Lonely Planet Venezuela (Paperback)

by Krzysztof Dydynski (Author) "Radiocarbon dating of archaeological sam has shown that people first arrived in what is now Venezuela somewhere around the 14th millennium BC..." (more)
Key Phrases: toros coleados, por puesto cars, por puesto minibuses, Los Llanos, San Francisco, Salto Angel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Trek through the Andes, marvel at Angel Falls, live the Caracas high life or unwind on tranquil Caribbean beaches. This information-packed guide puts you on the inside track to Venezuelan adventure. From touching the heavens on tepui tops to dancing with devils in the streets, let Lonely Planet help you unlock the mysteries of this magical land.

• the scoop on the best places for diving, bird-watching, caving, wind-surfing and more
• extensive coverage of national parks and ecotourism
• lodgings for every budget, from pristine campsites to jungle resorts
• over 70 detailed, easy-to-use maps
• handy Spanish language section

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 3rd edition (July 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1864502193
• ISBN-13: 978-1864502190
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,590,302 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable for the maps, but little else!, March 18, 2000

By	Kevin Brown "Rex" (NYC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lonely Planet Venezuela (2nd ed) (Paperback)

This guide has superb maps that are invaluable in a country that does not believe in signs. Unfortunately, that is about all the positive press I can give it. First, it is out of date and many of the hotels and resturants it recommends no longer exists. Second, the index is horrifically inadequate. Third, many of the descriptions are down right wrong. The Hotel Colonial in Ciudad Bolivar, for example, was called "Old World" and the "the best in town". Hardly, the places is overpriced and poorly decorated. The "Gran Hotel Amazonas", however, in Puerto Ayacucho, which is most likely the most beautiful hotel in Venezuela and only 20 per night for a double, is hardly credited a mention.

The coverage of the Amazon and the Gran Sabana is much better in the Bradt guide, especially if you are taking a car.

In the abscence of a solid Venezuela guide, we recommend a combination of Lonely Planet and either the Bradt or another guide.

One last note, this book, like all Lonely Planets is quite well made and can be trusted not to fall apart, not something that can be said of most budget travel guides.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a joke!, April 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Venezuela (2nd ed) (Paperback)

We normally swear by Lonely Planet guides (to southern Africa, Central America, SE Asia), but this one to Venezuela is far and away the most inadequate: Sometimes I wondered if the author had even set foot in the country, or if he just called up his buddies who in turn passed along 2nd-hand information. For starters, many of his write-ups are meant for people traveling in private cars; this is by no means a "back-packer's" guide. Sometimes, for example, we'd be interested in a particular place the author described, only to be disappointed that the place was accessible only by private vehicle or you could walk to it but had to cross 6-lane highways (quite common in Caracas). Furthermore, this guidebook provides nothing that other guidebooks on the country provide: in sum, Lonely Planet Venezuela rides on the otherwise strong LP reputation; it's of no merit and could actually be the source of a lot of headaches. I hope for the upcoming edition the author actually visits Venezuela! LP should know better...

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish I had bought this book., June 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Venezuela (2nd ed) (Paperback)

No- I did not buy this book. I bought and read two others on travel to Venezuela. If I had, I would not have been the victim of pickpocketting in Caracas. As a fellow traveller in Venezuela pointed out, this book describes verbatim my experience of "being setup" at an escalator in one of the metro stops specifically mentioned. For whatever reasons other reviewers may have for you not to buy this book, I can simply say: this book was right-on regarding crime in Caracas. The price of this book may save you $500 in cash, $1300 in fradulant credit card charges and alot of bad feelings toward a vacation you should not miss.