Caracas

End of this trip for me.

Except the begining that has been kind of complicated due to the lack of change and the corruption, everything was mostly fine.

This forum through the big amount of informations found in the reports but also through direct forum members assistance has provided unvaluable help.

I will not extend on the report, several clubs were closed during my stay and may or not reopen during January.

Prices are low (depending on where you go and what you look for), I did not have to face insecurity but I was cautious most of the time. No issue to eat, even outside, not seen any politic related event or violence.

Clubs are relaxing and there are beautiful ladies available to ensure that you will spend a good time.

Greetings fellow deviants!

For those with recent or current on-the-ground experience in Caracas, can you please share insight on how easy it is to pick up girls from malls, waitresses, walking around, etc? If so, please provide a description of how that scenario might play out, assuming you explain that you're a foreigner and you're looking for a nice night out. Would that be received as a normal asking out for a date or should the foreigner assume it is a for-money transaction? How does the woman's age factor into the equation?

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I want to go to Venezuela too but I like to go with travel buddy if there are any? Where can I find them or travel group? I'm from northern California.

[QUOTE=Rodeo9112;2125633]Greetings fellow deviants!

For those with recent or current on-the-ground experience in Caracas, can you please share insight on how easy it is to pick up girls from malls, waitresses, walking around, etc? If so, please provide a description of how that scenario might play out, assuming you explain that you're a foreigner and you're looking for a nice night out. Would that be received as a normal asking out for a date or should the foreigner assume it is a for-money transaction? How does the woman's age factor into the equation?

Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=BobSmith1;2126362]Hi everyone,

I want to go to Venezuela too but I like to go with travel buddy if there are any? Where can I find them or travel group? I'm from northern California.[/QUOTE]I am awaiting my tourist Visa, probably leave for VNZ in March. It's tempting to dream but traveling there can't happen without a T. Visa. There are many people on this forum with tremendous experience and when the time comes I will reach out to them. One idea I had was finding an English speaking escort and pay her for a few days. LOL at the going rates it could be a bargain and a lot of fun. $50 usd a day? Just an idea. Who knows of escort services that might assist with that? Or individual escorts?

[QUOTE=DonCarlos1234;2127142]I am awaiting my tourist Visa, probably leave for VNZ in March. It's tempting to dream but traveling there can't happen without a T. Visa. There are many people on this forum with tremendous experience and when the time comes I will reach out to them. One idea I had was finding an English speaking escort and pay her for a few days. LOL at the going rates it could be a bargain and a lot of fun. $50 usd a day? Just an idea. Who knows of escort services that might assist with that? Or individual escorts?[/QUOTE]The chances of you finding an English speaking escort are rather slim and those that can would typically be high end escorts charging international rates. In truth you can get by with pigeon Spanish and a translation app. It worked well enough for me.

[QUOTE=ThePrince1127;2128447]The chances of you finding an English speaking escort are rather slim and those that can would typically be high end escorts charging international rates. In truth you can get by with pigeon Spanish and a translation app. It worked well enough for me.[/QUOTE]So after 45 days I get an email, SFC consulate tells me that the Caracas office denied me. "they do not give an explanation". Guess they don't want us Americans right now. Everyone I've spoken to thinks I'm better off. Now going to Colombia. SFC says "you can reapply later". (Meaning after Maduro is gone?) Interesting they sent back the $30 money order. Weird. I wonder if they even have an office that's open in Caracas. It's a beautiful country. I'll get there in the future. See you all on the Colombia boards.

I returned from my trip to Caracas. Very straight forward no hassles. Enjoyed my time there. I want to say thanks to MaraCucho for being helpful over PM. Not sure if people are interested in an in depth trip report as this part of the forum seems really quiet.

[QUOTE=MisterAli;2164026]I returned from my trip to Caracas. Very straight forward no hassles. Enjoyed my time there. I want to say thanks to MaraCucho for being helpful over PM. Not sure if people are interested in an in depth trip report as this part of the forum seems really quiet.[/QUOTE]Having never visited Venezuela and after hearing all the scary stuff, it would be great to hear your experiences. I'm very tempted to visit there (including Caracas) but, as you pointed out.

There's not much recent info here. Thanks much.

[QUOTE=MisterAli;2164026]I returned from my trip to Caracas. Very straight forward no hassles. Enjoyed my time there. I want to say thanks to MaraCucho for being helpful over PM. Not sure if people are interested in an in depth trip report as this part of the forum seems really quiet.[/QUOTE]Would love to see a detailed report on today's Caracas scene. Always so intrigued to pull the trigger.

[QUOTE=PDawg23;2164241]Would love to see a detailed report on today's Caracas scene. Always so intrigued to pull the trigger.[/QUOTE]No Kidding.

Who wouldn't want to read about Caracas?

Yes Please.

[QUOTE=MisterAli;2164026] Not sure if people are interested in an in depth trip report as this part of the forum seems really quiet.[/QUOTE]I agree with the other guys, I'm all ears about your experience. Please, write a detailed report.

Yes,

Please share your experience with us here! The place is so volatile that information quickly becomes stale, so we all benefit from updated info. I am myself planning a trip there and would love a detailed trip report from you to help make my decision!

