overlooking Bella Vista beach and sipping Pina Coladas certainly makes one realize they are far from home. From fabulous sole in lemon sauce to the steak in orange sauce, between the two of us we sampled a new dish every time (we probably ate here 7 or 8 times over our two month stay) and were never disappointed. A meal for two at Cocody usually ran around 70000 Bs ($30) including drinks and service. For more information see our post on Cocody Restaurant.

Shop!
As a tax free, duty free island many come to Margarita for the shopping. Although we really weren’t all that impressed with the prices, Margarita is filled with excellent shopping opportunities. We would suggest a leisurely walk along 4 de Mayo and Av Santiago Marino where you can find shops filled with everything from pearls and designer clothing to $5 jeans. The upscale mall, Sambil, was also worth a visit.

Spend a few hours at the Conejeros Market
Located just outside of Porlamar, this market is filled with clothing, shoes, sunglasses, souvenirs and knock-offs galore. It is also a great place to mingle with the locals and enjoy a bite to eat. Plan to spend an hour or two wandering around the stalls. The market is only open in the mornings and early afternoon (certain stalls seem to begin closing at noon while most do remain open until 1 or 2). See our post about the market for more detailed information.

Go for a drive
Have a taxi driver take you on a drive of the north eastern tip of the island near Manzanillo. Get him/her to stop frequently as there are some gorgeous look off points that provide spectacular photo taking opportunities.

Spend an afternoon at Guacuco beach
This beach is less touristy than Playa El Agua and is a favorite of the locals. With its crystal waters and exciting waves over our two month visit this beach quickly became our favorite. See our Margarita Island Beaches post for more information about Playa Guacuco.

Look out over the city
If you can convince a taxi driver to make the rather steep drive up to the entrance to Cerro El Copey there is a wonderful lookout over Porlamar. It is not possible to drive all of the way to the to of El Copey and we chose not to take the 5 km hike to the top of the mountain. The view from the entry point, however, is very nice.