Porlamar
Most of the hotels are at Porlamar, 20 kilometres from the airport and about 28 kilometres from Punta de Piedra, where most of the ferries dock. It has a magnificent cathedral. At Igualdad y Díaz is the Museo de Arte Francisco Narváez. The main, and most expensive, shopping area is Avenida Santiago Mariño; better bargains and a wider range of shops are to be found on Gómez and Guevara.
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The centre of the city is crowded with cars and shoppers, while to the east there is continuing, apparently chaotic development of big holiday hotels and condominiums, separated by vast areas of waste ground and construction sites. Costa Azul is the main urbanización, served by a long strip of featureless sand known as Playa Moreno. At night everything closes by 2300; women alone should avoid the centre after dark. Porlamar has many casinos, all of which lack legal status. Note that in Porlamar there is a Calle Mariño and an Avenida Santiago Mariño in the centre.
Ferries go to the Isla de Coche (11 kilometres by six) one of the richest salt mines in the country. They also go, on hire only, to Isla de Cubagua, which is totally deserted, but you can visit the ruins of Nueva Cádiz (which have been excavated). Large catamarans take tourists on day sails to.
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