Venezuela travel guide
Venezuela is where the Andes meet the Caribbean – a land of astonishing variety and a great introduction to South America
With more beauty queens than anywhere else and the highest waterfall in the world, Venezuela sure is easy on the eye. Christopher Columbus described the south-east of the country as “paradise on earth”.
Venezuela offers amazingly diverse experiences, from delving into the Amazon rainforest to taking a dip in the gently lapping Caribbean sea. In the west is Los Llanos, the great plain where local flora and fauna – such as scarlet ibis and Orinoco crocodile – share their territory with cattle and llanero cowboys.
Further west, at Mérida, you can be whisked off your feet by the highest cable car in the world as it glides up through the mist-swirled peaks of the Andes. Pull on your hiking boots and march out onto the grassy trails of the páramo and the highland pastures studded with wild flowers.
In the east, where Venezuela meets Brazil and Guyana, the Gran Sabana – watered by the mighty cascade of Angel Falls – soars to the flat-topped tepui, including Roraima, the 'lost world'.
A stop on your Venezuelan itinerary should certainly be Mochima National Park on the coast, where you can hire a boat and chug round the clusters of islands until you find a deserted cove where you can drop anchor and spend a day padding across your own beach. Or perhaps head to the spectacular Los Roques archipelago, with miles of pristine white-sand beaches and crystal-clear water.
Wanderlust recommends
- Climb the tepui (flat-topped mountain) Roraima for stunning views from a ‘lost world’
- Head upriver and overland in Venezuela to the highest waterfall in the world: Angel Falls
- Swim with turtles in beautiful Caribbean archipelago Los Roques
- Relax with some pampering massages between shopping trips and beach visits on Margarita Island
- Pick up some Chocolates El Rey: they will change your perception of chocolate forever
- Explore Los Llanos, watching out for giant anteaters lumbering across the savannah
Wanderlust tips
Share in some Venezuelan obsessions by watching a hammy telenovela (soap opera) or catching a live baseball game. Venezuela has a macho culture and women are regularly wolf-whistled. The best and safest way to deal with it is to ignore it.