Morrocoy

Between Tucacas and Chichiriviche, the coast dissolves into Morrocoy National Park: a maze of mangrove channels and turquoise shallows studded with cays - Cayo Sombrero's palm classic first among them - where boat taxis drop parties for the day with cooler boxes and parasols and return at the agreed hour. Snorkelling works the patch reefs, pelicans dive-bomb the channels, and the Cuare wildlife refuge next door keeps flamingo flocks and scarlet ibis in its lagoons. It is Venezuela's easiest paradise - family-scaled, negotiated at the dock, and best midweek when the cays return to near-empty.

What you actually see

• Cayo Sombrero - the palm-crowded flagship islet.
• The mangrove channels - boat lanes through the green maze.
• The snorkel reefs - patch corals off the cays' points.
• Cuare's flamingos - the refuge lagoons' pink flocks.

When to go

December to April for dry brightness; holidays and weekends pack the popular cays with music and grills - join the party or book Tuesday. Sea conditions are gentle almost always.

Honest expectations

Negotiate boat fares clearly before boarding and fix the pickup time - the system works on spoken contracts. Facilities on most cays are minimal to none; shade, water and rubbish-out are your responsibility. Coral shows wear near the busiest anchorages. National travel-planning caveats apply.

Nearby

Chichiriviche's flamingo lagoons, Tucacas and the Coro desert-and-heritage pairing westward.