Contents9

On the Road 4Venezuela Highlights 5

Destination Venezuela 11Getting Started 13Itineraries 18History 22The Culture 31Food & Drink 41

Environment 46Caracas 51History 52Orientation 53Information 54Dangers & Annoyances 56Sights 57Activities 64Tours 64Festivals & Events 65Sleeping 65Eating 68Drinking 74Entertainment 75Shopping 77Getting There & Away 78Getting Around 80AROUND CARACAS 81Parque Nacional El Ávila 81Litoral Central 83

The Central North 84ARCHIPIÉLAGO LOS ROQUES 86Gran Roque 89Other Islands 92MIRANDA STATE 93San Francisco de Yare 93Parque Nacional Guatopo 93

Altagracia de Orituco 95ARAGUA STATE 95Maracay 95Colonia Tovar 100Parque Nacional Henri Pittier 101CARABOBO STATE 107Valencia 107Campo Carabobo 111Las Trincheras 112Puerto Cabello 113

The Northwest 116FALCÓN STATE 118Coro 118Península de Paraguaná 122Sierra de San Luis 127Parque Nacional Morrocoy 129Chichiriviche 131Tucacas 132LARA & YARACUY STATES 133Barquisimeto 133Chivacoa 137Cerro de María Lionza 137Quíbor 138El Tocuyo 139Sanare 140Carora 140ZULIA STATE 141Maracaibo 141Around Maracaibo 149

The Andes 151MÉRIDA STATE 153Mérida 153Around Mérida 163TRUJILLO STATE 168Valera 168Trujillo 168Boconó 170Tostós 173Niquitao 173Around Niquitao 173TÁCHIRA STATE 174San Cristóbal 174San Pedro del Río 177San Antonio del Táchira 177

Los Llanos 180Touring Los Llanos 181Barinas 185

© Lonely Planet

10 C O N T E N T S

Guanare 188Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de Coromoto 190San Fernando de Apure 191

The Northeast 193ISLA DE MARGARITA 195Porlamar 197Pampatar 202El Valle del Espíritu Santo 203La Asunción 203Parque Nacional Cerro El Copey 204Playa El Agua 204Juangriego 205Carapacho 206Parque Nacional Laguna de la Restinga 206Museo Marino 206Península de Macanao 207Playa el Yaque 207ANZOÁTEGUI STATE 208Puerto la Cruz 208Clarines & Píritu 211Parque Nacional Mochima 211Isla la Tortuga 213SUCRE STATE 215Cumaná 215Península de Araya 218Río Caribe 221

Around Río Caribe 222Parque Nacional Península de Paria 225MONAGAS STATE 226Maturín 226Caripe 226Cueva del Guácharo 227

Guayana 229DELTA DEL ORINOCO 231Tucupita 231Around Tucupita 234LOWER ORINOCO 234Ciudad Bolívar 235Río Caura 240Ciudad Guayana 241PARQUE NACIONAL CANAIMA 244Canaima 244Angel Falls 247Kamarata Valley 248GRAN SABANA 250Salto Aponguao 250Kavanayén 250Salto Kamá 252Quebrada Pacheco 252Salto Yuruaní 253Paraitepui 253Roraima 253San Francisco de Yuruaní 255Quebrada de Jaspe 255

p194The Northeast

pp182–3Los Llanos

pp230–1Guayana

pp52–3Caracas

p85The Central North

p152The Andes

The Northwest p117

Regional Map Contents

Santa Elena de Uairén 255AMAZONAS 259Puerto Ayacucho 259Around Puerto Ayacucho 264

Directory 265Transportation 276Health 284Language 292Glossary 299The Authors 301Behind the Scenes 303Index 305GreenDex 311Map Legend 312

Lago deMaracaibo

C a r i b b e a n S e a

Golfo deVenezuela

Río Cinaruco

Táchira

Barinas

Apure

Portuguesa

Mérida

Trujillo

Falcón

LaraCarabobo Aragua

Cojedes

Yaracuy

Zulia

Zulia

CARACAS

BOGOTÁ

Boconó

RiohachaMaicao

Valera

Carora

Punto Fijo

Coro

Trujillo

Guanare

Barinas

San Carlos

Cúcuta

San Cristóbal

Mérida

BarquisimetoMaracay

Bucaramanga

Maracaibo

Valencia

Sinamaica

PuertoCabello

San Fernandode Apure

San Juan delos Morros

PuertoAyacucho

San Simóndel Cocuy

San Antoniodel Táchira

Los Teques

San Fernandode Atabapo

72ºW 70ºW 68ºW

10ºN

8ºN

4ºN

Pico Bolívar(5007m)

