Caracas

[MaraCucho]

Problem is, right now the dollar exchange rate is nowhere near as favorable as it was just two months ago. Last year I was in Caracas for a month (practically the entirety of November there), and with about $150 I paid for absolutely everything. Nowadays, just paying the same cheap hotel for a full month would cost me over $200.

[Duncan216]

Hi there,

Fast question: what is the price for a good hotel in Caracas?

And I I'm little confused about the currency. I mean how many dollars or euro have to spent for a day with 1 or 2 girls meal, diner, drinks etc and the hotel?

When I went there a few months ago, the worst hotels with no hot water were about $2 a night. The best hotels which were like the best hotels in USA only really run down (hot water wouldn't be a constant pressure, etc) was around $40. The main Eurobuilding hotel was one of the best in Caracas and it was around $40 a night. The cost for food varied a lot in Caracas. If you eat at fancy places it's like $10-15 per person per meal, normal places are less than $5 I think. It was hard for me to find girls. A lot of the pros I meet had a lot of rules and were mechanical. The girls that were doing extra stuff weren't super good looking.

There was a guy on here that spoke excellent Spanish and was able to get pretty hot girls daily with a lot of socializing. He had photos and everything. I also just read another post about a sex convention that looks promising.

[MaraCucho]

I thougt this could be interesting to any forum members visiting Caracas these days: this week the Exposexo 2018 will be open in the Hotel Tamanaco Intercontinental, starting this Wednesday 26 and closing next Sunday. Basically is a convention of the many sex-related business and stores in Venezuela (for example, Sexycaracas.com usually has a stand), with shows and private rooms and so on. Can't guarantee if the con will be any good with the current crisis, but I did attend the first iteration of the Exposexo back in. 2012, I think? And it certainly was a fun time.

[EasyRider]

Hi there,

Fast question: what is the price for a good hotel in Caracas?

And I I'm little confused about the currency. I mean how many dollars or euro have to spent for a day with 1 or 2 girls meal, diner, drinks etc and the hotel?

[SeanWilkds]

Hi,

I like to drink various types of Venezuelan Rum and have tried a few, but there are also quite a few that I have not yet tasted, and do not want to buy a whole bottle. A few of the nicer restaurants have a decent selection, but I seem to remember that there is a bar somewhere I think in Altamira or la Castallena, that either specializes in different types of rums or whisky. I don't remember the name or location and wondering if anyone has any recommendations. Basically, I like to drink rum seco, and would like a nice environment, a good selection, and hopefully a fairly reasonable price.

Thanks,

S.

[SeanWilkds]

Yes, it is possible, at least it was in the last days. Now the rate has dropped a little. The latest offer I had today was 110 by transfer. I personally don't go on these offers, because rumour says that the SEBIN or other Police are making these high offers. I like to stick the contacts I know.

Today was last day of the week and last day of the month. A lot of the maids, drivers that work for foreigners or have negotiated their salary in cash Dollar get paid on the same day. So they are selling them on the same day, a lot of dollars on the market: The rate drops. So getting top rate is always a bit of a Gamble. But even if you only get 105 for the Dollar, you will not suffer.

Soberanos in cash is a hot topic at the moment, there is no real rate you can stick to. One Idiot today offered me 22 for 1 $ because "It's the price in Cucuta". I have some trustworthy old contacts, I bought 660 Soberanos from one of them today and paid 20 Dollars. A new guy sold me 840 BS for another 20 $. This makes an average of 37,5 for a Dollar. But you can see by the amounts that I am just using them for tips, parking and the bus-fare of my maid. For daily life, you need at least on bank account.

Thanks for the info, a few good little tips in there, I didn't know about the supply demand fluctuating a bit towards the end of the month. I sort of assumed that the bulk of the trading is related to importation of goods, and enchufados liquidating their bolivars selectively when they are not busy buying up things at heavily discounted prices with their near limitless supplies of bolivars. It always seemed to me it the price always goes up and very seldom dips, I had assumed it was just a market correction due to there not being enough bolivars circulating in the right circles, or the prices being really too high and demand getting stalled. Anyways at the moment, I am managing 95 for transferencia, with people I know and trust, and more like 85 if it is PayPal, so that seems pretty decent to me. I actually got a much better price than my previous trades for Soberanos the last few days. I traded $10 for 400, and then with another guy managed 500, and with someone else got 750 for $20, so that is probably a lot more than I need for the next little while, but the prices where quite a bit higher than I was used to, so felt to take advantage of that. I was actually wondering if there might be someway they were able to trade those dolares for bolivars en effectivo at the remesas rate, because the one guy who gave me 500 for my $10 is actually a money changer and I was super surprised that he offered me that much and am not sure how he will make a profit on that, unless he is just holding onto the dollars, and I am pretty sure he is not. So, that had me thinking about bolivars en effectivo at remesas rate.

[Duncan216]

Yes, it is possible, at least it was in the last days. Now the rate has dropped a little. The latest offer I had today was 110 by transfer. I personally don't go on these offers, because rumour says that the SEBIN or other Police are making these high offers. I like to stick the contacts I know.

Today was last day of the week and last day of the month. A lot of the maids, drivers that work for foreigners or have negotiated their salary in cash Dollar get paid on the same day. So they are selling them on the same day, a lot of dollars on the market: The rate drops. So getting top rate is always a bit of a Gamble. But even if you only get 105 for the Dollar, you will not suffer.

