When approaching the Los Roques Islands by air, the traveler is struck by the multicolored sea surface - a mixture of various shades of blue and green, shimmering into one another depending on the depth of the water. Elongated shallows covered with light sand turn white. Combined with the dazzling tropical sun and unrealistically blue sky, all this creates a picture of indescribable beauty. It is not without reason that not only foreigners, but also the residents themselves call these wonderful places the “Caribbean Maldives” and the “Lost Paradise”.

Los Roques Archipelago(Spanish: Archipiélago Los Roques - “Coral Reefs”) - the largest atoll, which consists of 350 islands - four large and many small islands, separated by shallow lagoons with a sandy bottom. The archipelago with the best beaches in the country, located 166 km north of the central coastline of mainland Venezuela, is a Federal Domain of the country.

The archipelago is considered one of the most beautiful places in the Western Hemisphere. Secluded, quiet and romantic, it amazes with its pristine beauty. Due to the rich diversity of marine flora and fauna, Los Roques was declared by the Venezuelan authorities in 1972 National Park, the 24 km system of coral reefs surrounding the archipelago came under state protection, and many islands were completely closed to visitors.

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Story

The Los Roques Archipelago is a system of reefs and rocks of volcanic origin that arose during the Cretaceous period (approximately 130 million years ago).

About 15 thousand years ago, due to favorable conditions, coral reefs grew rapidly, which led to the formation of shoals. Since then, the temperature conditions inside the archipelago, the salinity of the water, its purity and depth have remained unchanged. The lagoons were inhabited by a variety of algae and mollusks, then by fish and turtles. Thus, a unique biological system of coral reefs gradually emerged.

According to archaeological evidence, the first people appeared on Los Roques about 2-3 thousand years ago. The huge number of shells with which the shores of many islands are strewn are attributed to the activities of ancient Indian tribes. Perhaps those people were hunters and gatherers who came from the “mainland” or from neighboring atolls.

At the beginning of the 2nd millennium AD, the first people arrived on the islands from the bays of the Venezuelan coast and founded the first settlements; The islanders exported salted turtle meat, dried fish and shellfish, as well as beautiful shells of the giant Strombus (lat. Lobatus gigas) to the mainland.

Around 1300 AD, another group of people, known as the Valenciaoids, arrived from the mainland to Los Roques from villages located around Lake Valencia (Spanish: Lago de Valencia). These were farmers and fishermen who founded the first large settlement in the south of the island, “Dos-Mosquises” (“Two Mosques”). They brought with them pottery decorated with bright geometric paintings, ceramics, clay figurines, and jewelry. On the shores of the lake Valencia, many ceramic figurines were found, exactly the same figurines were discovered in the archipelago. The settlers chose to live on a small island located in the southwest of the archipelago. Soon, Valenciaoids settlements appeared on 25 islands of the archipelago, and tiny Dos-Mosquises became their transport and ceremonial center. An impressive number of archaeological finds indicate that it was one of the most “sacred” islands of the Caribbean in the pre-colonial era.

Excavations at Los Roques tell historians about life in the island villages. Presumably, the archipelago was visited mainly by men from the clan of shamans, tribal leaders and representatives of a privileged caste - warriors. It was established that the statues of women, who were absent from the islands, protected the settlers from supernatural forces associated with the depths of the sea.

Little is known about the official discovery of the archipelago by Europeans, but it first appeared on the maps of Spanish navigators in 1529. The islands were designated as uninhabited, they were visited only by pearl seekers, and pirates found temporary shelter here.

Only in 1589, by decree of the governor of the Venezuelan province, the archipelago was taken into colonial possession in order to strengthen the Venezuelan coast from frequent pirate raids. The pirate hideout was destroyed, masses were held on the sandy beaches and wooden crosses were erected. But in fact, the colonial authorities did not pay enough attention to the islands, which were never part of the socio-economic structure of the mainland province.

Even in pre-colonial times, salt mines were developed on the island of Cayo-Sal, located in the southwest of Los Roques. Because in the XVI-XVIII centuries. salt was one of the most sought after goods on world markets, its development in Venezuelan salt mines was strictly controlled by the government; in the 18th century The colonial authorities established a small customs office at Cayo-Sal to collect duties for salt production.

