The 50-plus islands of Los Roques, which lie scattered across 850 square miles of the South Caribbean, are like a lost treasure of doubloons awaiting discovery. Little known beyond circles of Italian travel cognoscenti, Los Roques has no high-rise hotels, no mass tourism, and no cruise ships. In fact, the Venezuelan government, which oversees the archipelago, declared the entire area a national park in 1972. 
As a result, hopscotching among the islands' unspoiled reefs and dazzling, castaway-style beaches feels like a journey through the tranquil Caribbean of yore. 
Stay at La Cigala (58-414/236-5726; www.lacigala.com), a welcoming posada in a converted fisherman's house on the main island of Gran Roque, accessible via a 40-minute flight from Caracas. 
Set in the archipelago's only village—a few sandy streets where fishermen haul in the daily catch and visitors decompress after a day on the reefs—the posada has an alluring, Mediterranean feel. Exposed rough-hewn beams are set against cool, whitewashed walls; palm and coconut trees surround a hammock in the serene open-air courtyard—all just a few seconds' walk from the water. At night, you can watch the moon rise from the dining room while enjoying Roqueño lobster risotto paired with one of La Cigala's notoriously potent caipirinhas.