Playa Caribe on Isla de Margarita

When Columbus first laid eyes on Venezuela, he gushed that he had stumbled across ¨paradise on Earth¨.

And given that few tourists actually make the journey here, those who do will find they have paradise almost to themselves.

This South American country has it all: 2600 kilometres of white-sand Caribbean coastline, exclusive pristine islands, snow-capped Andean peaks, Amazon jungle, sweeping cattle-filled plains, flat-topped mountains, the world´s highest waterfall, 43 national parks, excellent diving, World Heritage-listed colonial towns, indigenous villages and some sensational rum. 

The capital, Carcas, backed by verdant mountains, is a frenetic place, crammed with soulless modern highrises and home to both the extremely rich and shockingly poor. It is not a place to linger, unlike the charming colonial city of Coro, to the west, ringed by sand dunes and the site of the San Celemente church, the country´s oldest monument.

On Venezuela´s northeast coast, Mochima National Park has hundreds of uninhabited Caribbean islands best explored by boat.

Adrift off the northeast coast lies Isla de Margarita, the most popular playground for foreigners and Venezuelans alike. Garish resorts cater to the package holiday crowd, while more adventurous types can enjoy colonial villages, national parks, wildlife-rich wetlands, sand dunes, marshes, mangroves and of course, the ubiquitous  white sand, palm-fringed surf beaches. Isla de Margarita is best avoided over Christmas, Easter and in August, when Venezuelans flock here for their holidays. 

For a more secluded experience, the pristine white sands and crystalline lagoons of the Los Roques Archipelago should not be missed.  These exclusive islands are a national park, protecting a coral reef where an extraordinary abundance of marine life, underwater caves, technicolour coral and shipwrecks make for fantastic diving and snorkeling.

In the heart of the Canaima National Park, Angel Falls drops 979 metres off a tabletop mountain before disappearing into the jungle below. It´s the tallest waterfall in the world - 15 times higher than Iguaza. Flightseeing trips are offered to the falls; otherwise you can take a 70km boat ride upriver from Canaima and then hike the final stretch to a viewpoint.

Survival guide 

The best time to visit Venezuela is in the dry season between November and May.  

The currency is the bolivar, but US dollars are also widely accepted.

Tourists should take extreme safety precautions in Carcas, where street crime (bag slashing, armed robbery, etc ) is on the rise. Walking anywhere at night in Carcas is unsafe.

Vegetarians aren´t well catered for in Venezuela, but thanks to immigrant culinary influences, you´ll be able to find plenty of Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Middle Eastern cuisine. Venezuela is an ideal country to gorge on a juicy steak, tuck into fresh fish, snack on an empanada or just follow the lead of the locals and have another serving of pabellon criollo - beans and rice served with beef, avocado, cheese and plantains.

The most authentic accommodation experience in Venezuela is a posada (guesthouse). Over a thousand are dotted around the country, and while they range in quality and price, many are charming colonial-style homes.

Buses in Venezuela are frequent and affordable and roads are for the most part in good nick. Being the world´s fourth-largest oil producer also means petrol is cheap, although driving here - especially in the chaotic cities - can be a hair-raising experience to say the least.  

Carcas´s airport is the prime international gateway to Venezuela. A boat also links Venezuela with Trinidad.