Travel

How do I get to Margarita Island?

 

Margarita Island is located in the Caribbean Sea, east of Bonaire and south of Grenada and, being only a three and a half hour flight from Miami to Caracas and a 35 minute flight from Caracas to Margarita, makes it an excellent choice for medical tourism.

 

The airport that services the city of Caracas is called Simon Bolivar International Airport and it’s located 2 hrs. away from the city.

 

For travelers who visit us from the United States, these are the airlines that provide commercial flights from there:

• American Airlines

From Dallas, Miami, New York and San Juan de Puerto Rico (these cities are always our first option, since it allows us to avoid having the passenger overnight in Caracas in order to make a connection to Margarita Island.)

• Continental Airlines

From Houston (this daily flight is a good option since it leaves Houston at night and arrives at Caracas airport in the early morning, so the passenger can connect with a flight to Margarita the same morning.  However, on the return trip, the flight departs at 09:00 a.m. from Caracas airport and the passenger must overnight in Caracas in order to make a connection with the international flight.)

• Delta Airlines

From Atlanta (this is always our last option, since the arrival at Caracas airport is very late in the evening and the departure from Caracas is very early in the morning, so that is why the passenger must overnight in a hotel close to the Airport in both cases.)

 

Whenever the passenger must overnight close to the airport, we offer several hotel options with transportation service from/to the airport, with fares that run from US$55 (basic service – bed only) up to US$190 (tourist or superior tourist hotels – with bed and breakfast).

 

The Island of Margarita can be reached through companies that operate charter flights from other countries, for example from:

 

 

Warsaw (Poland)	Exim Tours
Prague (Check Republic)	Exim Tours
Madrid (Spain)	Poolman Tours
Prague (Check Republic)	Condor Airlines
Amsterdam (Holland)	Martin Air
London (United Kingdom)	First Choice

In these cases, the tickets or travel packages must be purchased in the countries of origin, by getting in touch with travel agencies or tour operators.

 

Entry Requirements

 

You can stay in the country for up to 3 months without requiring a visa.

 

You will need a passport, so start the process early. It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks. You can have your passport sooner using express services, but it is more expensive, click here to download printable passport aplication.

 

Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months when entering the country.

Upon entry to the country you receive a tourist card (green) and you should do your best to take care of it since it will be required when departing.

For people who arrive from certain countries it is necessary to obtain a visa prior to entering the country.  In this case you can contact the Internet page for the Venezuelan consulate or embassy in your country.

Those traveling by air are permitted to stay in the country for 60 days as long as they carry with them, during their stay, the green tourist entry card given to them upon arrival, and must present it upon departure (it can be extended for 30 more days). Travelers should also be able to present their return tickets and they should have enough money to take care of themselves during their stay in Venezuela.
Upon departure, the following fees will be charged at Caracas-Maiquetia airport (prices from January 2007)   (the official exchange rate is Bs.2.150 / US$1).

 

1. International Airport Fee: current calculation of VEB 94.080,oo =  US$43.75 (all U.S. airlines already include the international airport fee from Venezuela.)

 

2. International Departure Tax: current calculation about VEB 37.632,oo = US$17.50 (all U.S. airlines already include the international departure tax from Venezuela.  In other cases it can be paid in US Dollars or the national currency, that is Bolivares.)

3. National Airport Fee:  if traveling within Venezuela, like the round trip from Caracas to Margarita Island, a national airport fee must be paid, and its cost is between Bs. 15.000 and Bs. 19.000, depending on the airport.

 

Important:

It should be noted that there is a limit to the amount of cash permitted to bring into the country, and that limit is US$10.000.   It is also important to beware of fake US Dollar bills, therefore it is advisable to bring your own cash, travelers checks or credit cards.

 

 

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