In Ciudad Bolívar we took a taxi to the bus terminal, for 5.000 Bs. There we took the first bus from Los Nuevos Horizontes that left for San Félix. They are leaving very often, every 20 minutes, we paid 4.600 Bs for one tour and thrirty minutes drive time. Additional 500 Bs for leaving fee. The ticket is not bought in an office but directly on the bus, and it is a bus just in front of the “arepera y ponchera” and of Yuruvani Travel.

In San Félix the buses to Tucupita leave at 7,30 or at 2pm, they cost 8.100Bs and they take 5 hours. We decided to catch a “por puesto” for 20.000 Bs to Tucupita. Just leaving San Félix, we inmeditely crossed the Orinoco by ferry, with the car “por puesto” included and it takes around 15 minutes. Around 2 more hours we arrived to the bus terminal in Tucupita, and there we took a taxi to the centre paying 4.000 Bs.

In the city centre of Tucupita there are no nice hotels that we could recommend. After checking some of them, we stayed at Hotel Amacuro (23 Bolívar St, Tel. 0058-287 7210404) which is the most expensive of all the posadas/hotels we stayed in and the worst one. The hotel is about to fall and its owner, a nice Lebanese woman, seems to believe that it’s a 4 star hotel. In fact, we checked other 2 options but they were even worse. For a double room with air condition, bad smell and very noisy we paid 66.000Bs without breakfast. Moreover we had an electricity cut, which seems to happen often. The best option to sleep in/around Tucupita is out of the centre, at the Hotel Saxxi (Paloma industrial area, carretera nacional Tucupita, Tel. 0058-287 7211733) where the double room costs 60.000 Bs. This hotel also belongs to the Greek also owner of the travel agency and camp Mis Palafitos with whom we went to the Orinoco Delta.

For lunch and dinner we ate several times in the same restaurantes we liked the quality and the price: Mi Tasca (53 Dalla Cuesta St), you can find it just straight ahead of the plaza Bolívar. Big portions, delicious and at a reasonable price.

Tucupita Tucupita is the capital of the state of Delta Amacuro, you find there a real incredible heat and it’s not an attractive city. It has nothing to see and nothing special. When it gets dark in the evening, there is nobody in the street, absolutely nobody.

Delta del Orinoco. It’s possible to visit it in only one day, but you must organize it with a little group or it’s not worthwhile moneywise. We decided to buy the trip to Orinoco Delta at Mis Palafitos (Centro Comercial Delta Center, office nº 16, in front of plaza Bolívar, Tel. 0058-287 7211733). One day and one night costed 110 US$ per person, two days and one night cost 170 US$, 3 days and 2 nights 210 US$. After September 2006 this agency will open a second camp at Orinoco Delta.

Delta del Orinoco

The trip is to take a boat until the camp, it is longer than two hours up the river, but in a very modern boat, pretty confortable. The camps are small huts on the river with private bath and a common eating room, everything surrounded by wild animals (tucans, monkeys, parrots, etc). From there we left by boat until the “real” rainforest and we walked for a while around with the explanations of the guide. At the camp they gave us rain boats, which are real convenient as the rainforest is full of pools. After we went by boat to a native village to see how they live and to buy some hand made souvenirs to help them. We enjoyed the sunset from the boat in the river, really nice. Finally after dinner there is another boat trip to see the animals nightlife. Though in the paper we were given when buying the whole trip, it said “everything included”, the boat trip was strangely not included and we paid 10U$. So it’s worth to really check it when contracting the trip in Tucupita. I consider that one day and one night is more than enough, but basically because the trip is very similar to the one we made at the rainforest at Amazonas.

Coming from Tucupita, we first went to Maturín, took a “por puesto” that cost 21.000Bs and took 3 hours to drive 200 km. Buses of Expresos la Guayana cost 8.000Bs and leave at 11,30 or at 3pm, buses of Expresos del Mar leave at 6pm and cost 15.000 Bs, Expresos los Llanos at 5pm and cost 15.100 Bs.

