You can go to La Tortuga on holidays and weekends

According to the Ministry of Tourism now you can visit the island of La Tortuga on weekends and holidays, review here:

 (Media Ministry of Tourism) - Arises a new measure based on the tourism development of La Tortuga. Vessels of visitors and providers of touristic services can arrive to the island on declared national holidays and weekends.

 As established in the Joint Resolution number: DM/106 and DM/463, dated December 16, signed by the Minister of Popular Power for Tourism, Andrés Izarra and Minister of the Popular Power for the Interior, Justice and Peace, Miguel Rodríguez.

 Both entities share the duty to exercise stewardship, administration and management of the islands: La Tortuga ay Las Tortuguitas, Cayo Herradura and Los palanquins, according to the Plan and Regulations for Use of Public Utility Areas and Tourist Interest in the Federal Agencies previously mentioned.

 The move has precedent in Article 2 of the Joint Resolution number DM/087 and DM/355, published in Official Gazette No. 40,259 dated September 26, 2013, which states that private vessels and water transport operators can only arrive at the said island spaces on Friday, Saturday and Sunday or any holiday, except for the boats of the fishermen, state boats and any other authorized by the Ministry of Popular Power for Tourism (Tourism Ministry).

 La Tortuga is a paradisiac island located in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the coolest country in the world: Venezuela. With its crystal clear water and fine sand it will be a blast to all visitors.
! A natural treasure worth caring!

To the recue of La Tortuga

Oriana Vielma sends us this review to quebellaesvenezuela@gmail.com.  We share it with you:

  Through out the years, one of the most important wilderness areas of Venezuela has been the focus of attention of multiple viewpoints and interests: Island La Tortuga a paradise in the Caribbean that has survived the predatory tourism. This is the second largest Venezuelan island after Margarita. Since colonial times the island has withstand attacks of desire in order to exploit its majestic natural resources. The first attempts of this predation soar was in 1623 when the Dutch settlers burst Salinas East Island Carenero thus stealing sodium chloride territory. Placed dynamite and opened the entrance to the sea, creating the lakes surrounded by mangroves that are still observed today.

 Today, almost 400 years later, owners of illegal settlements and tourists arriving in boats, helicopters and planes have also failed to take care of the potential of this unique landscape.

 Indeed, the lack of basic services such as fresh water, electricity and communications have made it impossible for the development of a tourism infrastructure paradise, a difficult place to colonize. Studies conducted in 2005 by oceanographers and marine biologists, reviewed on the discovery of a new bird species never reported before, and xerophytes populations, plants able to withstand long periods of drought, at the same times the authorities where warning on the environmental conditions suffered its reservoir of marine life especially its Coral reefs.

 The devastation continued unstoppable:

 According to recent statements by the deputy minister of Quality Tourism Services and the Ministry of Popular Power for Tourism (Tourism Ministry), Esther Hernandez, boats that had been visiting the place, but sailed authorized by the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA) and low surveillance Guard Command, still did not meet the current Plan and Use Regulations (published on May 4, 2005).

 "Many left the trash yachts, ran aground on coral reefs, and a number of things that we as the highest authority in the area felt it was necessary to stop." Hernandez said.

 La Tortuga is located in the Caribbean Sea to the north edge of the Cariaco Trench. It is 170 kilometers northeast of La Guaira, 120 km west of Margarita, 85 km Unare Lagoon and 72 km from Elbow out. It is located at least 4 hours and Guanta Higuerote .

 The touristic development that is expected to achieve in La Tortuga Island comprises is a use of natural areas in a structure of low environmental impact resulting in the preservation of this unique landscape, similar model to the one that is already running in the Maldives islands in the ocean Indian.

 This vision is shared by the Venezuelan people, as part of the construction of a country through the relationship between man and space, not only as a transient entity, but also as a dynamic entity in preserving the planet Earth...

Cleaning of La Tortuga Island

La tortuga was affected by the human hand. Through out the years the island has been victim of reckless tourism; boats such has yachts and motorboats, threw a bunch of solid wastes to island creating a big pile of junk.

 Besides this boats that came to the island, anchor to close to the coast generating a stir in the maritime soil deteriorating the island's ecosystem. Also the lack of conscience of the residents of the lands close to the island contribute directly to the pollution of the island, by throwing trash in its own coasts this trash will be brought to the island by the water current.

 During 3 cleaning journeys made in this beautiful island the volunteers recollected 27 tones of solid wastes that were lodge in the coasts of Punta Delgada.

 The recovery of La Tortuga had been made thanks to efforts of more than 600 of volunteers working together with the Venezuelan Tourism ministry and the Venezuelan Youth ministry.

La Tortuga island, natural paradise in Venezuela

La Tortuga is an unhabituated island located at the Northern part of Venezuela. Is part of a chain of islands that includes Tortuguillas, Palaquines and other smaller landmasses, according to Foundation La tortuga the island has the following characteristics.

Located in the Caribbean right in front of the Venezuelan oriental coast, 72 Km (45 miles) northeast from cabo cordera and 120 Km (74 miles) west from Margarita Island (10º56’50”N y 065º18’50”W), with of surface of approximately 155 km2 (60 square miles), it’s the second biggest island in the Venezuelan territory, after Margarita Island. Is a very plain island, it’s biggest height doesn’t surpass the 40 meters above the sea level. From East to West, it has approximately 13.5 nautical miles and from North to South, it’s widest part reaches the 6 nautical miles.

The barrenness and not the economic aspects, it’s the cause of the absence of a permanent population living in the island. The island La Tortuga doesn’t posses any natural source of fresh water. In the year 1936 it was written that there were some wells in the Oriental part, nearby of the Carenero Bay, in 1940 Agustin Codazzi indicated that the island had a small port and scanty amount of fresh water. In 1944, the La Salle society of natural sciences found two sources of water, the first one nearby Punta Arenas, located at the Southwest and the second one located a few meter from the sea between El Olivito and El Mangle, at the north coast. The water found in both places was brackish water with a sulfurous smell, very repugnant but drinkable. The flora and fauna of the region survive by drinking the rainwater and the morning dew.

There are four species of marine turtles that have been registered has reproductive inhabitants of La Tortuga. These are: Carey, Green turtle, Caguamo and Cardon
The two first species are part of the inhabitant residents with a full structure of ages, which feeds and helps develop the environment surrounding the island. The green turtle and the Caguamo turtle had been classified has species in extinction danger, while the Cardon turtle and the Carey turtle had been classified has species in critical extinction danger,
The commercialization of the turtle’s meat, the eggs and the shell and also the degradation through pollution and over exploitation of its habitat are the reasons that lead this species that survived for 110 million years to be in extinction danger in only 500 years are.
Before we go further on, we encourage you to reed our next post, so get to know how you can be a part of this paradisiac experience