Available Tours at Margarita Island.

The Venezuelan team did a great effort with the organization of the Scrabble in Spanish World Championship 2009, including even the touristic activities to do there.

They selected a travel agency in Margarita Island for us with special prices and very interesting activities to do.

In my case, this time I couldn´t know if I would go or not till so close to the travel date, so, I usually prefer to contract or at least to reserve the tours in advanced to avoid problems with spaces and similar, but this time it wasn´t possible. I´d ask to the person that was in charge of the Spanish selection if it would be a problem with the travel agency if I decide the tours I would like to take at the last moment, and he said it shouldn´t be.

So, we should travel on November 1st. and I was able to take tours decisions just on October 30th., day when I contacted Caribbean Trip, to talk about the tours I would like to take and to let them know the days I have for doing them, that were Monday 2nd. Tuesday 3rd. and Sunday 8th.

The tours weren´t just in Margarita, here the list of what we can choose:

Cubagua with Er´Corsario: Enjoy the beautiful beaches with wite sand and an spectacular adventure at this boat with all included. Activities included: snorkeling around a sunken ferry, mudterapy at the beach.

Cubagua inside the Catamarán Aquarius II: same as the one before, just I have no idea why it was a bit expensiver.

Los Roques Day Tour: flying to the Grand Roque by plane and from there a sail catamaran to surround the archipelago. Snorkeling in a coral reef.

Canaima Day Tour: I´ll explain this one in my next post.

Coche Island Tour at the North Star: sailing and snorkeling.

Coche Island Tour in a Catamaran: sailing.

Full Day at Posada Oasis at Coche Island.

Jeep Tour: at Margarita Island.

Diving Day at Los Frailes.

Discovery Scuba Diver

Open Water Diver

Snorkeling at los Frailes

You also can go to the following attractions:

Margarita Towns Museum
Watter Park
Musipan Kingdom
Waterland Swimming with Dolphins: this one was explained at my post Swimming with Dolphins.
Waterland Swimming with Seals.

So, taking into account that tour variety, the pity was not to have more days for enjoying them… and also I should say it wasn´t sooo cheap. Well! Asking to Venezuelan friends, they told me what definitely were for not to miss were Canaima Tour and Los Roques. For me was obvious to do the Dolphins swimming and in case also the seals one.

So, I sent my list of tours to the travel agency that Friday, we agreeded they´ll give me an answer of what would be possible and prices (because the prices had change)… but it was already Saturday afternoon here and I had no mail, so I called again… but all for Canaima and El Roque was already booked for that week, so the only option was to do one of them on Sunday 8th. I chose Canaima, but really sorry about missing El Roque. I also sent a list of my selections, in order, for what I would like to do on Tuesday, on Monday we´ll do the Swimming with dolphins and seals thing.

I tried to search something in internet, still trying to have the chance of going to El Roque, but what I found was without prices and it wasn´t time for start to call agency by agency. Suddenly I remind that my friend Raúl told me about a travel agency at the hotel, so, I called him to ask him to please check at the travel agency the chances to go to El Roque on Tuesday and in case the price wasn´t higher than a point, then to please do the reserve for us. So! I did all what I can!

We arrived so late at the hotel that Sunday, Raúl wasn´t on time to check the tour at the travel agency, so we should wait till Monday, but also we had the exchanging money problem, as far as I preferred this time to pay in cash, in bolivars.

On Monday I talked with the travel agency people and we confirmed the dolphins and seals thing for that afternoon, the snorkeling at Los Frailes for Tuesday. The problem was that we should pay doing a deposit to their bank, they didn´t accepted me to pay then in cash at the travel agency, no idea why, I really haven´t understand that point. Any way! We had to do juggling to have the time to exchange the money, do the deposit and to be at Diverland at 14.30 hrs. The saddest part was that once at the park, they told us we should have done a reserve the previous day, that the travel agency should know that and as far as we didn´t, we can´t do carrying out part and that the seals weren´t able that day. Afterwards we consult that with other travel agencies and they said it was the first notice they had about having to do a reserve the previous day there… Well!

As I mentioned in a previous post, the swimming with dolphins experience was great! This is something I´ll try to do again as soon as I have the chance to. A real pity the seals weren´t available as well. After that we went to watch the sunset at Juan Griego, something that a lot of people recommended us to do.

Once at the hotel, we even had time to refresh us and to change the cloth before the inauguration of the Scrabble World Championship. After that we planned to din and to go to sleep as far as the Los Frailes Tour will be on the next day. The point was that the girl of the travel agency told me a lot of incongruities, first she told me that she will go to the hotel to fix everything, then she said it wasn´t possible to pay in cash at the agency and I should do a deposit at the bank. She said the time we should be at the reception desk for going to Los Frailes was at 11.00. I had been asking at the reception desk if I had a message from her about the tour, but not. So, at 22.00 that night, I called her at her cellular, as far as till that time we still have nothing for the tour that should be done the next morning… and they she told me that tour to Los Frailes was cancelled due we weren´t enough people for doing it!! I WAS SSOOOO ANGRY!! But anyway in an educated way I told her she had spoiled me a big part of my vacations due she didn´t tried to contact me and to offer me any alternative. It was curious, but instead of offering apologies, she answered so angry, even more than me!!

Based on what happened with Los Frailes tour, I asked to asure me the one to Canaima was assured, she said she would confirm me on the next day.

That Tuesday I was at the travel agency of the hotel as earlier as possible, but first of all, the person in charge there told me the tours to Los Frailes started at 6.00 in the morning, not at 11.00 as the one of Caribbean Trip said, so, of course, at that time (9.00), was no possible at all to join any group. Both agencies offered me tours inside the island, but finally we decided to stay to enjoy the hotel… but we weren´t lucky, that day we had red flag at the beach! :(

I talked again with the girl of Caribbean Trip to check out if all was ok with Canaima´s Tour… and she said that tour was cancelled as well! Of course I said I was completely disappointed with their service, she replayed I was the only one of the group with those problems, that all the rest were so happy with their service. Ok, it could be, I won´t say it couldn´t be just me the one with bad luck with them. But obviously I DON’T RECOMMEND CARIBBEAN TRIP IN MARGARITA ISLAND.

Anyway we had a great time at the Scrabble in Spanish World Championship, at the hotel we had a lot to do and finally we did Canaima´s Tour… but! That´s what my next post is about! :))