[QUOTE=MisterAli;2164026]I returned from my trip to Caracas. Very straight forward no hassles. Enjoyed my time there. I want to say thanks to MaraCucho for being helpful over PM. Not sure if people are interested in an in depth trip report as this part of the forum seems really quiet.[/QUOTE]

After reading the inspiring threads from fellow board members Haitek and the ThePrince, I thought I will take the plunge and enjoy what this unique city in Latin America has to offer.

The information provided on the forum here was (to be completely honest) only partially useful. I found that I needed to do a lot of research prior to getting on the plane. A couple of helpful members responded but the Venezuela forum is pretty much dead.

Flights.

Skyscanner seems to be the best way to compare flights. Other sites like Momondo also offer competitive prices. But I eventually bought my tickets through Despegar, the Latin American version of Skyscanner and similar sites. Even though I am charged in USD after conversion and fees it was worth it. I booked my flight two months in advance but I have later come to learn that that has it's upsides and downsides.

Tips on flights for UK / Europe travellees, BA and affiliates through the One World program are really good. Avoid doing your connection at Paris as it is a large airport and quite busy especially if you have a short transfer window. I always advise giving yourself an increased transfer window to avoid the stress, rush and the risk of your luggage not making to the destination.

Avoid having touch down times at night. They are considered unsafe as the airport is in Maiquetia about 45 minutes away from Caracas. I exited the airport just before sunset and it got dark on the journey. Personally I didn't find it dangerous or intimidating but I would not think it is worth the risk if you can catch an earlier landing time.

Visa.

All UK citizens holding a British passport have no problems here. Bring your documents proving your flight return, hotel you will be staying in and bring a payslip or evidence of employment as I have heard they are very strict sometimes and do not want hippy backpackers in their country. I did not get questions about employment, just return flight and hotel.

Transfers & Money.

This is linked very closely to money. Getting cash in the country is more or less impossible. There is an official licensed Taxi Rank just as you exit the airport, this is the only exit there is that I saw. How you will pay them will be a problem. I have been told by locals here that fares from the airport to the city are currently 500 k BsF which means it is the equivalent of roughly $2.5-$3. I am just hypothesising here but if you were to pay in dollars they will ask more, the region of $5-$20 depending on the driver and how easy he can get it exchanged.

I organized transfers and a bank card through TaxiToCaracas website as recommended by several others on the internet. He responds usually a day later in email conversation but credit to the guy he was able to confirm my payment and organise it all within 3 days. Very good even if I think the cost is much much higher than compared to what people ask for on the ground. One way $35 and return is $70.

He also offers sim card option which is $20 but only with 1 GB. I did not take him up on this offer. You can purchase it cheaper in the malls.

The main reason I went with this company is because they offer money changing service. Because cash is impossible now (they say all the money goes to Cucuta and Maicao- government blames mafia but could really be individuals trying to make a fortune and get out of the country) they offer a debit card with a copy of the cedula (local ID card) and an authorisation letter. The copy is as small as the debit card. So far I have not had any issues paying (apart from the first incident and some after) most people accept the payment but I will strongly advise that you check before receiving any service that they are ok and maybe will take payment before serving you in case there is a problem. If payment doesn't go through you will have no other way to pay as dollars is not "legally" acceptable as a form of payment here.

Money.

The exchange rate can be seen at dolartoday website. It is quite straightforward and while you are in Venezuela you cannot access the site. Twitter is your best friend. Their account shares the same information. Bear in mind the website is considered a propaganda site and possibly an agent of the US trying to destabilise the nation. A lot of their news articles are anti-government and I have now come to question the authenticity of some their articles.

When I initially booked the value of the BsF was dropping massively compared to the dollar. This means that every week your dollars could pay for more goods and services at a much cheaper rate. Over the last two months the currency has stopped it's free fall and plateaued at 230 k BsF per dollar. This is good for the Venezuelan people and their economy and bad for the tourist.

Before if the hotel sets its price at $20 per night by the end of the week it is equivalent to $2-$5 per night. Now it is fixed price. Also this means demand for dollars as a more stable currency holding value has decreased.

TaxiToCaracas will exchange your dollars at 60% of the dolartoday value which is not great at all. You can get it about 200 k BsF from the local people. There is no cash so all money is held in bank accounts. The guy doesn't give you access to online banking so you can't make payment by transfer (transferencia) and he will charge you $3 per transferencia. So really just a good way to help you hit the ground running and pay for things including your dinner for the night. I would recommend setting up PayPal account in advance so when you need to pay for the service and load money into the card it will be easy.

I have yet to find someone who can sort me out with a bank card and transfer function. This would be the best solution as you can pay the girls by transferring money to them and and you can exchange the dollars by having someone transfer it to your loaned bank account. I will provide the update on this later.

If you find a contact they will usually buy either US Dollars or Euros. I suggest bringing the bulk for your spending budget in this way, I chose USD.

Health.

Considering the crisis here it is important to maintain a good health while you are here. Getting to a good hospital and treatment can be difficult. Depending on what you plan to do during your stay, if you want to stay in the hotels and fuck then you can avoid most of these vaccinations / medications.