In the second half of the 19th century. There was a surge of national interest in the archipelago, which was caused by a number of reasons. On the one hand, accelerating technological progress has created international demand for valuable island resources: mangrove wood, used as fuel for seagoing ships; bird droppings (guano), used as fertilizer in northern countries; limestone, widely used in construction. On the other hand, naturalistic researchers began to actively visit the archipelago, providing the world scientific community with rich material.

In 1871, President Antonio Blanco(Spanish Antonio Guzman Blanco; 1829-1899) issued a decree creating the Territorio Colon (Columbus Territory), which included Los Roques and nearby islands. The island of Gran-Roque became the center of the territory. Four years later, the salt mined in the archipelago was declared a national treasure, but Los Roques was never included in the socio-economic life of Venezuela.

The only monumental evidence of this period in the history of the island territory is the old lighthouse, built between 1870 and 1880, which has survived to this day. Made of coral stone and burnt limestone, the lighthouse was equipped with a lighting system with a range of 35 NM (64.82 km). Since then it has become an integral part of the landscape of the island of Gran-Roque.

Salt mining dominated the economic activity of the archipelago until the end of the 19th century. In parallel with this practice, mangrove wood was extracted on the islands. Steamboats often stopped here to stock up on wood, which was abundant in Los Roques, to fire their boilers.

Until the 20th century the archipelago was considered uninhabited, and only in 1910 the first 30 families of fishermen, immigrants from the region, founded the first fishing village here.

After the former Spanish colonies gained independence, the Los Roques Islands changed hands more than once until they finally became the territorial possession of Venezuela. On July 20, 1938, the islands were united into the Federal Dominions of Venezuela, and on August 8, 1972, the government of the country designated the archipelago as a National Park to protect the unique ecosystem of the islands. From that day on, Los Roques lost its importance as a commercial fishing center and became a “tourist paradise.”

In 1978, the “Institute of National Parks” was created in the country, which is responsible for the protection and management of the National Parks of Venezuela, including Los Roques. In 1990, the archipelago, according to a specially developed plan for the use of the park, was divided into certain protected areas - mangrove forests, reefs and seagrass beds, which are habitats for marine animals and birds that are very sensitive to the presence of humans.

Basic information

The Los Roques archipelago has an atoll structure, characteristic of the Pacific Ocean, but rare in the Caribbean - the archipelago is surrounded by shallow lagoons and coral reefs, protecting the islands from powerful ocean currents.

The size of the archipelago is relatively small: it extends 26.4 km from north to south and 36 km from east to west. The total area of ​​the islands is 40.6 km². The average depth of the surrounding waters is 9 m, and the maximum is 50 m. Los Roques is separated from the continent by straits over 1 km deep, located 2-3 km from the archipelago. The area of ​​Gran-Roque, the largest of the islands, is 15 km², and the crumbs of Visqui and Pulguita (with an area of ​​0.001 km² each) are considered the smallest. Many small atolls today are in a state of formation; they look like sand banks without traces of any vegetation. Other islands have mangrove trees, and many have large snow-white beaches on their leeward side, such as on Carenero or Cayo-Agua.

The relief of the islands is predominantly low-lying, with coastal sand dunes up to 7-8 m above sea level. However, above Gran-Roque rises a volcanic rock 124 m high, the top of which is the highest point of the archipelago.

The waters surrounding Los Roques are crystal clear and transparent, due to the significant distance between the mainland coast and the archipelago, i.e. the absence of river sedimentary rocks and organic substances, which reduce the transparency of the mainland’s waters. The shores of the islands are covered with fine white sand.

Only one of the 350 islands is permanently inhabited - the largest, Gran-Roque. It even has a small airport that accepts light planes and helicopters.

Only a few islands of the archipelago are open to the public, but even this does not reduce the attractiveness of Los Roques for numerous tourists and ocean scientists.

