VENEZUELA. . . . .NATURE'S PARADISE

This information is from our book, Travel Planner for Venezuela by John Benus,
designed for you to quickly and easily locate specific places plus the names of
owners and managers of everything from accommodations to restaurants.

"We never hosted The Olympics, but we hold several World Records"

........................................................World's Highest Waterfalls
........................................................World's Longest & Highest Tramway
........................................................World's Paradise for Birds & Butterflies
........................................................World's Oldest Land Formations
........................................................World's Oldest Primitive Tribes
........................................................World's Best Bill & Bone Fishing
........................................................World's Largest Peacock Bass
........................................................World's Fourth Longest River
........................................................World's Sixth Largest National Park
........................................................World Class Windsurfing & Paragliding
........................................................World Class Mountain Biking & Trekking
........................................................World Famous Laser Vision Correction Clinics

.........................................................- Plus a few Special Awards -

........................................................• 10 Daily US flights on Aeropostal, American, Continental, & Delta
........................................................• Longest coastline on the Caribbean, over 1,750 miles
........................................................• Over 72 Caribbean Islands, many still uninhabited
........................................................• 43 National Parks, more than Costa Rica, Ecuador or Peru
........................................................• Finest road & highway systems in Latin America
........................................................• Over 1,200 jungle lodges and bed & breakfasts
........................................................• No hurricanes, tropical storms or Montezuma's revenge
........................................................• No shots, pills or vaccinations needed to visit Venezuela
........................................................• All you need is a valid passport and a sense of humor
........................................................• Plus friendly people who want to share it all with you

FACTS ABOUT VENEZUELA

History - Discovered by Christopher Columbus on his third voyage in 1498
Government - A democratic republic since 1958 with elected governors & president
Population - 24 million inhabitants and 70% are under 35 years of age
Terrain - Beaches, Andean mountains, plains, desert, jungle & rain forests
Size - Equal to California & Texas combined, 352, 144 sq. miles or 912,052 sq km
Locations - Boarded by the Caribbean, Brazil, Columbia & Guyana
Climate - Warm tropical climate year-round averaging 82ºF or 28ºC & low humidity
Beaches - 1,750 miles or 2,817 km of Caribbean coastline plus 72 islands
National Parks - 43 national parks that cover approximately 16% of the country
Highways - 14,520 miles or 23,419 km of the best highways in Latin America
Resources - Petroleum, gas, iron, bauxite, tuna, sardines, diamonds and gold

HIGHLIGHTS

Angel Falls - World's highest waterfall, twice the height of the Empire State Building
Roraima Tepui - One of the largest & oldest mesas in the world, surrounded by jungle
Guacharo Cave - South America's largest and longest cave, 5 miles or 9 km of caverns
Orinoco River - South America's second longest river, 1,290 miles or 2,077 km long
The Teleferico - World's longest & highest tramway in Merida, 8 miles or 13 km long
Guri Lake - World's 8th largest hydroelectric dam, covering 2,000 sq miles or 5,180 sq km
Spanish Forts - On the Orinoco River, Margarita Island, La Guaira & Cumana
Lake Maracaibo - South America's largest lake, covering 5,400 sq miles or 13,986 sq km
Cumana - Oldest Spanish city still in existence in Latin America, founded in 1521
Pico Bolivar - Highest mountain, at 16,411 ft or 5,007 m, near the Andean city of Merida

SPORTS ACTIVITIES

Bird Watching - 1,342 species within Apure State, Henri Pittier Park, Todasana, Morrocoy & Merida
Butterflies - Over 1,200 species have been registered throughout Venezuela
Boardsurfing - Best waves are December to March, at Los Caracas & Margarita Island
Bodysurfing - Best at the beaches of Playa Grande, Todasana, El Agua & Parguito
Freshwater Fish - Peacock bass, pavon, tarpon, snook, trout, prianja, payara, sandinata
Hang Gliding - Excellent sites near the cities of Caracas, Maracay and Merida
Hiking - Venezuela has 43 national parks with trails and campsites
Horseback Riding - Near Valencia, Puerto La Cruz, on Margarita Island and central plains
Kayaking - Ocean, hundreds of rivers, lakes and the Amazon & Andean Regions
Mountain Biking - Thousands of miles of scenic dirt roads and challenging trails for all levels
Paragliding - Excellent sites near the cities of Caracas, Maracay and Merida
Parasailing - At the Margarita Hilton Beach and in Puerto La Cruz
Rafting - Class 4 white water rafting in the Andes, June-December
Sailing - Excellent wind, no hurricanes, inexpensive supplies & many portages
Saltwater Fish - World's best bill fishing near Caracas & bone fishing in Los Roques
Scuba/Snorkeling - Islands of Los Roques, Blanquilla, Tortuga, Testigos, Morrocoy, Mochima
Tennis - Most deluxe hotels have several hard surface courts
Ultra-Lights - Available to fly over the El Agua area on Margarita & Puerto La Cruz
Wave Runners - Most deluxe hotels and beaches on Margarita Island & Puerto La Cruz
Windsurfing - Best at El Yaque & Coche on Margarita & Los Roques, 25-35 knots average

REGIONS

Central Coast - Tropical, high mountains, rain forests, secluded towns & beaches
Eastern Coast - Semi-tropical, few mountains, many palm-lined beaches & semi-arid islands
Western Coast - Semi-tropical, flat, many palm-lined beaches and islands & birds
Western Frontier - Very warm, semi-arid, oil rigs and several Indian settlements
Andean - Mountains, colonial towns, rivers, farms, sugar cane & coffee plantations
Central Plains - Endless flat grasslands, many rivers, cattle ranches, abundant wildlife
Amazon - Dense unexplored jungle, few roads, many rivers & primitive tribes
Gran Sabana - Waterfalls, tabletop mesas, grasslands, jungle, gold & diamond mines
Orinoco Delta - Dense jungle mangroves, no roads, wildlife & Warao Indians

MISCELLANEOUS

Animals - Jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, alligators, anteaters, deer, iguanas & capybaras
Basketball - Second most popular sport, 12 professional teams, season March to July
Beaches - All beaches in Venezuela are public
Best Buys - All types of leather goods, 18k gold jewelry, baskets, blankets & Rum
Drinking Water - One of Latin America's best according to the World Health Organization
Driving - On the right, few parking restrictions & no speed traps or radar
Favorite Sport - Baseball, introduced by American oil workers, season October to January
National - Flower the orchid, bird the turpial, tree the araguaney, instrument the harp
No Hurricanes - Unlike most Caribbean countries and islands
Seasons - Bird watching best in December to April, freshwater fishing May to November

So pack your bags and discover yourself in Venezuela

To purchase a copy of the Travel Planner for Venezuela by John Benus, who has traveled extensively throughout Venezuela for over 25 years, call (415) 871-3010.

This comprehensive book features Margarita Island, Angel Falls, the Andes, wildlife region, & Carribean Coast.

Venezuela. . .Nature's Paradise. . .your next destination!