Sier

raN

evadade

Mérida

Cord i l l e r a de l a Co s t a

70ºW

12ºN

CuraçaoBonaire

Penínsulade la Guajira Península

de Paraguaná

Sier

ran

íade

Per

ijá

ISLASDE AVES

Río

Atabapo

Río Capanaparo

Río Meta

Río Caparo

Río Guanare

Río Portuguesa

Río Catatumbo

Río Tocuyo

Río Apure

R

RíoGuainía

Río

Ori

noco

C O L O M B I A

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES

ParqueNacionalMorrocoy

ParqueNacional

HenriPittier

ELEVATION

0

2000m

1000m

500m

250m

3000m

6

19

5

5

17

1

7

3

4 1

2

13

11

MÉRIDA STATE (p153)

LOS LLANOS (p180)

PARQUE NACIONALHENRI PITTIER (p101)

LAGUNA DESINAMAICA (p149)

PARQUE NACIONALMORROCOY (p129)

Venezuela's inaugural national park;excellent bird-watching inlandand a beach-hopping bonanza

on the coast

Zoom along South America'slargest lake as ospreys glide

over the houses on stilts

Explore Caribbean coral reefs,observe abundant avian life

and soak up toasty-hot sunshine

Raft the rivers and gawk atamazing wildlife in

Venezuela's marshy heartland

Hike, rappel, paraglide, bungee orbike – adrenaline junkies unite

in Venezuela's highest state

Secondary Road

Primary Road

Freeway

LEGEND

120 miles0200 km0

A T L A N T I C

Golfo de Paria

C a r i b b e a n S e a

Angel Falls

O C E A N

Amazonas

Vargas

Miranda

Guárico

Sucre

Anzoátegui

Monagas

Bolívar

DeltaAmacuro

PORT OF SPAIN

Guarenas

Caripe

Río Caribe

Güiria

Porlamar

Carúpano

Tucupita

Barcelona

Cumaná

Maturín

Santa Elenade Uairén

Ciudad Guayana

Ciudad Bolívar

PuertoLa Cruz

Boa Vista

66ºW 64ºW 62ºW 60ºW

2ºN

Roraima(2810m)

Sierrade

Maigu

alida

64ºW

8ºN

10ºN

12ºN

Embalsede Guri

Delta delOrinoco

Trinidad

Tobago

Grenada

St Vincent

Isla LaTortuga

Isla deMargarita

Isla LaBlanquilla

IslaOrchilla

ARCHIPIÉLAGOLOS ROQUES

GranSabana

Penínsulade Paria

Kam

arat

aV

alle

y

Río Orinoco

Río Orinoco

Río C

aura

Río A

ro

Río

Par

agua

Río C

aroní

Río M

anapire

Río Ventuari

Río Cuyuní

G U Y A N A

B R A Z I L

GRENADA

ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES

TRINIDAD &TOBAGO

ParqueNacionalMochima

ParqueNacionalCanaíma

19

16

10

1613

15

9

1013

9

1512

AMAZONAS (p259)

RORAIMA (p253)

PENÍNSULA DE PARIA(p222)

PARQUE NACIONALMOCHIMA (p211)

DELTA DELORINOCO (p231)

ANGEL FALLS (p247)

ARCHIPIÉLAGO LOSROQUES (p86)

RÍO CAURA (p240)

KAMARATA VALLEY (p248)

Jaw-dropping aquatic Edenoffering world-class turquoise

waters for aquaphiles

Dive and snorkel the coralreefs in the idyllic bays of

this most low-keynatural wonder

Encounter dolphins, parrots andhowler monkeys in one of

the world's great river deltas

Climb Gran Sabana's greatestwonder in a six-day trek

to this flat-topped mountain'sethereal plateau

Escape the crowds at Angel Fallsfor a lost world of waterfalls,

rainforest and indigenous culture

Some of Venezuela's best beachescan be found along this remote

and mountainous peninsula

Navigate the rivers of ParqueNacional Canaima to marvel at the

world's highest waterfall

Journey through the islands,waterfalls and jungles of

the magnificent Río Caura

Explore the rushingrivers of Venezuela'smost remote region

© Lonely Planet

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