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• Explore the capital, Caracas, a modern metropolis in a stunning setting along the base of the Ávila range. Besides a fabulously varied culinary landscape, a vibrant cultural life and throbbing nightlife scene, the city also boasts an array of world-class museums.
• Take a scenic flight or motorised canoe trip to the foot of Angel Falls (Salto Ángel), the world's highest waterfall, in the southeast, with an uninterrupted drop of 979m (3,212ft). The two-day canoe trip operates from June to November.
• Admire large colonies of pink flamingos and scarlet ibis at Parque Nacional Morrocoy (website: www.inparques.gob.ve), a coastal refuge about four hours north of Caracas. Best glimpsed in September, the flamboyant fowl congregate in the lagoons near Chichiriviche and along the mangrove canals.
• Catch a display of joropo, Venezuela's national dance, in Los Llanos, the vast plains region where it originated. The flamenco-influenced step is accompanied by ensembles playing harp, guitar and maracas and singing in a high-pitched nasal style.
• Take a tour from Maracaibo north to the Guajira peninsula, where the indigenous Wayúu (or Guajiro) people live much as they did when the first Spanish settlers arrived, dwelling in houses that are raised above the lake on stilts (website: www.wayuutaya.org).
• Get to know Mérida, a delightful university town perched amidst snow-capped Andean peaks. More than just an excellent base for hiking, wildlife watching and whitewater rafting, Mérida boasts several fine art and archaeology museums and a vibrant nightlife.
• Linger in the beautifully preserved center of Coro, an early colonial settlement near the Caribbean coast that's on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. Aside from its historical legacy, it's also the gateway to the Paraguaná Peninusula, a prime windsurfing destination.
• Behold the eerie majesty of Mount Roraima, the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World. Tallest of the southeastern Gran Sabana region's tepuis - flat-topped sandstone mountains - it is a habitat for various endemic flora and fauna.
• Marvel at the magical natural phenomenon of lightning minus the accompanying thunderclap at the Parque Nacional Ciénagas del Catatumbo, along a river delta southwest of Lake Maracaibo. The highly unusual displays can be witnessed throughout the year.
• Check out Colonia Tovar, a slice of Deutschland in the forested mountains west of Caracas. Settled by German immigrants from the Black Forest in the mid-19th century, the town retains its Old World traditions, food and architecture, making for a surreal excursion from the capital (website: www.coloniatovar.net).
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.
• Take a scenic flight or motorised canoe trip to the foot of Angel Falls (Salto Ángel), the world's highest waterfall, in the southeast, with an uninterrupted drop of 979m (3,212ft). The two-day canoe trip operates from June to November.
• Admire large colonies of pink flamingos and scarlet ibis at Parque Nacional Morrocoy (website: www.inparques.gob.ve), a coastal refuge about four hours north of Caracas. Best glimpsed in September, the flamboyant fowl congregate in the lagoons near Chichiriviche and along the mangrove canals.
• Catch a display of joropo, Venezuela's national dance, in Los Llanos, the vast plains region where it originated. The flamenco-influenced step is accompanied by ensembles playing harp, guitar and maracas and singing in a high-pitched nasal style.
• Take a tour from Maracaibo north to the Guajira peninsula, where the indigenous Wayúu (or Guajiro) people live much as they did when the first Spanish settlers arrived, dwelling in houses that are raised above the lake on stilts (website: www.wayuutaya.org).
• Get to know Mérida, a delightful university town perched amidst snow-capped Andean peaks. More than just an excellent base for hiking, wildlife watching and whitewater rafting, Mérida boasts several fine art and archaeology museums and a vibrant nightlife.
• Linger in the beautifully preserved center of Coro, an early colonial settlement near the Caribbean coast that's on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. Aside from its historical legacy, it's also the gateway to the Paraguaná Peninusula, a prime windsurfing destination.
• Behold the eerie majesty of Mount Roraima, the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World. Tallest of the southeastern Gran Sabana region's tepuis - flat-topped sandstone mountains - it is a habitat for various endemic flora and fauna.
• Marvel at the magical natural phenomenon of lightning minus the accompanying thunderclap at the Parque Nacional Ciénagas del Catatumbo, along a river delta southwest of Lake Maracaibo. The highly unusual displays can be witnessed throughout the year.
• Check out Colonia Tovar, a slice of Deutschland in the forested mountains west of Caracas. Settled by German immigrants from the Black Forest in the mid-19th century, the town retains its Old World traditions, food and architecture, making for a surreal excursion from the capital (website: www.coloniatovar.net).
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.