A visit to Isla Margarita, a 363 square mile island in the Caribbean just twenty-three miles off the coast of Venezuela, is a spendid journey into the past that also provides a glimpse into the life of a successful and relatively independent island nation. Porlamar, the largest city on the island, is a lovely town full of grasslands and great dining. Despite the rampant tourism that has led to heavy modernization in Porlamar, and on the island as a whole, Margarita has retained at least a part of its unique culture. Modernity and tradition exist in tension with one another on Margarita. Enough restaurants and shopping complexes to keep a tourist happy for days stand side by side with historic sites such as Ports Church and the Castillo de San Carlos Borromeo, at once facilitating the tourism that permits the island to thrive and threatening to engulf them in a sea of commercialism. This complex, intriguing blend lies against a beautiful natural backdrop. The Parque Nacional Laguna de la Restinga, a protected habitat and bird sanctuary, is a particularly excellent place to see this natural beauty up close. With the average daytime temperature in the mid-to-high 80s year round, Margarita is an ideal destination for a Caribbean get away.