Roraima Hill
1. MARVEL WITH THE ROCKS
Many journalists use the adverb “more” indiscriminately (the biggest city, the prettiest neighborhood, the most innovative restaurant). But believe me when I tell you that there is no more fantastic place in the world than this. The Roques It is a true virgin paradise where you can only be one thing: happy. A favorite destination for divers, it has fifty islets of white sand to discover. You can only sleep on one, the Gran Roque, which allows us to see dozens of pelicans hunting –like suicides- next to the fishermen. In the Dos Mesquises Key In addition, we can sign up for the "adopt a turtle" program.
Los Roques: paradise on earth
two. BACK TO THE PAST IN CHORUS
We are not going to lie to you: Venezuela is not a particularly safe destination. But if there is a stable place in the country that is Coro , a charming town that exudes calm and serenity. It is the old capital of the country, founded in 1527, which still maintains a village spirit in which all the neighbors know each other. It is the only Caribbean city recognized as a World Heritage Site , which has become famous for its Andalusian-inspired colonial houses and for having one of the oldest cathedrals in Latin America. Its nickname is "museum city" And you can already guess why: in the historic center there are dozens of art centers.
Coro, a museum town
3. DO SAND BOARDING IN LOS MEDANO
Although they are very close to Coro, the dunes deserve a full stop. These dunes appear and disappear in the middle of the road . Literally. Because the wind is responsible for shaping the appearance of this Caribbean 'desert' every day in which dozens of visitors practice sand boarding. Named a National Park in 1974, the dunes mark the entrance to the unusual Paraguana Peninsula . And we say unusual because on its borders there are diverse climates, animals and intriguing traditions of Caribbean magic.
Sand board near Choir
Four. GET LOST IN THE MORROCOY NATIONAL PARK
It is not necessary to take planes to reach one of the most beautiful corners of the country: Morocco . Pass through Chichirviche It's worth it just to get to know a town with such a unique name, although the real jewel in the crown is the Gaius Hat , a white sand beach with palm trees where you can camp. From the towel, you will see various vendors passing by with all kinds of seafood. Does anyone give more?
Cayo Sombrero in Morrocoy
5. STANDING AGAIN IN THE GRAN SABANA
An essential destination that fills all the tourist guides of the territory. And with good reason: Angel Falls - named after the aviator James "Jimmie" Angel, offers spectacular views with a drop of 979 mere. the great savannah, In addition, it hides the most famous eroded massifs in the world: the tepuys. Fly over them with a plane – you can't miss the Roraima Tepui , 2,800 meters, and the Tepuy Autana - and feel like a true explorer of the last century.
Flying over the Venezuelan Savannah
6. ENJOY LIKE A CHILD IN AN AREPERIA
Time to sit down and eat, right? Well, you're in luck, because Venezuelan flavors are tasty and forceful. If you have never visited the country, you should know that the indisputable gastronomic queen is the arepa . And the princess, obviously, is the arepa queen pepiada. This is the name given to the corn cake stuffed with stewed chicken, avocado and homemade mayonnaise, whose name pays tribute to the voluptuous Venezuelan Miss World Susana Dujim (‘pepiada’, in fact, translates as ‘having curves’) .
Venezuelan arepa: the obligatory bite
7. ENTER A TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT
And by traditional we mean street, cheap and costumbrista. Because we cannot leave Venezuela without trying the national dish, the creole pavilion . It is a multicolored proposal made up of rice, shredded meat, black beans and fried plantain (a safety pin that is also sold in chip format). Still don't know what meatloaf is? Very easy: It is beef boiled with onion and separated into fine pieces. And if you are looking for something more chic, the must-sees are the Alto restaurant in Palos Grandes and the award-winning Peruvian Astrid y Gascón.
Venezuelan haute cuisine
8.**BE SURPRISED WITH THE COROMOTO ICE CREAM SHOP**
In a country where it's always the same temperature and it's never winter, milkshakes and ice cream are the order of the day. The quality is always very high -many restaurants have a huge tray of fruit at the entrance-, but there are some establishments that They shine with their own light. One of them, without a doubt, is the Coromoto ice cream parlor in Mérida, founded in 1981. It has become famous for a very curious fact: serving up to 860 kinds of different flavors : flavored with vegetables, seafood, black beans, sausage, garlic... Extravagant but delicious.
The Coromoto ice cream parlor in Mérida
9) CLIMB TO THE AVILA
It is the true lung of the megalopolis that is Caracas. Dense, full of native fauna and with its own climate, Chávez changed its name to Waraira Repano National Park -which was its indigenous name-, although many people still keep the old name. From here it is difficult to remain angry with Caracas –because of its chaos, its insecurity, its unfair hills full of shanties or the impossibility of walking along a network of highways-. It is the best way to say goodbye to the Venezuelan capital before catching the flight back home.
Caracas from the Ávila viewpoint
10. GET CARRIED AROUND THE ROAD
We consider the road an essential in Venezuela, because coming to this Latin American country and not traveling between its cities is a real waste. In no other destination will you find cheaper bus tickets, partly because oil is so cheap. In fact, filling up your car is cheaper than buying a bottle of water, or buying a bag of candy. And where to go with such ease? Well, to some places that we have not been able to explain: to the Germanic Colonia Tovar , to eat a fondue arepas to El Hatillo or to see the Devils of San Francisco de Yare . And so many more things!
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The devils of San Francisco de Yare