Once in Maturín we took another “por puesto” until Carúpano and we paid 20.000Bs for the 180 km distance, which we made in arund 3 hours, as it’s only a mountain road and it rained the whole time. We did not take a bus because we only saw one company operating this way and it left only at 1,30pm and costed 15.000Bs. Once at the bus terminal in Carúpano, we walked some streets until Avenida Juncal corner street Quebrada Onda where the buses to Río Caribe leave from, it costs 1.500Bs, and takes 20 minutes to reach the centre of Río Caribe, around 25 km.

In Río Caribe we chose a wonderful posada that belongs to another German owner: Lothar Berg. The Posada Shalimar (54 Av Bermúdez, Tel. 0058-294 6461135) was opened on Christmas Day 2005, It has Indian and Arabian inspirations. A double room with bath, hot water and air condition (a modern and silent one!) 80.000 Bs. Moreover the posada offers breakfasts at 9.000 Bs and has a recommendable restaurant. The best thing in the posada is the wonderful swimming pool (not really big) and it’s grateful as Río Caribe is very hot.

To eat we went several times to the same restaurant: Mi Cocina (Juncal St, Tel. 0058-294 8083088). It was not easy to find it as it’s hidden like a garage door. They offer big portions and for me it’s compulsory to order the delicious “Casuela de marisco”, which could be enough for two people. Really recommendable.

Río Caribe. This village made us feel good and confortable, probably due to its beauty and to the nice posada we found and the delicious restaurant (and even very cheap). It is the capital of the province Arismendi in the Sucre state. All this is very well known as a holiday destination specially for Venezuelan.

Río Caribe by itself is a cute village but has not much to offer, it’s nice and simple but small. In the morning is worth to walk around the small fishing harbour where there is a fish market too. From there boats leave to the different beaches and the price is agreed before leaving, for a return trip, and it’s usually around 40.000 or 50.000Bs retour, taking into account that the first price is much higher, I think it’s better to bargain for a while.

Some kilometers further from Río Caribe there is Hacienda Bukare (Vía Playa Medina, Chacarual, Municipio Arismendi, Tel. 0058-5112739). To arrive there we walked to the oil station, what Venezuelan call “bomba” of the village and from there leave the buses to the Hacienda direction, it costs 1.500Bs. Hacienda Bukare produces cacao and makes chocolate, the guided visit (including chocolate tasting) of 45 minutes costs 15.000Bs. The Hacienda has also a simple posada around a small swimming pool where the double room costs 100.000Bs and dinner 40.000Bs.

The most famous beach of the state Sucre and probably the most famous at continental Venezuela is Playa Medina. To arrive there you can take a small boat from the fishing port or you take a “por puesto” that can cost 30.000Bs or more. The beach is nice, has some palm trees on the beach and the grass arrives to the sand, but the water colour is not transparent as we could imagine from the Caribbbean. There is one posada on the beach that costs 50€ per person and is not a really nice one. There are a lot places cooking fresh fish and they bring it to your place on the beach, it costs between 10.000 and 30.000Bs depending on how big is the fish. To rent easy chairs costs 5.000Bs and renting an umbrella 10.000Bs. It’s very typical from the area to drink (and sell) a home made punch. Going to this beach, at the small village of San Francisco de Chacaracual you can buy some, as the inhabitants do produce and sell it in many different flavours.

Another interesting beach is Playa Pui-Puy. We were told Playa Medina was more beautiful and the security level higher in Pui-Puy was not to trust (it’s actually a longer beach, so this means there are more spaces and more risks). A couple of trips from Río Caribe could be to visit the buffalos Hacienda Hato Río de Agua and Hacienda Aguasana with termal waters. We did not go there. From Río Caribe also you can visit the beaches of San Juan de las Galdonas, others tourists told us that it was worth to arrive there and spent a couple of nights at the posada Las 3 Carabelas that belongs to a Spaniard and it’s nice.

More information about Río Caribe in: Río Caribe/Gobernación del Estado de Sucre y Río Caribe map.

