General Info

[Vagabondito]

Venezuela devalued it's currency to 1 USD: 2000 Bolivars from 700 Bolivars. The black market rate went to 1 USD: 6000 Bolivars.

If they want to end the black market, the USD: bsf has to be free market float, not set to low ball value.

[LifeIsABeach]

Venezuela devalued it's currency to 1 USD: 2000 Bolivars from 700 Bolivars. The black market rate went to 1 USD: 6000 Bolivars.

[Haitek]

From the pictures, it seems like you are young and handsome! Did you older men than you there and did they have any issues with picking up the women and having a fun time?

Thank you, but I'm not so young, i'm on my 50 years jajajaja...

Anyway, money is the game! I saw old ugly chinese guys with young and sexy chicas. Your age is not important, it is your behavior which is important. Smiling, dancing, drinking (because those girls drink a lot rhum and beer) and the chicas will love you (and off course your money). The boring Chineses paid good money but the chicas go with them only for short time, then hang all the night in the bar with the Filipino and Indonesian guys who are more fun.

From your recollection, The Chinese and Korean you saw there, did they seem like locals or visitors? Were the prices inflated where the Chinese and Koreans were? In SEA especially Philippines, As they flaunt money, prices sky rocket for women, still cheaper for them in their countries.

They are all locals, living and working in Puerto La Cruz. Even they give to the chicas more money than what the Venezuelians paid, it still cheap: 50000/40000 bolivars for short time is only 10/12 dollars! Even for Indonesian and Filipino guys, it's still cheap. In Jakarta's brothels or Angeles City gogo-bars, price for short time is at least 20 dollars.

[LifeIsABeach]

Good Job Haitek on your reporting and pictures. Seems like you had a great time.

From the pictures, it seems like you are young and handsome! Did you older men than you there and did they have any issues with picking up the women and having a fun time?

From your recollection, The Chinese and Korean you saw there, did they seem like locals or visitors? Were the prices inflated where the Chinese and Koreans were? In SEA especially Philippines, As they flaunt money, prices sky rocket for women, still cheaper for them in their countries. I will be starting my 6 country travels soon to Latin Americas and SEA but not Valenzuela in this trip but will happen soon.

[Sargent 50]

Their visa process the same day or they mail it eventually.

Message for USA Citizens: Update: Tourist Visa Requirements for USA Citizens Traveling to Venezuela. March 4, 2015 (March 4, 2015) United States Embassy Caracas.

On March 3, the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC posted updated tourist visa information for USA Citizens planning travel to Venezuela. According to the website of the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, USA Citizens should plan to apply for a visa three months in advance of travel. USA Citizens should expect to pay $30 for a one-year, multiple-entry visa good for a 90 day stay in Venezuela.

All USA Citizens planning travel to Venezuela must have a tourist visa. The USA Embassy in Caracas is aware that airlines have refused to board USA Citizens who do not possess a Venezuelan tourist visa. The Embassy strongly urges all USA Citizens planning travel to Venezuela to check both the Venezuelan Embassy's English and Spanish webpages regularly for the most up to date information about visa application requirements and procedures...

[World Travel 69]

I would suggest going to Colombia to get your first taste of South America.

It not safe for anyone to go to Venezuela.

https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...l-warning.html

https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/venezuela

Great post and is exactly the reason that I dropped in here. Anybody mongering there? I have more than 10 years experience in Thailand and would like to sample elsewhere, especially if it has become a buyer's market.

[Crazy4Thai]

Hi,

I have read the last few pages here and in the Caracas sub. I live in Brazil, have never been to Venezuela and was wondering if it is a good time to visit Venezuela for some discount mongering.

Maybe you are saying "WTF? Of course". But in spite of all the information on the most recent pages about the exchange rate, how to exchange, tips about using free lancers instead of agencies etc. All good stuff. I did not get a good sense if all things considered this is a great time to go or not. Obviously, with the exchange rate very favorable, I have some USD on hand, it seems like a bargain of bargains. Unless most of the hottest girls have left for greener pastures, or they are raising their prices to keep pace with the diving currency. Can someone provide the big picture answer?

Great post and is exactly the reason that I dropped in here. Anybody mongering there? I have more than 10 years experience in Thailand and would like to sample elsewhere, especially if it has become a buyer's market.

[Member #4732]

Hi,

I have read the last few pages here and in the Caracas sub. I live in Brazil, have never been to Venezuela and was wondering if it is a good time to visit Venezuela for some discount mongering.

