1. Some of the beaches on Margarita remind visitors of St. Martin, Aruba, Jamaica, St. Barts, the Dominican Republic, Cozumel, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Antigua, and others. The local authorities have seen fit to try to make Europeans feel at home. Therefore, not only are the beaches similar, but the crowds on the beaches look very much like what you generally encounter on most of St. Martin's beaches. To make clear what I am referring to, and to prevent an unwary visitor from being shocked, I will be blunt about the matter. Most beaches on Margarita allow topless swimming apparel, and also allow very skimpy bikinis and thong type swimwear. Also, like St. Martin and a few other Caribbean Island beaches, you may from time to time encounter full nudity. However, I have never seen anyone acting lewd or causing embarrassment to the people around them. Most of the scantily clad and nude sunbathers are from European countries where many of the beaches are generally full of naturist and nudist folks getting even tans with no 'lines'. They don't give the matter a second thought! They are not flaunting their nakedness, but are generally very well behaved and try to remain as unnoticed as possible. If you do not want to be exposed to such situations, you will want to only go to beaches frequented primarily by locals.
2. Margarita has several offshore islands located very close by, which like St. Martin, offer wonderful snorkeling and diving opportunities. Most of those are on the eastern and southern sides of the island. Therefore, the vacationer will want to hire a boat for transportation that leaves from the side nearest the islands they plan to visit. Otherwise, you will spend a great deal of time and money just getting there. While Coche and Cubagua are well worth visiting, I would recommend the small islands off the northeastern coast for snorkeling and diving.
3. Even as St. Lucia has its pitons, Margarita has one of its many mountains that has a piton shape. To really see and appreciate that mountain, you need to approach it from the north side of the island traveling south from the El Agua area towards La Ascuncion and Porlamar. Many of Margarita's mountains are higher than those on St. Lucia, so have a much more dramatic appearance. If you observe them through a period of several days, you will notice that they seem to change in appearance. This is due to the many variations of light and shadows as the sun moves across the sky, and as various cloud formations pass over. Sometimes the intensity of rainbows formed over those mountains is so dramatic that it is hard to contain oneself. There seems to be a natural compulsion to want to somehow freeze the picture in one's mind. Whatever you do, don't forget to make good use of your camera! Even though it is hard to capture such beauty on film, at least you can provide yourself with a bit of a reminder to help you recall the wonderful beauty you have witnessed.
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