Coche Island

Isla de Coche is the second largest of the three islands constituting the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta, after Isla Margarita and the much larger before the sparsely inhabited island Cubagua. It lies about halfway between the Araya Peninsula and the island of Margarita.

Geography

The island is relatively flat, but rises steeply partly out of the sea, with up to 61 meters high cliffs.

The climate is tropical, with an average temperature of about 27 to 38 ° C.

Capital is San Pedro de Coche. Other places in the community are El Bichar, Guinima, El Amparo, El Guamache and La Uva.

The economy is strongly influenced by tourism.

History

The island was discovered in 1498 by Christopher Columbus for Europe. First settlement attempts date back to the early 16th century. Previously, the island of former inhabitants of the destroyed by a hurricane town of Nueva Cádiz was settled on Cubagua. These residents, mostly pearl, leaving Coche 1574th

1725 was staggered three settlers from Jamestown (Virginia), who had fled after an uprising against the English Lord Dunbury aboard a pirate ship on the island, including John (Jan ) Bober. The ship sank near the Venezuelan coast, said John Bober and two other men were captured by Arawak as slaves after they had saved swimming to the island. After a battle with the Spaniards, who operated from the island of Margarita off, left the Arawaks for fear of Spanish vengeance with their slaves, the island, and settled in Serima, an Arawak village on the right bank of the Orinoco.

Repopulation of Coche began in the 19th century.

Management

Coche Island is identical with the community Villalba, one of the eleven municipalities of the state of Nueva Esparta. The community is divided into two parishes ( parroquias, population 1990):

• Parroquia Capital Villalba ( Area Capital San Pedro de Coche ) (North West) ( 4192 )
• Parroquia Vicente Fuentes (Southeast, capital Guinima ) ( 3028 )

Gallery

El Amor Beach