The hook
A scattering of tiny coral islands and sandbars in impossibly clear turquoise water far off the Venezuelan coast, one of the Caribbean's most pristine and beautiful archipelagos, blissfully undeveloped.
01Why it's worth it
Los Roques is a national park archipelago of some hundreds of cays, reefs, and sandbanks set in a shallow, luminous Caribbean sea about a hundred and fifty kilometres north of Caracas, and it is a vision of tropical perfection: powder-white sand, water in every shade of turquoise and jade, and vibrant coral reefs, all protected and kept deliberately low-key. There are no big resorts; visitors stay in small guesthouses (posadas) on the main island of Gran Roque and spend their days being dropped by boat on empty white sandbars and islets to swim, snorkel, and laze, with world-class bonefishing, diving, and kitesurfing for the active. The lack of development and the sheer clarity of the water make it feel like a castaway paradise. Reaching it means a flight from the mainland. As with all of Venezuela, the country's ongoing political and economic crisis makes travel logistics difficult and requires up-to-date advice and caution, and trips are best arranged through operators, but for those who manage it, Los Roques is one of the finest and least-spoiled corners of the Caribbean.
02How to experience it
Given Venezuela's situation, arrange travel through operators and check current advice. Fly in to Gran Roque, stay in a posada, and take boat drops to the empty cays and sandbars for snorkelling, swimming, and beach days, with diving, fishing, or kitesurfing for the active. Go in the calmer dry season, and treat it as remote, organised travel.