9/03

My wife and I just returned from a visit to Los Roques, Venezuela. It is off the beaten path for Americans but the Italians know all about it. It is an archipelago about 75 miles off the Venezuelan coast. You get there by flying to Caracas and then taking another flight to the islands. The main island is Gran Roque where you stay at posadas - roughly equivalent to American B&Bs. As a part of the package, the posada provides locals who take you to the other islands for the day. They give you a cooler with lunch and drinks, chairs, and an umbrella. You just tell the boat when to pick you up. The scenery is wonderful- crystal clear water and white sandy beaches. And many of the women were topless. On each of the three islands we visited, my wife felt quite comfortable taking off her top and then walking the beach and swimming. The entire atmosphere is very relaxed.

--John, North Carolina