Climate

The climate in the archipelago is dry and hot, which is the result of the influence of dry trade winds that constantly blow from the northeast at an average speed of 22 km/h. It is the trade winds that soften the feeling of tropical heat and bring freshness here. The air temperature does not have sharp fluctuations throughout the year: the average annual temperature is about +28°C, in July the temperature rises to +34°C, in January it drops to +24°C. The days here are sunny and hot, the nights are fresh and cool.

The water temperature also fluctuates slightly, from +25°C in January-February to +30°C from June to October.

The rainy season lasts from September to January, but for the tropics there is not much rainfall. The minimum rainfall occurs in April, the maximum in November.

Flora and fauna

Due to the extreme characteristics of the environment, as well as the lack of fresh water, terrestrial flora and fauna on the islands are rather poorly represented. The list of terrestrial inhabitants is limited to some species of iguanas, lizards, spiders and insects.

But the rich underwater world certainly evokes admiration. In the waters of Los Roques there are over 1000 species of marine flora and fauna: about 300 species of fish, more than 200 species of crustaceans, 140 species of mollusks, almost 60 species of corals and sponges, 45 species of starfish and urchins. Also found here are whales, dolphins and Caribbean lobsters or spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus). On the archipelago, 4 species of rare sea turtles, which are now in danger of extinction, have long bred their offspring: Loggerhead(Caretta caretta) Green turtle(Chelonia mydas), Leatherback turtle(Dermochelys coriacea) and Bissa(Eretmochelys imbricata).

92 species of birds nest on the archipelago. The islands are the wintering grounds for about 50 species of migratory birds from North America, such as the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), red-footed booby (Sula sula), brown booby (Sula leucogaster) and Aztec gull (Larus atricilla).

There are also small colonies of pink flamingos (lat. Phoenicopterus ruber).

The only vegetation on the archipelago is mangroves and palm trees; in the coastal waters there are extensive communities of marine plants. Medieval sailors called Mangroves, which form entire thickets, “trees growing from the sea”: some grow on the shore, in lowlands that are filled with water during high tides, while others grow directly in the sea, on the shallows. These unusual trees are distinguished by their aerial roots, which rise in long loops above the surface of the earth or water. Intertwined thick roots, like the interlocking dense crowns of trees, form another stable habitat for many species of animals.

Population

The population of Los Roques is mainly concentrated on the main island of Gran-Roque; the number of island residents does not exceed 1.5 thousand people. Population growth is constrained by restrictions related to the archipelago's protected status.

The islanders live in small villages and are mainly employed in the service sector. According to the ethnic composition, the population of the islands considers themselves Venezuelans with Spanish roots. The official language in Los Roques is Spanish.

About 70 thousand tourists visit the archipelago every year; many Venezuelans from the capital (Spanish: Caracas) spend their weekends here.

Beaches

The main treasure of the archipelago is the snow-white beaches with soft velvety sand. Fringed by clear turquoise waters bordered by a clear azure sky, they seem to be created for a serene holiday.

There are no beaches on the largest island, Gran-Roque; they are located on neighboring islands. The most visited beaches are located on the two closest islands, Madrisqui and Francisqui.

Cayo de Aqua is one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world. Pearly fine sand, amazingly clear water, the color of which shimmers from bright turquoise to deep blue. Here, 2 nearby islands are connected by a sand spit, through which waves lazily roll and on which you can walk.

The beach on Crasqui Island is famous for its amazingly colored water and an incredible amount of huge shells. But the best thing about this island is the funny pelicans, which you can watch for hours.

Coral reefs

Coral reefs are bizarre labyrinths in which there are areas with different water temperatures, penetrated by sunlight and, conversely, hidden in the shadows. Therefore, the fauna inhabiting them is unusually diverse. The waters surrounding the reef are home to various species of fish and huge accumulations of plankton. Numerous representatives of the fauna find here suitable conditions and an abundance of food. Some species of fish, such as angelfish and spotted butterflyfish, are adapted specifically to life in coral reefs. The mottled parrotfish feeds on a special type of polyp that grows on the calcareous surface of reefs.