Hep A / B. Everyone who pays for sex should have this vaccination as standard. Start from now if you are reading this!

Typhoid. It would be necessary if you are more adventurous as the water isn't great here.

Malaria / Dengue. More relevant if you are going to do more traveling outside the city maybe even up the mountains, even for excursions.

Yellow Fever. It is a requirement for all entrants to the country but this wasn't verified for me.

Travel insurance is difficult as the British Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel.

Key advice is to keep details your Embassy or consulate here in Venezuela, you never know if you may need them.

Other things.

I was advised to pick up a cheap smartphone that is unlocked and you are happy to lose in the event you get robbed. I say smartphone as sometimes you can use the translation app and WhatsApp.

Also an old wallet would be useful. Put some loose dollars / euros so the person sticking you up feels satisfied.

The plugs are US style so an adapter or two is handy.

I stocked all my toiletries including tissues but the country is not that fucked. It's expensive for the locals but really you can just about get by. Some supermarkets are fully stocked, others have empty shelves.

Apart from booze everything in the duty free is expensive. Plan ahead!

More updates soon.

[QUOTE=MisterAli;2168912]After reading the inspiring threads from fellow board members Haitek and the ThePrince, I thought I will take the plunge and enjoy what this unique city in Latin America has to offer.

The information provided on the forum here was (to be completely honest) only partially useful. I found that I needed to do a lot of research prior to getting on the plane. A couple of helpful members responded but the Venezuela forum is pretty much dead.[/QUOTE]Thanks much Ali. This is a lot of useful information and a number of us have been waiting for your report (s). Much appreciated as Venezuela has pretty much been "in the dark" on this forum.

Bud.

Thanks LV Monger. Also thanks to Britisher, MaraCucho and the countless other strong contributors.

18+ hrs spent traveling door to door. The whole way through and the days leading up to this trip I was questioning my sanity. Was it really all going to be worth it?

Land at the airport and go through security no problem. "How long are you staying? Purpose of your visit? Which hotel?" Stamp and I'm off to collect my luggage. The next step was customs and I was sure they will try and tax me here for the booze, chocolates and other trinkets. On the immigration card it asks you declare any new goods and gifts. I decided it was best to declare anything that's new and sealed that I would not use for myself. This made customs very friendly and let me through without a word.

I made my way to the exit expecting all manners of dangers but it's just a normal arrivals hall in an airport. Families waiting to welcome loved ones home and some chauffeur services collecting business travelers. I was approached by a porter in uniform and I declined his assistance, some one is waiting for me I said. He spoke more in Spanish and I didn't understand so he asked speak English? Great! I explained I'm fine looking for my driver. He says I can help you if you cannot find him.

He made the call to the driver and we quickly met. Porter asks for tip and explained I have no cash (hardly going to pull out large wads of dollars and his help isn't worth a $20 bill) he left saying have good time.

The driver didn't speak English but he had the card and paperwork for me. Off we go in his small but functional car. Some people will order the armoured car service or bodyguards, but really all that does is bring attention that you have money and a POI.

Driving to Caracas and I am immensely astounded by the beauty of the country with its mountain ranges and Barrios all dotted around the mountain sides. Not long after we are in Caracas and driving up to Altamira. This is a nice residential district with apartment complexes. Very calm and more secure than other areas.

The hotel itself is very secure. It is gated and manned. Checking in and there is a great guy at the reception who turned out to be very helpful in understanding the situation in Venezuela more and we helped put perspective on the situation through our conversations. The room itself was the Junior Premium and it is quite nice. They provide a complimentary two beers, two soft drinks and two bottles of water. Fridge, kitchen, living room area and bedroom. Shower is of a high standard plenty of water and hot and cold is stable. AC available but I only needed to turn it on for short duration. The city is warm and humid (80-95% humidity! Lows of 17 degrees and highs of 27.

I took a tour of the hotel and they have a tennis court, swimming pool that no one seems to swim in but was an OK size and water is nice and good temp. Restaurant and breakfast available. The top floor they have a gym with basic equipment that just about works and a bar called 360. It looks good and has hammocks and good cocktails. Definitely a chilled out area with an amazing view of the mountain range. This is not exclusively for patrons of the hotel, you can visit as a guest from outside. This bar is only open from 5 to 12 midnight.

As I was tired I just had dinner and called it a night. I unfortunately blocked the card as I was confused about how to use it correctly. Turns out they have two pin numbers one for ATM and another for purchases. Later they told me you can only use the card at your own bank's ATM to withdraw cash, which is really pointless because you can only withdraw 10 K BsF max and that is nothing. They were kind enough to put it to the room and let me pay in the morning after the card owner unblocked it.

But you don't really care about all that! You care about the girls! I have been talking to the girls in Seeking Arrangements and Tinder for the last 3 weeks. I've managed to line up 8 girls for this trip. The tinder girls are for free, the seeking arrangements girls prefer gifts and you get the occasional desperate one who will ask you to send them money and give you nothing in return! Since it was night time none of the girls would consider coming. They generally do not feel it is safe.

Made arrangements for the next day and went to sleep.