Los Roques

Declared in 1972, this archipelago of more than 300 coral islets and cays out in the Caribbean combines a shallow reef lagoon with water of exceptional clarity and turquoise colour, which is why it is routinely reckoned among the most beautiful archipelagos in the Caribbean. Its national park status strictly limits building and large-scale hotel development, keeping accommodation mainly to small guesthouses on the only inhabited islet, Gran Roque, which has preserved a marine environment comparatively less altered than other Caribbean destinations with heavier tourist development.