Venezuela - yacht charter, tourist guide, descriptions, routes, photos

Venezuela with the capital in Caracas is located in the northern part of South America on the Caribbean Sea and borders Colombia, Brazil, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. It is one of the three countries formed after the breakup of Great Colombia in 1830 (the other two countries being Colombia and Ecuador). Venezuela's largest cities include Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia, Bolivar and Maracay. The coastline is well developed and consists of numerous bays (e.g. Venezuelan, Paria, Triste or Cariaco), peninsulas (e.g. Guajira, Paraguaná, Araya, Paria), lagoons, coastal islands and beautiful beaches stretching across over 3,000 kilometers. Administratively, Venezuela has 72 islands, the largest of which is Margarita.

The Caribbean Sea provides excellent conditions for sailing, diving and fishing as well as various water and beach sports. One of the most unusual places is the national park located in the Los Roques archipelago. Dozens of islands located only 130 kilometers from Caracas are a real paradise on earth. You can admire over 60 types of corals and hundreds of species of fish and birds.

Venezuela lies in the humid equatorial climate zone. The dry season lasts from October to April, and the rainy season from May to September. The hottest months are December, February, April and August. The highest rainfall is recorded in June. On the Caribbean coast, the sun shines practically all year round, and the average temperature is 35 ° C.

Cities / Ports / Marinas / Anchorages

Los Roques - an archipelago and national park located about 160 km from La Guaira (the main port of Caracas), is one of the most popular regions for holidays in Venezuela. The archipelago belongs to the state of the Federal Dependencies and has about 1,500 permanent residents, however, it is visited by an average of 70,000 visitors per year. tourists. Mostly, these are day trips from Caracas, which do not disturb the harmony and peace prevailing on these paradise islands. The archipelago was declared a national park in 1972, due to the multitude of bird species and marine life, and is one of the largest marine reserves in the Caribbean Sea. The archipelago consists of 40 permanent islands and another 300 that will appear with the tides. They are divided into two groups of islands that form circular lagoons protected by coral reefs. In addition to sailing, the Los Roques Archipelago is ideal for fishing and diving. The surrounding waters are considered the best for fishing for bonefish (albuli) or the world-famous tarpon.

There are over 30 peaceful and safe anchorages on Los Roques. The most popular places in the east are Fransisquí, Madrisquí, Cayo Fabian, Cayo Sardina, Sebastopol, Cayo Pirata. Centre: Noronquí, Sarqui, La Pelona, Crasquí, Carenero... West: Dos Mosquises, Cayo de Agua, Bequevé.

Climate - Los Roques has a tropical climate with no distinct differences between the seasons. From November to April the temperature is around 28°C and from May to October 30°C. In winter the trade winds are much more constant and the weather is very nice. There are short and sudden thunderstorms from December to January.

Permit - If you want to visit Los Roques National Park, there is a fee of BS 120 (€ 12) per person. The fee is collected at the airport, and the permit itself is valid for the entire stay.

Healthcare - health insurance is not mandatory, but recommended. There is no hospital in Los Roques, so you have to take care of basic medical supplies yourself.

Language - The official language is Spanish, but English is also popular.

Flight - to the international airport Mariquita (also called: Simon Bolivar) in Caracas you can fly from many cities around the world (from Europe, including Paris, Rome, Madrid, Frankfurt and Lisbon). From Germany (Frankfurt) runs m.in. Lufthansa, which offers interesting price promotions from time to time, but you can also take advantage of Alitalia, Air France, Iberia, Air Europa, Tap. We can get to Los Roques by local airlines, e.g. AeroTuy, Chappy Air, Blue Star, Jomicol between 07:00 - 17:00, and the flight itself takes 30 minutes.

Curiosities and tips

• When entering Venezuela, there is no visa requirement, but only if we are going to the country for tourist purposes and intend to stay up to 3 months. At the border with Venezuela, we get a special tourist card. The required period of validity of the passport upon entry is 6 months. You can import duty-free: 200 cigarettes and 25 cigars, 2 liters of alcohol. There is a sanitary control at the airport and other border crossings. It is forbidden to bring in food, meat, fruit preserves and fruit.
  
• The currency in Venezuela is the Venezuelan Bolivar (VEB). The most common foreign currency in Venezuela is US dollars (USD) and American Express travelers checks. According to the law in force since 2005, foreign currency exchange can only be done in banks (currency exchange offices have been liquidated) or in the Italcambio company authorized to make this type of transactions - its offices are located at the airport and in larger cities. Be careful with credit card transactions.
  
• The name Venezuela means "little Venice" and was given to the area by Amerigo Vespucci, who noticed the houses on stilts at the mouth of today's Lake Maracaibo.
  
• The most interesting holidays and events include:
  
  > April (19): Declaration of Independence,
  > June (24): Battle of Carabobo,
  > July (5): signing of the Act of Independence,
  > October (12): discovery of America.