I am up for anything and want to go everywhere. I regularly kayak, cycle, hike and camp so i am tru...
I am up for anything and want to go everywhere. I regularly kayak, cycle, hike and camp so i am true outdoor person
Member since:23.08.2007
Reviews:50
Members who trust:1
Venezuela has to be the most amazingly diverse country i have ever been to, and worry not, it is not the only place i have been. It ranges from the Andes in the West to the Gran Sabana and then onto the dense Jungle in the east. It has the world's tallest waterfall: Angel Falls, (discovered by Jimmy Angel), beautiful CarribeanCoast, unique tribal communities and bustling oil rich cities.
As i did with my trip lets start where most people do -Caracas. This is a city of to halves, extreme poverty and extreme wealth due to the oil, but the first thing that hit me was the incredible prices. I mean a 3 course meal for £2.50 and people were ripping you off if they were selling fags for 90p. This meant that a daily budget was tiny and in fact hotel rooms in other towns were less than £4.00 a night, so a budget of less than £15 is fine.
From Caracas the options are endless. If you decide to trek in the Andes, Merida is a good starting point, a bustling city with all the trekking shops and guides you could want. However i do warn you that a high level of fitness and an understanding of altitude sickness is recommended for longer treks.
If you prefer the jungle it is best to head to the southeast towards Canaima, which is a perfect base for an assault on Angle Falls. Whilst in this area there is also the attraction of the tepuis, or table top mountains, described by Conan-Doyle in his book the 'The Lost World'. If you really want adventure i think this is the place to go and especially MountRoraima, where you can see unique orchids or sample the sights of Boa Vista at night (from a distance).
However if you want more of a relaxing trip there is no better place than the northern Carribean Coast. Here the seas are crystal clear, palm trees surrounf the white sands and the coral reefs are exquisite.
Getting to all these destinations in quite easy too. Flying into Venezuela from Europe is usually via Madrid and with Iberian Airlines. In the country domestic flights can take you to Canaima and other popular destinations, and in more remote regions jeeps are the choice of travel. However i found the best way to travel was by coach, they are like the rail system here, but in most cases far more exciting and rather comfortable.
Safety is also an issue for many travellers and although guns are everywhere in Venezuela (most doormen have them in fast food chains) it is on the most part safe and the biggest dangers are on the borders with other countries where drugs are more prevalent. A much greater threat is the wildlife and anti-malaria tablets are advisable.
I higly recommed one of the Lonely Planet books to broaden your understanding how how brilliant Venezuela really is.
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Advantages: Good weather all year round, good exchange rate for the USD or GBP Disadvantages: Locals generally don't speak anything other than Spanish, rather high crime rate
Lisette 04.03.2005 ·
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Review of General: Venezuela
Advantages: Lack of tourists, amazing scenery and wildlife, friendly people, and good transport. Disadvantages: You have to be prepared to organise everything yourself, in Spanish! Not for people looking for glitz, glamour or an easy life.
xadoc 29.01.2004 (30.01.2004)
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Review of General: Venezuela
Advantages: Lack of tourists, amazing scenery and wildlife, friendly people, and good transport. Disadvantages: You have to be prepared to organise everything yourself, in Spanish! Not for people looking for glitz, glamour or an easy life.
xadoc 29.01.2004 (30.01.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of General: Venezuela
Advantages: different Caribbean experience Disadvantages: costs
sting_of_the_scorpion 29.03.2006 (31.03.2006)
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