Venezuela: Travelling

Entry Requirements

Passport and Visa Service: Visa Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Spanish)
List of Embassies

Check IATA Travel Website for visa requirements and health advices.

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Caracas-Maiquetía (CCS)	30km / 18 miles	USD 20-25 / 35-65 min	USD 2-3 / 50 min	-	Available

Name	Type	Domestic Flights	International Flights
American Airlines	Major	No	Yes
Aeropostal	Major	Yes	No
Avensa	Major	Yes	No

Historical: The city of Caracas must be visited, even though a big part of the old centre was destroyed by the earthquake in 1812; however, the Cathedral, the "Panteon Nacional" (in Spanish) and the Parliament were saved. To find out about all the capital's tourist sites, visit the Caracas Virtual website.
Cultural: There are museums of contemporary art and pre-Columbian art. The artistic centers website, lists Venezuelan museums: see Museos de Venezuela.
Nature: There are many, very diversified flora and fauna in Venezuela. There are many protected parks: list of parks. Large parts of the Orinoco remain wild and there are excursions of several days to explore the surrounding area. The Salto Angel is the highest waterfall in the world. The landscape is very diversified: the Caribbean coast, the wide open spaces of the "llano" (the plains), the mountains and the jungle.
Religious: There are many churches and cathedrals built by Spanish settlers as soon as they arrived: see the list of churches and cathedrals
Beach: All of Venezuela's Caribbean coast, as well as several islands, are known for the beauty of their beaches. The island of Margarita is very popular. Morrocoy is known for its small protected islands which you can only go to by small boat. See the link about the islands.
Outdoor Activities: There are many sports facilities in the country's large cities. Baseball, horse riding and dance are favorite Venezuelan activities.

See this link.

Top Highlights in the Main Cities
Quinta Anauco
El Pinar ZOO (in Spanish)
Central University (in Spanish)
Park Los Chorros
Place Bolivar
The Acquavella Gallery (in Spanish)

Top Highlights of the Country
Los Roques Archipelago National Park
City of Merida
Santa Elena de Uairen
San Fernando de Apure
Cumana

Health Precautions: There are no requirements regarding vaccination. There is a risk of a benign form of P. vivax malaria all year round in some rural areas of the States of Amazonas, Apure, Barinas, Bolivar, Sucre and Tàchira. The risk of P. falciparum malaria is limited to towns situated in jungle areas. Isolated cases of falciparum malaria resistant to chloroquine have been reported. Preventive treatment recommended in areas of risk: CHL for P. vivax; C+P for P. falciparum.
Observe elementary hygiene precautions (only drink water in sealed bottles if hygiene conditions do not seem to be observed), avoid fruit juices and raw vegetables, especially in the hot season. Anti-rabies vaccination is strongly advised.
For Further Information on Sanitary Conditions: World Travels

General services number (Police, Emergencies, Fire Department

171, *171 (from a mobile phone)

Time and Time Difference: It is %T:%M %A In Caracas (GMT-4)
Summer Time Period: Strictly speaking, there is no summer. The dry season is the hottest and goes from November to April.

Time zone

Type of Climate: The climate is tropical, hot and humid. On the heights, temperatures are more moderate. They vary between 18 and 35 degrees.
Hotel reservation websites: Yahoo Weather

Climate

Food Specialties: Venezuelan food is famous for being very aromatic. Most dishes are indeed sprinkled with saffron and cumin on top.
Local culinary specialties:
Tequenos: fried cheese fritters
Arepas: traditional bread made of fried corn flour.
Tostadas: plantain which has been cut into sections and fried, often served with cheese.
Guasacaca: avocado-based sauce
Pabellón criollo: minced meat served with fried plantain, rice and black beans.
Hallaca: Christmas and New Year's Day dish: pork, beef, ham and green peppers sprinkled with corn flour on top, which is then used as a stuffing in banana skins.
Parrilla criolla: barbecued marinated beef.
Puree de apio: Venezuelan puree.
Drinks: Venezuela produces a renowned brown rum. Coffee is drunk very strong and very sweet. Batidos are excellent fruit juices. Chicha is a sweet drink made from a rice paste and cinnamon.
Dietary Restrictions: No specific culinary restrictions in Venezuela.

Domestic Currency: Venezuelan Bolivar
ISO Code: VEF
To Obtain Domestic Currency: The currency is the bolivar or VEB. It is easy to change Euros or dollars into local currency.
Possible Means of Payment: Credit cards are taken almost everywhere, except in rural areas or in small shops where it is best to have cash on you.

Official Language: Spanish.
Other Languages Spoken: English, French, German and Portuguese are also spoken by some sections of the population.
Business Language: Even if English is used, it is still strongly advisable to speak Spanish. Most of the population does not speak English and all official documents must be drawn up in Spanish.

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