Rio Orinoco & Amazon Jungle

Advantages: fresh fish, impressive scenery
Disadvantages: safety issue (as ever)

Ciudad Bolívar lies on the bank of the Orinoco, and used to be called "Angostura" (=narrow) because it is at at the narrowest point of the river). When you see just how wide this narrowest point is, you get a feel for the sort of dimensions of the Orinoco! The town still has a colonial "down town" area with some well preserved buildings and streets and the whole place has a rustic feel. The hub of the town is the "paseo orinoco" - the promenade ...
...selling everything from sweets to umbrellas to jewellery as well as copies of tapes and CDs. Native Indians also come into town to sell hand-made ear rings and necklaces (so-called "asa-wachis" which are supposed to bring luck). For a few dollars you can take a boat trip to the other side of the river, under the bridge and back again. Watch out for white storks in the vegetation. The Orinoco is literally teeming with wildlife - anacondas, piranhas, ... Read review

Advantages: beauty, untouched feel, diversity
Disadvantages: Can be pretty hot, need to go for a few days really

I spent only around 3 days in the Puerto Ayacucho area. I took a number of trips with friends into the amazon area. I have to say it is stunning. It seems so untouched and diverse. Never does the same tree seem to be sitting next another of its kind. Whare they have fallen, they remain and rot. It's also seriously hot and humid. If you can't deal with that to some extent, forget it. You will be wet within about 5 minutes. The insect population is ...
...the jet black wasps and jumping fire-ants, you'll never be bored! We also hired a light aircraft (with pilot) and flew over much of the rainforest cover in the area. It's so enormous! We flew towards, and around, a tepui. This is a giant rock that is abou 100 across and 1 km high that rises out of the rainforest floor. It has a flat top too. Quite spectacular! ... Read review