In plaza Miranda of Río Caribe we took a “por puesto” until Carúpano that costed 3.000Bs because it was Sunday (2.500Bs between the week) and in 20 minutes we arrived to the bus terminal of Carúpano. Once there withn the buses of Responsable de Venezuela we went to Cumaná and we paid 10.000Bs for the two hours trip. The driver left us in the road that goes to Mochima (after leaving Cumaná) paying additional 5.000Bs, and there we took a minibus until the village, it only takes 10 minutes, we paid 1.750Bs.

In Mochima we slept at Posada Girasol (at the end of the main street, Tel. 0058-293 4160535). The posada belongs to the Swiss Brigitte de Vera. There are 3 small rooms with cable tv and hot water, decorated with relief painting of sunflowers on the walls and ceiling. When we were there she was building two additional rooms with terrace in the upper floor. We looked for other options, but this one is really the best.

We recommend the restaurant Bohios de Yeya, but not especially for the good, but basically because the table is at the end of a pasarle on the water and it’s very special to have dinner below the sky full of stars. Another restaurant we went also at the sea (not on the sea) is Puerto viejo (main street).

Mochima is a small village that actually has only two streets, that have no name, one is called “the main one” and the other “the other”. Curious, isn’t it? Mochima is also the main village where the trips to the Mochima Nacional Park leave, from this trip also leave from the village Santa Fe which is bigger and with more people, but Lothar Berg from the posada Shalimar in Río Caribe told us not to go to Santa Fe as lastly there have been lots of robberies. One “curiosity” of Mochima is that there are several electricity cuts and it’s better to take it easy as it can take longer than two hours. In Mochima there is no internet, no where. Emails must be consulted in Cumaná.

Mochima has nothing to offer as it’s a “mini village”. What you must do from there is the day trip to the Mochima National Park. We took the trip with Roger Tours (he is the husband of the posadera Brigitte) and we paid 25.000 Bs each for the whole day trip. In the boat we were only 7 tourists and we stopped in different islands of the national park, and to have lunch at Santa Fe, in the restaurant Club Náutico de Santa Fe. We were lucky to see some dolphins while in the boat. It’s a recommendable trip, but beside this there is nothing else to do in Mochima.

We took a bus from Mochima to Cumaná. The small bus from Mochima leave from the main plaza it seems it has no name, but it’s easy to find, it costs 1.750 Bs and taks around one hour. It leaves us in a non identified place where everyone gets out, and from there we took a taxi that costed 5.000 Bs until posada Bubulina’s, in the centre.

The best option in Cumaná is Posada Bubulina’s (corner Santa Inés St / Alacrán St, Historical Center, Tel. 0058-293 4314025). It’s a posada that offers 16 very clean rooms, with air condition and tv, and offers as well a restaurant. We paid 70.000Bs for the double room. The posada belongs to a Hungarian-Venezuelan woman: Rosa Maróthy who is as well the chairman of the tourism comission of the Sucre state. Another good option would be Posada San Francisco (16 Sucre St, Tel. 0058-293 4313926).

To eat we went to two different places and both very recommendable: Sport Restaurant (Sucre St, close to the cinema Pichincha) which is a very popular place where you can eat big portion very cheap. Also at the French restaurant Les Jardins de Sucre (27 Sucre St) where we spent a delicious night eating French cuisine. Prices of course much more expensive than the average of Venezuelan restaurants.

Cumaná is the capital of the Sucre state and it was the first city founded in continental land by the Spaniards in 1521. Cumaná conserves historical colonial buildings and it’s a nice city wo walk around. Interesting is the San Antonio de la Eminencia castle, it’s free to enter, but you must wait for the guides to open the door, and as they are volunteers, they arrive whenever they want. Curiously this citadel is inland, I mean not at the sea as it’s usually, and they told us that it was built in 1659, but several earthquakes made that earth built spaces and now it’s not anymore at the sea. The fort is coral stone and has a star form. In Cumaná it’s very nice the churh of Santa Inés from 1929, although the buildings around are from XVI century. The cathedral of Cumaná also is of recent construction. It is worth to visit the birth house of the poet Andrés Eloy Blanco, entrance free, and as well the museum Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho, also free and where we found information about the War of Independance of General Sucre when they liberated Perú and Bolivia.

