Is Venezuela Ready for Visitors?

After years of crisis and isolation, Venezuela is reconnecting to the world. More airlines are opening routes, the US dollar is widely accepted and some locals say the worst is over. Is Venezuela ready to welcome international tourists? And: is it safe?
DW's Joel Dullroy visited Venezuela in January 2022. He went to some of the most touristic spots of the country: from the Isla de Margarita to the town of Mérida and the national park of Morrocoy.

CREDITS:
Report, camera, editing: Joel Dullroy
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#venezuela #southamerica #islamargarita

[gerardpully]

Please allow me, who am a Venezuelan, and live outside Caracas in a privileged area, to tell those interested the following. If you don´t speak Spanish it will be in your interest to seek another destination where you can move at your desire. At the end of this video, the visitor stated that he was escorted and advised by TWO persons. This indicates that protection was requested in order to visit a few of the most attractive sites. Are you willing to pay for such protection? But, the main factor that I find is that is that tourist services and facilities do NOT meet international standards, and some authorities, especially corrupt police and National Guard, are on the lookout for easy money by means of extortion by threat of detention.(Note the traffic stoppage due to unidentified threat) This threat is for all of us local, not only for visitors. True that Venezuelan territory holds some very attractive sites, and people are truly open, friendly and helpful. But, many locals feel strange to come upon a foreighn visitor because in their ignorance they equate a foreigner with the rulers of their country of origin. So, Europeans, US, Canadian, Australian, SouthAfrican citizens, may be mis-identified by local people as some sort of enemy, because government officials have blamed the Venezuelan social and economic disaster on the sanctions imposed by other countries upon the individual outlaws that have led us to ruin. Until you cease to learn of doubtful security and lawlessness in my dear nation, do yourself a great favor: Go elsewhere.

[robbertdegraaf]

Im Dutch and visited Venezuela in may 2022 for three weeks. Absolutely loved it!

[Supremucy]

I am an American citizen who has gone to Venezuela twice this year, for about a month each time. I stayed in the El Hatillo neighborhood, which is probably the most high end area of the city. It was very wealthy. I visited Chacao and Altamira neighborhoods as well. I speak decent Spanish and have friends that showed me around the city. If you don’t know Spanish, I would not go.

Venezuela is one of the most expensive South American countries to visit. They use the US Dollar and are still massively affected by the sanctions. A Ridery (Uber) from the airport to El Hatillo is about $25-$30. In El Hatillo, I felt extremely safe, but there were many areas of the city where I did not. The stores in El Hatillo were stocked full of everything you could ever need. Huge malls, electronics stores, yoga studios for the moms, go kart park, beauty salons, etc. The AirBnB I stayed at was a 15 story apartment on the top of the hill overlooking the city. Tons of security guards throughout the property and neighborhood, but again, I didn’t feel unsafe at all in this part of the city. I walked around a lot, in both night and day. We’d go out to the bars at night and come back at 2am.

Caracas is a city of the HAVEs vs HAVE NOTs to the extreme. One neighborhood my taxi driver drove through while we were looking to get gas was the most Mad Max scene I’ve ever seen. The entire barrio was like a big car shop with hundreds of broken down cars lining the roads. Workers making a couple bucks a day covered in motor oil, grease, and dirt with their bodies waist deep in the car hoods scavenging for parts. They’d have tarps with hundreds of car parts for resell in an open air market. People in huge lines waiting for food shelters to open so they could get some bread. Huge queues for the banks and gas stations in this neighborhood as well. We drove past Petare a few times and it truly is stunning. I would never go in there.

A few buddies took me to a party on the top of El Avila one Saturday night, which you take the gondolas up to. It was a very high end rave party with lots of drugs, similar to parties you’d see in the US. Wasn’t the best idea for me to get smashed like that in the city, but I’m not one to make the smartest decisions. We were out til 7am and took the gondola back down during sunrise. Probably the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen and brought one back with me that morning. One of the best and wonderful nights I’ve ever had.

We drove to a beach town two hours east of Caracas called Higuerote. A large percentage of the city was abandoned but it still had a few resorts that were open with very few visitors. It was once the beach town for the wealthiest Venezuelans to visit back in the 60s and 70s. Now it’s pretty much a ghost town. We talked to the some of the older people who grew up in the town and asked them how it was. They didn’t want to talk about it much and they seemed quite sad about good days gone by. That was a lifetime ago. The drive to Higuerote was beautiful. Lots of government checkpoints. Soldiers would ask for a couple buck bribes, but we were always polite and said we didn’t have any money. They didn’t push it and were not forceful.