Tourism

Over the past 20 years, tourism has become the main economic activity in Los Roques. Previously, wealthy capital Venezuelans and foreign citizens could buy land on the islands and engage in the tourism business. Today, tourism employs more than 40% of the archipelago’s working population.

Tourists in Los Roques have a wide choice of entertainment: kayaking, canoeing, kayaking and catamarans, as well as windsurfing, kitesurfing, snorkeling, fishing and hiking. Thrill-seekers can paraglide over the archipelago.

Marine beauty and underwater reefs are very popular among experienced divers who come here from all over the world. There are several diving clubs on the islands with professional instructors who provide highly professional instructions and organize dives (individual or group) in the most interesting places.

Gran-Roque has a marine turtle research center where you can take an educational excursion.

Celebrated every year in the second week of September Feast of the Virgin of the Valley(Spanish Virgen del Valle - patroness of fishermen and islands); in November, when the fishing season starts, the Langoust Festival (Spanish: Festival de Langoust) takes place; and in December a spectacular sailing regatta is held.

For the information of travelers, the currency in circulation on the inhabited islands of the Los Roques archipelago is Venezuelan Bolivar.

Infrastructure

Most tourists stay on the main island, from where they take boat excursions to other islands.

There are no luxury hotels, nightclubs, bars and restaurants on the islands. On Gran-Roque, tourists will find coastal bungalows and pausadas (Spanish: Posadas) - small private hotels, modest but comfortable, with air conditioning in the rooms. But as a rule, there are no TVs or telephones here. You shouldn’t count on luxury rooms, but people come here not for luxurious living conditions, but to enjoy the luxury of unity with pristine nature.

Each of the pausadas has its own restaurant where you can taste Venezuelan and Creole cuisine from meat, fish and seafood. Food in the archipelago is relatively expensive, since all products, with the exception of seafood, are delivered from the mainland.

How to get there

You can only get here by light plane or private boat, as ferries from the continent do not go here. The airport is located on the island of Gran-Roque, due to its small size, it accepts only small aircraft and helicopters.

Light aircraft fly to Gran-Roque several times a week from Caracas and (Spanish: Porlamar), a Venezuelan city located on nearby Margarita Island.

Legends of Los Roques

Like any amazing place, the archipelago is shrouded in a veil of legends. One of the local legends says that the second Sun once rose above the earth. People looked at the stars and argued which one was more important. The real Sun took offense at the earthlings and rushed down from above. Having fallen into the ocean, it broke and covered the islands and shallows with bright golden-white sand. Since then, it is believed that staying on the beaches of the archipelago gives people spiritual strength.

Curious facts

• If the famous Captain Jack Sparrow, the extravagant hero of the popular film series “Pirates of the Caribbean”, played masterfully by Johnny Depp, really existed, he would probably live on Los Roques. After all, previously this was where the base was located, from where the corsairs carried out their raids on the continental settlements of Venezuela and.
• Los Roques is known among geographers under the general name of the Leeward Islands.
• Of all the beach holiday options in Venezuela, the Los Roques archipelago is considered the best and most expensive.
• Fans of sport fishing most often catch Albula or White fox (lat. Albula vulpes) with a fishing rod. But if you are very lucky, you can catch mackerel (lat. Scomberomorus), large tarpon (lat. Megalops), or a sea predator - barracuda (lat. Sphyraena).
• The archipelago is considered a “one-day resort” for wealthy Caracasans.
• On Gran-Roque there is only an airport and pausades where holidaymakers stay. However, there are no vehicles or roads on the island. Although, there is a garbage truck, a truck and a fire truck. Carts on wheels are also in use; owners use them to transport their guests’ luggage to their place of temporary residence.
• Until the end of the 19th century. Flamingos nested in several places on the archipelago. Today these birds come to Los Roques only to “stay.”
• The annual celebration of the Virgin of the Valley, celebrated on September 8, attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. The holiday lasts several days, during each of which the Virgin appears before the audience in a new luxurious dress.
• The Caribbean archipelago is now famous throughout the world as an ideal place where you can “ride the wave” and feel free, like the wind!
• Thanks to the coral reefs, which reliably protect the islands from strong ocean currents, nature itself has created ideal conditions for diving here.