salette

4 of us are planning a trip to Caracas next month. Any suggestions on where to stay and what to do. We want a clean hotel/appartment with hot running water and private bath/shower and toilets. No need for anything flash.

Any suggestions on where to start?

ParrotMom

There is no way you want to go to Caracas or Venezuela in general.(please do a search).. politically things are on the edge and are now there are street clogging protests. Shortages of food, gas and necessities. This doesn't even touch on the thousands who are tryiing to leave the country before Chavez makes this into another Cuba... If you write to me I will put you in contact with somebody in Caracas that will tell you of the situation. [email protected].

rabano

Parrotmom,
I read your response to salette. I am planning a cruise which touches Margarita Island which is part of Venezuela, just off the tip. What are your thoughts and advice on Margarita Island?

melissaharris81

In response to rabano and salette, my husband is from Caracas and my in laws still live there. The situation there is pretty bad but Margarita is actually a fantastic place to go right now. The American dollar will go a loooong way because of the situation there. Margarita is still safe and you can get a fantastic hotel for about $30 or $40 a night. We own an apartment on the island and it feels very far from the hussle of Caracas. Don't worry about traveling to Margarita, however I would reconcider going to Caracas until things settle down and they get that idiot out of office.

ParrotMom

Rabano..sorry I didn't see your post..but Margarita is safe.the the poster above is absolutely correct. We were there many years ago but my Venezuelan friends have time sharing there and go quite often. The exchange rate will be in your favor. If on a cruise take one of the side trips....don't do the "fly over Angel Falls", because it maybe cloudy and you wont see a thing. There is a lagoon whose name I have forgotten at this moment..worthwhile.

Ari

Isla de Margarita was one of our ports of call as well and we did the horseback ride as a shore excursion. It was awesome! We also did a Caracas City tour (shore excursion). Were advised that doing Caracas on your own was very unsafe. The tour was facinating - took the tram to the top of a mountain where they were construction a resort accessible only by tram.

ParrotMom

Ari..Caracas is a beautiful city.. when we went many moons ago we were able to take a ride of their subway, visit the home of Simon Boliver, go to the famous Jewelry Building and have lunch at a local restaurant.. Caracas is so bad now that our friends who are going home for Xmas to Merida will not leave the airport....

jacketwatch

To Salette; I wanted to go to Caracas several yrs. ago (before all this current trouble). My travel agent told me this story. She had a 5 hr. stopover in Caracas and wanted to go out to sightsee. A soldier armed to the teeth sternly told here it was not safe to do so. The street crime is very high. Sorry to put a damper on your plan but really you should consider a safer place for now.

sperlunk

My friends want to fly into Caracas and charter a sailing boat to Isla Los Roques in early March - before leaving Caracas we'll have to buy groceries and supplies in Caracas- I am pretty nervous about being robbed in the airport or kidnapped on the docks- I am a typical blonde, blue-eyed American girl - will I be safe?

PSB

I am concerned. My sister, husband and 2 small boys are relocating to Caracas (oil co. job), probably in March. They are looking to find a safe neighborhood and good elementary school. They learned recently of another oil co. executive and his wife who were hacked to death (or killed in some other grisly manner) in midday. He lived in a supposedly secure area. Will they have to stay on a compound or can they venture out? We have expressed our wish that they would stay in Texas and forgo the promotion. On the other hand, they may see a beautiful part of the world. Any words to make us less nervous? Many thanks. One more thing--if they do move, what is the best way to keep in touch (email or phone); we've heard that phone service can be unreliable and expensive.

ParrotMom

PSB please write to me and I'll forward your letter on to my friend in Caracas. [email protected]

Greg1

I went a few years ago. I'm a pretty adventurous traveler and I speak the language fluently and I feel pretty lucky not having had a bad experience. It is touch-and-go - don't go thinking you're in the USA. There is a lot of violence and if you have money, good chance you'll will be a target if you stay long enough. I wouldn't go again until things got better and knowing Latin America, it may not ever.

PSB

I am relieved to report that my sister's assignment has been changed from Caracas to Hong Kong; she feels like they've dodged a bullet. Just last week an employee of the same co. was tricked at the airport; a "substitute" driver came to pick him up, drove him 2 hours from the airport, robbed him, and left him to find his way back...and he feels lucky it turned out that way.