Anyways, that’s my experience from the country this year. Caracas is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been too. Venezuela very much has a Wild West feel and you most definitely should know Spanish and a contact if you go. It can be done without that but you are taking on much more risk. Americans can fly through Panama or the Dominican Republic. You also need a tourist visa, which I got through a contact I know. The second visa I got is a multiple entry that lasts a year. Upon arrival into Caracas the second time, an immigration officer interviewed me for two hours. He was polite and non-confrontational though. I was the only tourist I saw there, let alone American.

If you do decide to go, do your research. If you are smart and plan ahead with a contact, it can be done in a relatively safe manner imo. The neighborhoods I was in were safer than many parts of the places I’ve been to in other LATAM countries. But you can also get yourself in some real danger real quick venturing off into the dangerous parts. Be smart. Be careful.

[HHIVR]

I went all over Venezuela back in the 90's.Absolutely amazing.But it was not nearly as bad then as it is now.I still have friends in Caracas and they say its only getting worse as far as crime goes.

[keyboards]

I'm going to visit venezulea in 2023 ! I always wanted to visit it as I was backpacking through Latin America ! I can't wait to finally see it

[polinamitrofanova]

I have worked for a Venezuelan company and visited Caracas in 2011-2012. Wonderful very friendly and sincere people. All recommendations and advices I have heard from my colleagues on how to behave, do’s and don’ts, get around the city (basically don’t leave the hotel without a local guide and the company driver), etc fully match the comments above. I want to visit Venezuela again, but will wait until the regime changes.

[edjeezantos]

Saludos desde El Salvador 🇸🇻
Y que genial hayan decidido hablar sobre Venezuela en DW travel💯⚡

[adolfodejesus]

Venezuela is beautiful, I am sure the country will get even better as it was before, there is a lot but a lot of potential and people already are working hard on their own small businesses and not waiting for the government to give them anything, we needed the crisis to be able to realize many things and to stop being a dependant of oil, now are the people that are creating wealth, slowly I am sure Venezuela will be back to its golden period.

[rijollba]

He, the journalist is very lucky to having had this job travelling around my country. Without a doubt a very beautiful country that with a little misadventure you can quickly regret.. You have to have a lot of patience and keep in mind that Venezuelans doesn't value the time spending the same way another busy country would do. Great people overall and gastronomy. Great advice at the end of the video: know people before and get you informed.

Finally, the answer might be NO, NOT SUPER READY YET FOR MASS TOURISM but it could be a YES soon, if politics and culture towards tourists change for better (eg. without hassle and other bad things, SERVICES, ETC.). Great short video. Great edition.

Cheers,

[rubennogales]

It’s not easy for a Country to die or to absolutely vanished. In 50 years or more who knows what Venezuela’s situation will be

[CarlosFernandez-ykue]

Thank you for showing the world our beautiful country. you are welcome to this land of grace

[TheRenaissanceAmazon]

I REALLY want to go to Venezuela. I am glad to see a video on it.

[darysabiondo]

Thank you so much for your visit and your great comments and inputs. It is lovely to see more and more people choose Venezuela as a destination. We are definitely welcoming any tourist ❤

[vt]

Venezuela should follow El Salvador combating crime and gangs. El Salvador President is great. Strong leadership.

[yosmaryserranochicco]

I'm going to visit my country in April after almost 6 years, I'm excited to see my family again, but I'm a little nervous about the situation there.

[spreant]

I just landed yesterday from Isla Margarita. Now, the island is safe but it's completely destroyed. No hotels in good conditions, no rental car and public transportation in good shape, no international regular flight and Its incomprehensible expensive (a good diner 40usd or a drink beach club 10$). I hear that the next winter season, new airlines would like open a direct flight route to Margarita. Meanwhile, Its long to arrive (3 flight and 20h from Europe) and expensive (+1000usd flights). You have so many other options for North American and European on the Caribbean before Venezuela.

[Manish_zero]

I want to see Venezuela stand up on its feet again. Hope easing sanctions from America show it's effects as soon as possible.
and nobody sleeps hungry in Venezuela.
Hoping for better days for venezueleans.

[lilianegonzalez]

Thanks for sharing the video. Indeed you may need to know people to be safe. I traveled last November with a European friend and we were astonished by all the wonders that Venezuela can offer! Even if in the travel books it is not recommended to go!

[reltico]

Thank you so much your video, May be peaceful all the Venezuela people, animals and birds from Myanmar.😊❤

[repure]

I love Venezuela. I live in Canada, I hope they overlook the strict government regime. They get there resources of oil fir sale and rebuild the country.
Beautiful people