More information about Cumaná and Sucre in: Sucre/Venezuela Virtual

In Cumaná we took a taxi until the bus terminal (5.000Bs) and there we took a night bus of Rodovias to Caracas. We paid 37.500 Bs for the night bus plus 200Bs for the exit fee. The bus leaves at 22,30 and arrives to Caracas at 6 am. We arrived at the private bus terminal of Rodovias which is close to the metro stop of Colegio de Ingenieros, but taking into account the time we had, we decided not to risk and to take a taxi that costs 10.000 Bs until the aerobus bus stop which is in 17 Av. Sucre, between México and Lacone, at Parque Central. There we paid 8.000 Bs for the ticket to the airport. The buses leave from 5am each 30 minutes. In 45 minutes we arrived to the airport of Maiquetía.

The Transaven flight to los Roques leaves at 10:30 and takes 35 minutes to arrive to the island of Gran Roque. In Roques there are no cars, and we walked to the posada Karlin. Each kilo over 10 kg, you must pay and additional 1 US$. Only on the way to Roques, not flying back. We understand it’s a way to earn Money with tourists.

We tried to buy the tickets to Roques per internet from Barcelona but it seemed to be imposible. Once in Venezuela, we tried to buy it in different travel agencies, but all said Roques was full and that we would find nothing. But in Ciudad Bolívar José Carlos Cuesta (Tel. 0058-414 8523209) that works at Bernal Tours at the airport office of Ciudad Bolívar, told us he would find something. He found it through his friend Yoni Velis (Tel. 0058-414 3305301) who is an independent tour operator at the Maiquetía-Caracas airport. Yoni sold us a package of flight and posada (sleep, breakfast and dinner included) for 410 € per person, 5 days-4 nights. Yoni, moreover can buy the tickets that you can ask per email or phone. We recommend to previously buy the ticket by Internet or though Yoni. Usually it costs 170 US$ or 180 US$.

As we bought a package, the posada was not chosen by us and we slept, had breakfast and had dinners there: Posada Karlin (tel. 0058-237 221 14 43). The other two posadas that we visited and I can say that are really beautiful and are really in front of beach are Posada La Gaviota (tel. 0058-414 32 42092) and Macanao Lodge. There are really few posadas which are really in front of the beach, most of the posadas are one or two street away from the beach, but not on the beach. The pictures of the posadas lie, because they are only close to the beach but not on the front.

Roques are a very expensive trip, it costs between 60 and 200 € per person and night. Only you pay 50 € / 60 € per person and night if the posada is more simple and belongs to people from los Roques. Most of the posadas belong to Italians that 15 years ago discovered these wonderful islands. I repeat, most of the posadas are not in front of the beach, but one or two streets away (Gran Roque has 3 main streets). Prices are usually to sleep, for breakfast and dinner. Sometimes do include the boat trips to the other islands. In the simple posadas, these trips are not included. We believe that through Internet you can get better prices, directly with the posadas, and asking them to include the boat trips and the meals. Another great option is to sleep on the yachts. The big advantage is the independence that you have (to visit the islands you want, everything per desire, to sleep watching the Stara, to stop the yacht in the middle of a wonderful bay...), moreover if you remember the dependence from the boats at Los Roques. These services of the yacht can be done by Alfons Millaret (Tel. 0058-414 1869748) who is doing a world tour and was spending some months in Roques. Also Jordi Flo (Tel. 0058- 414 394 2320), another Catalan who lives there and makes these kind of. Also there is the possibility to save the flight at the yacht of Jordi or Alfonso, they pick you up at Cumaná or at isla Margarita and they bring you back to La Guaira (the port of Caracas). Sleep, eating and trips could cost around 150 US$ per person and day.

A nice place to drink something or eat in front of the beach is Aquarena (Tel. 0058-414 1311282). Gran Roque has only a bakery and it’s really delicious, and good prices (moreover comparing it with the prices in Roques), it’s called Bella Mar and it’s in the middle street, and for lunch they make an abundant lunch for 8.000 Bs.

