1. Angel Falls
Fly over a surreal landscape of flat-topped tepuis to Venezuela's Canaima National Park, and touch down alongside the pink-tinted cascades of Canaima lagoon. Your next step is a five-hour river journey through lush jungle. From the Mirador Laime lookout, witness the cascade of Salto Ángel, the world’s tallest waterfall, as it thunders 979m from the plateau of Auyantepui. Swim while gazing up at the water flow, and then sleep in a hammock camp, serenaded by the evening jungle.
2. Caracas
A sprawling metropolis choked with traffic, Caracas incites no instant love affairs. The political and cultural capital of Venezuela is densely overpopulated and hectic, with a solid dose of crime and pollution. Few sections of the city are pedestrian-friendly, most are downright dangerous and after dark, it's strictly taxis only. That said, it's a shame to miss Caracas entirely, as many travelers choose. The city has a spectacular setting, with the jungle-clad mountains of the El Ávila National Park towering over it as well as some good museums and Venezuela's best eating options. Evocative fog descends from the lush mountains, keeping the city comfortable year-round, and chirping sapitos (little frogs) and crickets form a lovely evening chorus. Safety, the single factor that prevents many from visiting, is a big concern, but if you keep your wits about you, ask locals before heading anywhere you're not sure about and take taxis after dark, you should be fine. Caracas is a tough but fascinating place that won't be for everyone, but which almost always impresses the few who make it here these days.
3. Morrocoy National Park
One of the most spectacular coastal environments in Venezuela, Morrocoy National Park comprises a strip of park on the mainland, and extends offshore to scores of islands, islets and cays. Some islands are fringed by white-sand beaches and surrounded by coral reefs. The most popular of the islands is Cayo Sombrero, which has fine (though increasingly damaged) coral reefs and some of the best shaded beaches. Other snorkeling spots include Cayo Borracho, Playuela and Playuelita.
4. Isla Margarita
While Isla Margarita itself certainly has some of the country's best beaches and enjoys a dramatic, mountainous interior to boot, its unchecked development, traffic-clogged roads and creeping urban sprawl has made something of a mockery of its tropical paradise image. Still trading on its '80s and '90s reputation as a jet-set destination, the reality is disappointing today, and we advise beach lovers to head to Península de Paria, Los Roques or Puerto Colombia rather than here. That said, direct air connections to Caracas make it easy to get here, hotels are plentiful and cheap, and tourist infrastructure is far more developed than elsewhere in the country. The urban sprawl around the island's largest town, Porlamar, is the favored haunt of holidaying Venezuelans and is full of glitzy shops, huge hotels and beach bars. By far the best bits of the island are to be found elsewhere – the beach towns of El Yaque and Juangriego, the inland mountains and the largely untouched Península de Macanao are the real highlights of any visit here.
5. Coro
Caressed by pleasant sea breezes, Coro is one of the prettier colonial cities in Venezuela and the entry point to the magnificent sand dunes of the Médanos de Coro National Park. The cobblestone Zamora, where most of the historic mansions are located, rivals any other colonial architecture in the country, and the city has been on UNESCO World Heritage list since 1993. Though it's important to remember that Venezuela is not as blessed with colonial towns as its neighbours Brazil and Colombia, and much of Coro is a hectic, modern city like any other in Venezuela. Coro is best employed as an excellent base for exploring the region, especially the Península de Paraguaná and the mountainous Sierra de San Luis. It boasts a large student population and excellent budget accommodations.
Médanos de Coro National Park
Mesmerizing zebra stripes of sand shimmer in the breeze at the Médanos de Coro National Park, a spectacular desert landscape with sand dunes of 30m in height. Late afternoon is the best time to visit, when the sun is not so fierce. High winds mean they are always changing shape. The area is quite dry, so there’s limited vegetation and wildlife to see.
6. Mochima National Park
Straddling the states of Anzoátegui and Sucre, Mochima National Park comprises a low, dry mountain range that drops down to fine bays and beaches, and continues offshore to a mesmerizing constellation of three dozen arid islands. Dolphins are a common sight in the area’s waters. The best beaches are on the islands and accessed by short boat trips from Santa Fe, Mochima or other coastal towns. Coral reefs surround a few of the islands and provide decent snorkeling and scuba diving. Tranquility seekers should visit midweek – at weekends and during summer the park gets lots of visitors from nearby cities. The towns within the park are generally very poor and not particularly safe. Mochima is an exception, though it's lacking appealing posadas.
7. Roraima
A stately table mountain towering into churning clouds, Roraima (2810m) lures hikers and nature-lovers looking for Venezuela at its natural and rugged best. Unexplored until 1884, and studied extensively by botanists ever since, the stark landscape contains strange rock formations and graceful arches, ribbon waterfalls, glittering quartz deposits and carnivorous plants. The frequent mist only accentuates the otherworldly feel. Although it’s one of the easier tepuis to climb and no technical skills are required, the trek is long and demanding. However, anyone who’s reasonably fit and determined can reach the top. Be prepared for wet weather, nasty puri puris (invisible biting insects) and frigid nights at the summit. In recent years with the decline in international travelers, Roraima has marketed itself more to domestic travelers.
8. Mérida
The adventure-sports capital of Venezuela, progressive Mérida is an affluent Andean city with a youthful energy and a spectacular mountain position. It has an unhurried, friendly and cultured atmosphere derived from the massive university, its outdoor-sports presence and its wonderful climate, which attracts lowlanders for its bright but breezy days and cool nights. Active visitors will be spoiled for choice, with myriad options for hiking, canyoning, rafting, mountain biking and Mérida's specialty: paragliding. The city is also the major jumping-off point for wildlife-viewing trips to Los Llanos and lightning-viewing trips in Catatumbo. Affordable and relatively safe, Mérida has a high standard of accommodations and numerous good places to eat. While not a place to indulge in colonial architecture, it has some of Venezuela's best nightlife, and is a major stop for backpackers.
9. Archipiélago Los Roques
Island-hopping is the primary activity on Los Roques, a group of nearly 300 shimmering, sandy islands that lie in aquamarine waters some 160km due north of Caracas. It’s far pricier than the mainland because everything is imported, but for those who love undeveloped beaches, snorkeling and diving, the trip is worth every bolívar. There is just one settlement on the main island of Gran Roque, and even that is limited to a few sandy and car-free streets, a charming contrast to the relentless traffic and overcrowding of most other towns in the country. The whole archipelago, complete with the surrounding waters (2211 sq km), was made a national park in 1972.
10. Los Llanos
One of Venezuela’s best destinations is the wildlife-rich Los Llanos, an immense savanna plain south of the Andes that’s also the home of Venezuela’s cowboys and the twangy harp music of joropo (traditional music of Los Llanos). With Venezuela’s greatest repository of wildlife found here, you’ll be flat-out dazzled by caimans, capybaras, piranhas, anacondas and anteaters, plus an enormous variety of birds. In the rainy season, the land is half-flooded and animals are dispersed but still visible everywhere. The dry months (mid-November to April) are the high season, with a greater concentration of animals clustered near water sources.
Source: Lonely Planet; Touropia
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