Maybe you are saying "WTF? Of course". But in spite of all the information on the most recent pages about the exchange rate, how to exchange, tips about using free lancers instead of agencies etc. All good stuff. I did not get a good sense if all things considered this is a great time to go or not. Obviously, with the exchange rate very favorable, I have some USD on hand, it seems like a bargain of bargains. Unless most of the hottest girls have left for greener pastures, or they are raising their prices to keep pace with the diving currency. Can someone provide the big picture answer?

[LifeIsABeach]

The cost of printing a US $100 note is about 10 cents and the Venezuelan BS should be similar figure that out when the smallest note Bs2 is. Worth about 1/25th of a cent.

Venezuelan 100 bill to be obsolete within 72 hours from Sunday December 11 2016. Bring out your suitcases!

[XHooker]

Caracas (AFP) - Inflation-stricken Venezuela will launch a new 20,000-bolivar banknote to help shoppers struggling with huge wads of currency in the country's economic crisis, the central bank said. The biggest denomination banknote currently in circulation is 100 bolivars -- worth fewer than three cents of a dollar at current market rates. The Venezuelan central bank said in a statement on Sunday it will start to release a series of new notes from December 15, to "make the payment system more efficient and commercial transactions easier. "...

There has been talk for over 6 months of the Venezuelan central bank printing 500 notes yet to been seen.

The reality is the socialist government don't want people to have cash as they want to track everyone's spending that is why your have.

To produce your passport to buy a bottle of coke, but they are too incompetent to follow through.

The Largest note (bs100) was worth 2. 1 cents last week it's now worth 2. 2 cents.

The cost of printing a US $100 note is about 10 cents and the Venezuelan BS should be similar figure that out when the smallest note Bs2 is.

Worth about 1/25th of a cent.

Venezuela has asked for tenders to print 900 million notes this year, the Eu & US governments only print 800 million per year so.

I figure if they where going to print anything over 1,000 notes they would not need so many.

There is also the problem of Venezuela paying for the notes as they still owe Thomas de la rue 100's of millions of $ for printing.

Most counties make a profit printing notes (US $99.90) Venezuela loses a small fortune doing the same.

[LifeIsABeach]

Caracas (AFP) - Inflation-stricken Venezuela will launch a new 20,000-bolivar banknote to help shoppers struggling with huge wads of currency in the country's economic crisis, the central bank said. The biggest denomination banknote currently in circulation is 100 bolivars -- worth fewer than three cents of a dollar at current market rates. The Venezuelan central bank said in a statement on Sunday it will start to release a series of new notes from December 15, to "make the payment system more efficient and commercial transactions easier. ".

The new notes range from 500 to 20,000 Bolivars -- the latter amount being equivalent to about $5. 00.

Certain smaller denominations will be changed from notes to coins, it said.

Falling world prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports have caused a shortage of dollars in the country. That has driven up the price of imports of food, medicine and other crucial goods. The government fixes a special low exchange rate for purchases of essential goods. But shortages oblige Venezuelans to shop on the black market at higher prices.

The last official inflation estimate given by Venezuelan authorities was 180 percent in 2015.

The International Monetary Fund has forecast the rate will hit 475 percent by the end of this year.

A particularly sharp surge in inflation over recent weeks sparked a shortage of notes, causing long queues at banks and cash machines.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/venezuela...161240888.html

[Haitek]

Well, I went to a shopping mall yesterday, and did ask to the clerk at a Movistar booth. He told me that to get a new sim card with a prepaid line, you only need cash and an ID, noting about bank accounts.

Thanks, I check again for m'why friend and it exact that I can get "prepago card" with my passport, the problem in Caracas is there is shortage of prepago card in many moviestar shop in the mall, better chance to have a sim is small shop in the street.

[MaraCucho]

That doesn't sound right at all. I could ask by tomorrow at a Movistar agency and give a more informed answer.

Well, I went to a shopping mall yesterday, and did ask to the clerk at a Movistar booth. He told me that to get a new sim card with a prepaid line, you only need cash and an ID, noting about bank accounts.

[Britisher]

I have already a sim card that I got easely last October. But a friend try to buy a sim card today with Moviestar, it not possible. To have sim and open a line, you need a local bank account. But to have bank account you need a resident card. So as tourist you can not have sim phone card. Look they change the rule ?

This could be possible because blokes are using Venezuelan sim cards for international roaming as its so damn cheap.

I am feeling sad I lost my sim card I last used in Ven!

[MaraCucho]

I have already a sim card that I got easely last October. But a friend try to buy a sim card today with Moviestar, it not possible. To have sim and open a line, you need a local bank account. But to have bank account you need a resident card. So as tourist you can not have sim phone card. Look they change the rule ?

That doesn't sound right at all. I could ask by tomorrow at a Movistar agency and give a more informed answer.