It is the question we get asked most before a booking, and it deserves an honest answer, not a tourist brochure. We live and work on Margarita, we host guests from all over the world year round, and this is what we tell them.
The island is not the mainland
The first thing to understand: Margarita is an island whose economy lives off tourism, and it shows. The tourist areas — Pampatar, Costa Azul, Playa El Agua, El Yaque, Porlamar’s shopping malls — have a constant police presence and an atmosphere very different from what many imagine when they hear "Venezuela". International headlines describe mainland situations that do not reflect daily life on the island.
What our guests tell us
Families with children, couples, kitesurfers travelling alone with expensive gear: the vast majority tell us on leaving that the island felt calmer than they expected. They walk the Pampatar seafront at sunset, eat at the beach bars, drive to the northern beaches. Normal tourist life works normally.
Precautions we locals actually take
- Drive unfamiliar routes in daylight; at night, stick to main roads
- Split your cash and carry only the day’s amount; leave the rest at the apartment
- Do not flash jewellery or high-end phones outside tourist areas
- On the beach, do not leave valuables unattended (as on any beach in the world)
- Use recommended taxis or ones your host calls, especially at night
Money: the island runs on dollars
Cash US dollars are the de facto currency. Bring small bills in good condition — 1s, 5s, 10s and 20s are the most useful. Many businesses take Zelle and some international cards, but do not count on it outside the malls. No ATM dispenses dollars, so bring what you plan to spend.
Health and services
Porlamar has good private clinics for any eventuality; buy travel insurance that covers private care and travel with peace of mind. Drink bottled or filtered water. Occasional power cuts do happen — good buildings (including our apartments) have backup generators; always ask before you book.
Our short answer
Yes — with the same common-sense precautions you would use in any Caribbean or Latin American destination. Thousands of tourists — mainland Venezuelans, Europeans, Latin Americans — visit the island every month without incident. The difference between a smooth trip and a bad moment almost always comes down to basic decisions: where you stay, how you move around and who you ask.