Margarita Island is a resting spot for many birds headed north in the spring, then south in the fall—more than 200 species, including a variety of ducks, herons, macaws and parakeets, live on the island either year round or seasonally. Tucked into the bay on the north side of the island, Laguna de La Restinga National Park, with its diversity of environments, is ideal for bird-watching: The saltwater lagoon contains beaches, marshes and weblike mangroves with oysters clinging to their roots. Hire one of the local boatmen who are waiting on the beach to take you on a tour through the wetlands and mangrove channels, and keep an eye out for wading birds, among them flamingos and scarlet ibis. Bug repellent is recommended—one reason the park is so popular with the birds is the abundance of insects found in the wetlands.
