According to legend, Margarita was created by the teardrop of a cherub and named the "Pearl of the Caribbean". In reality, however, it formed when a narrow sand bar emerged from the sea and connected two adjacent islands. The sand bar and its surroundings, which comprise mangroves, salt-flats and a lagoon, are now the Laguna de la Restinga National Park. The peninsula is less windy, and temperatures soar. The rainy season lasts from November to January, but as rain tends to fall during the night, most days remain dry.