Situated just eleven degrees above the Equator and approximately 80 nautical miles north of Caracas, Los Roques is an archipelago encompassing forty-two coral reef islands and hundreds of sandy cays or islets. Because this reef is home to a wide variety of seabirds and rich aquatic life, the Venezuelan government declared Los Roques a National Park in 1972, limiting commercial development and preserving the natural beauty of the area for years to come.

The reef may be called Los Roques, or "The Rocks", but in fact there are very few rocks here beyond the cliffs of El Gran Roque. Powdery sand and sun rule these islands. Lacking mountains to catch clouds and rain, Los Roques is also very dry. Although cooling trade winds blow consistently most of the year, the hot climate limits vegetation to cacti, mangroves, and leafy ground-covering plants.

On this protected park you will see iguanas and turtles nesting on protected cays. The only mammal here, beside the domesticated kind, is the fishing bat. There are over ninety-two species of birds, including the blue-eyed brown booby, pelicans, laughing gulls, frigate birds, terns, lapwings, plovers, and great blue-and white-necked herons. Over half of these migrate to North America in the summer months. Occasionally, pink flamingos find their way here from Bonaire and mainland Venezuela.

El Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques is bonefishing paradise. The weather, the local people, and the lack of crowds make this national park among the best bonefishing places in the world. Experienced anglers have landed and released fifteen and more bonefish in a single day. Most bonefish, or "pez ratón" as the locals call them, weigh three to five pounds, but anglers often hook some considerably larger; several ten and fifteen pounders have been landed.

With its numerous protected cays and varied coral reefs, El Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques is also one of the best locales in the world for scuba diving, and there are several certified scuba diving services/instructors from which to choose.

For windsurfing enthusiasts, the constant trade winds and the relatively shallow waters of many of the cays offer unrivaled conditions to practice the sport.

Almost all the population lives on the island of El Gran Roque, and this is where the guest accommodations and airstrip are located. Just three sandy streets wind between colorful family homes, tiny stores, and the posadas (inns). The central Plaza Bolívar is ground zero for all community celebrations and the place for lively social gatherings. Here tourists and locals mingle to dance barefooted a potpourri of salsa, rock-n-roll, tango and popular tunes played from a turn-table that is rolled onto the plaza most weekends and on holidays. The sensual dance of the drums is also a common occurrence in the plaza and in the fishermen's homes that line the streets.

The local population of 1,500 people and 240 dwellings absorb approximately 58,000 visitors a year, many of them day-visitors who come here from Caracas and the mainland.

Los Roques offers visitors a unique Caribbean experience. Here the focus is the sun, turquoise water, and the sandy beaches. If a resort atmosphere is what you're looking for, then Los Roques may not be what you want. But if you dream of an a escape where you can walk barefoot everywhere, birdwatch, snorkle, bonefish, scuba, sunbathe, or simply relax while sipping a cocktail at sunset watching pelicans dive in the distance, then El Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques is the place you need.