Los Roques is an archipelago of paradise islands such as you can imagine with blue transparent waters and with the sand beaches of a Caribbean island. The archipelago is formed by several small islands mostly inhabited, and the biggest one is: Gran Roque. Los Roques is at 166kms from the continental coast.

Upon arrival at Gran Roque, at the airport, you must pay a Los Roques National Park fee of 33.600 Bs. High season is in August, Christmas and Easter. If possible better avoid these days because Roques is very expensive and in high season even more.

Los Roques

We have seen other paradise islands in the World and we must say that in Roques there is a big inconvenience: you always must depend on the boats to do the trips, and you must preview everything: umbrellas, food, beverages…, you can not easily go to the hotel. There are no beaches in Gran Roque. Moreover in Gran Roque, the land is very dry and there is nothing but posadas, nothing to visit. In los Roques there is only one bank and it does not change euros, only dollars, and a minimum of 200US$, beside this they charge 5% of commission and the change is not good: 2.144Bs per dollar. The opening times are from 8 to 12 and from 14 to 17 hours. Also there is only one Internet centre which is just in front of the posada Karlin, it costs 20.000 Bs per hour (20 times more that in continental Venezuela!). There is another place for Internet: the InfoCentro, just in front of the bakery Bella Mar, only open from 12 to 14 and from 17 to 19 hours. The first 30 minutes are free, but it’s very slow.

In continental Venezuela we have seen some electricity cuts, in Gran Roque it was even worse and sometimes they know in advance that it will happen, and sometimes they even do not know about it. Rotatorily and by zones, the electricity is cut between 19 and 23,30, staying really dark. The posadas on the higher level have their own generator, that makes you privileged in the dark. These cuts are due to the infrastructure that cannot support the big request of the tourists.

In the main island, in Gran Roque, there is not much to see, nothing. We only recommend to go to the lighthouse to see the views from the village from the top. At the Gran Roque it is not recomendable to stay at the beach, in fact nobody stays there, everybody leaves the island in the morning with the boat trips to go to the neighbouring islands. The trips cost between 15.000 Bs and 60.000 Bs depending on which island we go to. They are all the same beautiful, with no big differences, the most far away is around one hour and a half, the closest one only 20 minutes. When you go to close islands, the rental of umbrellas and diving ítems is not included. To rent umbrellas, diving tube and glasses to do some snorkelling costs 25.000 Bs. Everything can be rented at Oscar’s Shop, which is a small shop at the beginning of the village. Another good option is go fishing, we recommend to do it with José Mata Zapatón (you can call him to 0058-237 2211165 or through the posada Karlin). For diving there are two options in Gran Roque: ADC or Arrecife Diver’s.

More information about Los Roques in: Los Roques-Venezuelatuya.

We already explained in the Coro trip how to arrive from airport of Maiquetía to the centre of Caracas. We did not preview to spend time there, but Iberia offered us the transfers from the aiport.

Thanks to Iberia we slept at Gran Meliá Caracas, where we also enjoyed all meals.

Caracas. On our itinerary we should not have actually stayed in Caracas but because of Iberia overbooking of our flight we were able to stay one night and one morning there. The capital of Venezuela did not seem to us to be a nice city and a bit unsafe, but of course these are sensations from only spending there some hours, and it’s not fair to generalize. A lot of Venezuelans we met they told us not to stay in Caracas for security reasons.

We almost had no time to see Caracas and we walked around to have an idea how it looks. We know that there is a colonial part and some churches that are worth visiting, but we did not see them. So we cannot speak much about Caracas.

To go to the aiport of Maiquetía-Caracas we went with the transfer offered by Iberia. There you must pay the aiport exit tax of 33.600 Bs and also 84.000 Bs of airport tax. Luckily if you fly with Iberia these two taxes are included within the price we paid. The flight Caracas-Madrid 8,5 hours and Madrid-Barcelona of 50 minutes.