Venezuela

308 Pages·39.783 MB·English

by  Hilary Dunsterville Branch

s
Venezuela
Hilary
Dunsterville Branch

Venezuela

Venezuela
Hilary Dunsterville Branch
and other contributors
BRADT PUBLICATIONS, UK
HUNTER PUBLISHING, USA
DISTR. SANTIAGO, VENEZUELA
First published in 1993 by Bradt Publications, 41 Nortoft Rd, Chalfont
St Peter, Bucks, SL9 OLA, England.
Distributed in the USA by Hunter Publishing Inc., 300 Raritan Center
Parkway, CN94, Edison, NJ 08810.
Distributed in Venezuela by Distribuidora Santiago CA, Apto 2589,
1010A Caracas.
Copyright © 1993 Hilary Dunsterville Branch
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without
the written consent of the publishers.
ISBN 946983 70 4
Cover photos by Edward Paine, Last Frontiers.
Front cover: Chinak-Meru falls, Aponguano river.
Back cover, top: Playa Medina, Paria Peninsula.
Back cover, bottom: Squirrel monkey, Amazonas.
Typeset from the author's disc by Patti Taylor, London NW10 3BX
Printed by Guernsey Press
Acknowledgements
My grateful thanks totravellers and readers ofthetwo editions ofthe
No Frills Guide to Venezuela who provided information: Florence
Smith, Bill Quantrill, Justine Freeth, Huw Clough, Christopher
Leggett, Chris Sharpe, Oyvind & Helen Servan, Don Jacobs, Steve
Whitaker, Sandrine Tiller, Lindsay Griffin, Peter Ireland, C. Sganga,
Rowena Quantrill, Mark Dutton, James Mead, Andrea Bullock,
Debbie Quintana, Darren Kealey, Mary Lou Goodwin, Marco Crolla,
Michele Coppens, C. Nacher, Edith Steinbuch, Luis Armas, Julian
Singleton, Tim Wainwright, Alison Vickers, Peter Weinberger, Sven
Berge, Karen and John Whitehead, Barney Gibbs, Edward Paine,
Tracey & Paul Weatherstone, Harald Baedeke, Luke Tegner and
Katherine Lewis.
INTRODUCTION
Venezuela has, for some years, been one of the gateway countries
to South America, with the cheapest flights to the continent routed
through Caracas. Travellers may take one horrified look at this city
and flee south. But Caracas has its devotees and it is always
important not to judge a country by its capital. The largest
Venezuelan cities, including Caracas, are located near the coast.
Everything else is called the interior. Ninety percent of Venezuelans
live in the northern ten percent of the land, so that much of the
country is delightfully free of urban blight, retaining local colour and
traditions. There is some excellent backpacking in a variety of
mountain scenery, from cloudforestto glacier, and in somesplendid
national parks. Away from the built-up coast, there are stil—l coral
reefs, beaches, amazing birdlife, immense rivers, waterfalls and
a relative absence of international tourism which cannot last
indefinitely.
This guide emphasises ecotourism and is not intended as a
complete guide to every city and all hotels. It has grown from two
editions of the No Frills Guide to Venezuela in response to readers'
suggestions and requests, describing places of greatest interest to
the more adventurous traveller.
Prices: readers should note that while the value of the bolivar
devalues (to the advantage of hard-currency travellers) local prices
rise vs. the U.S. dollar. For this reason have given the U.S.
I
equivalent of many fares and prices.
vi
vii
Table of Contents
SECTION ONE: GENERAL INFORMATION
1
Chapter 1: Information for travellers 3
A brief history 3, Getting the^e 4, Organised tours 5, Before you go
6, Health and security 7, What to bring 7, Money 8
Chapter 2: In Venezue—la 9
Arriving and leaving by plane 9, By bus 14, By boat 16,
Communications 17, Accommodation and food 19, Holidays 22
Chapter 3: National Parks and special interests 23
Nature, conservation groups 26, Special interests, sports 27
SECTION TWO: CARACAS AND REGION 31
Chapter 4: Caracas 33
The capital 33, Exploring Caracas by metro 36, Lodging 46, Where
to eat 48, Where to buy camping supplies 50
Chapter 5: El Avila National Park 53
Caracas' mountain 53, Walks and hikes in the Avila Range 57
Chapter 6: Guatopo 71
A rain forest south of Caracas 71
Chapter 7: West of Caracas 75
Colonia Tovar 75, Longer hikes in the region 79, Exploring by car
and boat 81
Chapter 8: The coast: La Guaira to Barlovento 85
—
La Guaira The old sea port 85, Mucato and the central Litoral 86
SECTION THREE: THE CARIBBEAN RESORTS 93
Chapter 9: The marine national parks 95
Parque Nacional Archipielago los Roques 97, Parque Nacional
Morrocoy 100, Parque Nacional Mochima 106
Chapter 10: Margarita 107
Caribbean island 107, Coche and Cubagua 118
Chapter 11: The 'Oriente' coast 121
Sucre State 121, Cumana 123, Araya Peninsula 131, East Sucre
State 134, Paria National Park 137, Macuro 141
viii
SECTION FOUR: THE ORINOCO REGION 143
Chapter 12: Monagas and the Orinoco Delta 145
Caripe 145, Matunn 148, The Orinoco Delta 151
Chapter 13: The Llanos 159
SECTION FIVE: THE GUAYANA REGION (THE SOUTH) .. 169
Chapter 14: Bolivar State 171
Gran Sabana, 'tepuis', Angel Falls 171, Accesstowns 171, The road
to Brazil 178, Roraima 185, Angel Falls 191, Auyantepui 196, The
Caura River and Para Falls 200
Chapter 15: Amazonas 209
Puerto Ayacucho 210, Up the Orinoco 216
SECTION SIX: THE WEST 219
Chapter 16: Aragua and Carabobo 221
Two mid-west states 221, Aragua State 221, Carabobo State 229
Chapter 17: Lara 239
Barquisimeto 239, Carora 241
Chapter 18: The Andes 245
Paramos and peaks 245, Trujillo State 245, Sierra Nevada de
Merida 251 Merida 255, Hiking in the Sierra Nevada de Merida 260,
,
Some back country roads in Merida 277
Appendix 281
Reading and reference 281
Other books on South America from Bradt Publications .... 284
Index of place names 285