Anyone travelled venezuela and the guyanas

holystungun9

I am in Ecuador and next year will be making my way to Brazil ( that is the latest plan anyway ). But typical me does not want to go to Peru and Bolivia and Chile etc., etc. Please don't tell me I should see this and that, I just want to hear from any body who has travelled along the north coast or has spent any time in any of these countries mentioned in the title. How were the border crossings and having to change money all the time? Really appreciate any advice. Thanks guys

Neamhshuntasach

Been to Venezuela. But never to the Guayanas. I really wanted to like Venezuela but found it difficult to travel in. Atm's hardly accepted foreign bank cards. Even visa cards were a problem. So had to go into the bank to get an advance. But that would only work sporadically and they charged ridiculous service fees. Kept on being told by everyone that everywhere was dangerous for tourists. Especially in Caracas which is probably true to some extent. Huge crime rate there and you can feel it in the air in a lot of places. Something about the way the people look at you and how the streets empty once night hits. Getting around is dirt cheap but accommodation is expensive enough. They don't really have any infrastructure to handle tourists. So stuff that is cheap in other countries tends to be more expensive here. Also a lot of ripping off. If you like that sort of travel then go for it. Merida is a nice college town in the Andes and getting out to Canaima is well worth it but can be a bit of hassle.

The Guyanas are supposed to be a nature lovers dream. Not overly much in them apparently but if your into trekking and all that you might like it.

Flynn

Just so you know there is no border crossing from Venezuela to Guyana, you'll have to fly, or else cross the border into Brazil and bus it from Boa vista...Remember reading that when i was over..I think it's boats and 4WD after that to get to Suriname etc..

Balmed Out

I loved Venezuela though its true that there isnt the same infrastructure for tourism that many other countries in the region have. Bring Dollars and lots of them. There is a black market everywhere that gives you a far better rate then the government charged rate in banks etc. It will nearly half the cost of venezuela versus taking money out of a bank. Another option is to find someone willing to give you the good rate in exchange for you depositing money in their european bank which i did here in merida via paypal

http://www.swiss-base.com/business.asp?Company=Casa+Alemana-Suiza&City=M%E9rida&MainID=421

Make sure to go to los llanos for me the highlight of venezuela. ill never forget 4 of us dragging an anaconda out of a swamp and finding a turtle in him that you could play the drms off.
My next highlight was a few hours west of carracas and called something like chichiviche in the morrocoy national park. Wow. Get an ice box fill with beers and island hop from one small deserted island to the next or to more popular but still quiet beaches. theres also this sea pool where there is a submerged island i guess and loads of people tie yachts around it and chill out with a few beers.
Next is canaima and angel falls. really cool again and it'd be a shame not to see it. Think lots of table top mountains like the one in cape town with lots of waterfalls including angel falls.
Merida is a cool city.
From what i remember the henry pitier national park, orinoco delta, a desert in the east with lightning but no thunder and islas los roques were all places i heard good things about but didnt have time to see. Dont bother spending time in isla marguerita or in carracas.
Night life isnt the greatest.
Dont wander around at night.
Gluck.

Neamhshuntasach

Balmed Out wrote: »

I loved Venezuela though its true that there isnt the same infrastructure for tourism that many other countries in the region have. Bring Dollars and lots of them. There is a black market everywhere that gives you a far better rate then the government charged rate in banks etc. It will nearly half the cost of venezuela versus taking money out of a bank. Another option is to find someone willing to give you the good rate in exchange for you depositing money in their european bank which i did here in merida via paypal

http://www.swiss-base.com/business.asp?Company=Casa+Alemana-Suiza&City=M%E9rida&MainID=421

Make sure to go to los llanos for me the highlight of venezuela. ill never forget 4 of us dragging an anaconda out of a swamp and finding a turtle in him that you could play the drms off.
My next highlight was a few hours west of carracas and called something like chichiviche in the morrocoy national park. Wow. Get an ice box fill with beers and island hop from one small deserted island to the next or to more popular but still quiet beaches. theres also this sea pool where there is a submerged island i guess and loads of people tie yachts around it and chill out with a few beers.
Next is canaima and angel falls. really cool again and it'd be a shame not to see it. Think lots of table top mountains like the one in cape town with lots of waterfalls including angel falls.
Merida is a cool city.
From what i remember the henry pitier national park, orinoco delta, a desert in the east with lightning but no thunder and islas los roques were all places i heard good things about but didnt have time to see. Dont bother spending time in isla marguerita or in carracas.
Night life isnt the greatest.
Dont wander around at night.
Gluck.

I used the Euro on the black market no problem. I was getting over 7 Bolivars to the Euro. Unfortunately i ran out of most of my supply of them in Cuba and was forced to go to the bank.

Been to all the places listed above and i'd pick Los Roques over Isla Margarita any day. Although the sandflies on Roques are vicious bastards and you have to fly there. There was no boat service when i went there. Also the lightning in Catatumbo is amazingly weird because you also expect the thunder. I love severe weather so i hung around for 3 days waiting to see it. And i agree with Los Llanos. I had seen it on a travel show where they pulled a huge Anaconda out of flood plain and lived on a ranch. I always wanted to go there after that. Well worth the trip down.

Practice your spanish though because i found very little people speak English outside of Caracas.