Soberanos in cash is a hot topic at the moment, there is no real rate you can stick to. One Idiot today offered me 22 for 1 $ because "It's the price in Cucuta". I have some trustworthy old contacts, I bought 660 Soberanos from one of them today and paid 20 Dollars. A new guy sold me 840 BS for another 20 $. This makes an average of 37,5 for a Dollar. But you can see by the amounts that I am just using them for tips, parking and the bus-fare of my maid. For daily life, you need at least on bank account.

When I was there, I had cash, paypal and Ethereum. Ethereum was the easiest and usually I'd get the best rates. I used localEthereum.com. All the paypal transfers I tried to setup online were scams. Bolivars in cash usually went for twice the price but was pretty handy.

[MaraCucho]

Are you actually getting 120 per dollar by transfer. I am not using dollars in effectivo I am doing transfers to a US bank, or by PayPal, but only able to get 85-95 and this is already equal to or above the dollar today rate. Also when you do manage to get a few soberanos (like the 500 you mentioned), how much are you paying. For this I do have dollars cash to trade, but so far those rates have been low, and most people like you said don't have much quantity.

Paypal almost always goes for less than the street price for $ in cash or US bank transfers, always been like that unless you manage to find a buyer who is in a hurry. And the rate actually goes a bit lower if you factor in Paypal's fees, which no buyer will take. Last night I sold some Paypal dollars to a guy I known, and he gave me a rate of 85, so what you were offered isn't terrible.

[Tequeno]

Are you actually getting 120 per dollar by transfer. I am not using dollars in effectivo I am doing transfers to a US bank, or by PayPal, but only able to get 85-95 and this is already equal to or above the dollar today rate. Also when you do manage to get a few soberanos (like the 500 you mentioned), how much are you paying. For this I do have dollars cash to trade, but so far those rates have been low, and most people like you said don't have much quantity.

Yes, it is possible, at least it was in the last days. Now the rate has dropped a little. The latest offer I had today was 110 by transfer. I personally don't go on these offers, because rumour says that the SEBIN or other Police are making these high offers. I like to stick the contacts I know.

Today was last day of the week and last day of the month. A lot of the maids, drivers that work for foreigners or have negotiated their salary in cash Dollar get paid on the same day. So they are selling them on the same day, a lot of dollars on the market: The rate drops. So getting top rate is always a bit of a Gamble. But even if you only get 105 for the Dollar, you will not suffer.

Soberanos in cash is a hot topic at the moment, there is no real rate you can stick to. One Idiot today offered me 22 for 1 $ because "It's the price in Cucuta". I have some trustworthy old contacts, I bought 660 Soberanos from one of them today and paid 20 Dollars. A new guy sold me 840 BS for another 20 $. This makes an average of 37,5 for a Dollar. But you can see by the amounts that I am just using them for tips, parking and the bus-fare of my maid. For daily life, you need at least on bank account.

[SeanWilkds]

The supply of the new notes is very limited. People are still standing in long lines in front of the ATMs to get 10 or 15 Soberano out of it. There are a quite lot of new old 100.000 BsF notes around that get a second life as 1 BS-Notes.

It is even difficult to buy cash on the gray market. Only very few people are able to deliver amounts like 500 Soberanos for Dollars. No problem to get 120 Soberano per Dollar by transfer, but in cash, you better forget it.

And I am pretty sure, it won't change. Because a lot of people make a profit from the lack of cash.

Are you actually getting 120 per dollar by transfer. I am not using dollars in effectivo I am doing transfers to a US bank, or by PayPal, but only able to get 85-95 and this is already equal to or above the dollar today rate. Also when you do manage to get a few soberanos (like the 500 you mentioned), how much are you paying. For this I do have dollars cash to trade, but so far those rates have been low, and most people like you said don't have much quantity.

[Tequeno]

Any speculation as to whether the government will issue enough paper currency after it drops 5 zeros from the bolivar so that you won't have to jump through hoops to travel in Venezuela any more?

The supply of the new notes is very limited. People are still standing in long lines in front of the ATMs to get 10 or 15 Soberano out of it. There are a quite lot of new old 100.000 BsF notes around that get a second life as 1 BS-Notes.

It is even difficult to buy cash on the gray market. Only very few people are able to deliver amounts like 500 Soberanos for Dollars. No problem to get 120 Soberano per Dollar by transfer, but in cash, you better forget it.

And I am pretty sure, it won't change. Because a lot of people make a profit from the lack of cash.

[Kako123]

Really so complicated.

There are also plenty who work with criptocurrencies or Paypal.

[RacShack]

Hi folks,

I have a doubt, the action in Caracas is like in Cuba? I mean can you go on a disco / dance club / bar etc. And hookup with a freelancer? Or it's only at strip clubs and agencies, massage parlors etc. How similar is the sex scene compared to Cuba?

Wow sounds like you know a lot about Cuba, please go to Cuba page and give a detailed report, and would be a good start for you.

[World Travel 69]

I don't think you can compare Cuba with Caracas.

Sex in Cuba is not legal when I was there.

Look for my List and Map to see what is in Caracas.

Hi folks,

I have a doubt, the action in Caracas is like in Cuba? I mean can you go on a disco / dance club / bar etc. And hookup with a freelancer? Or it's only at strip clubs and agencies, massage parlors etc. How similar is the sex scene compared to Cuba?

[LuisFelipe]

Hi folks,

I have a doubt, the action in Caracas is like in Cuba? I mean can you go on a disco / dance club / bar etc. And hookup with a freelancer? Or it's only at strip clubs and agencies, massage parlors etc. How similar is the sex scene compared to Cuba?