Blanquilla, Venezuela, is a scuba diver’s and nature lover’s dream. Located just 70 miles northwest of Isla Margarita, it’s sure to dazzle guests arriving aboard Star Flyer with its brilliant white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters that are perfect for snorkeling.

Virtually uninhabited except for fishermen and a coast guard station, guests will feel like they’ve arrived at a private island for a day of sun, sand and surf.

Named for those sandy beaches, the 72-square-mile limestone island is shaped like an arrowhead and is home to Venezuelan wall diving, as it sits on the edge of a deep ocean trench.

The wall starts just 65 feet from shore, and plummets straight down more than 3,000 feet. At some spots, including Piedra del Ahogado (The Drowned Rock), coral pinnacles scratch the water’s surface. The wall is also rich with black corals, which are increasingly hard to find throughout the world.

Los Hermanos are five rock spires that rise up from the depths to form a convenient anchorage for fishing boats. The crews often clean their catch here, discarding the slop overboard, feeding a dense collection of fat and happy fish, from moray eels to barracuda and triggerfish.

Star Flyer will call at La Blanquilla on its Panama Canal cruise departing October 31, 2010.