Layover in Caracas

The mouse-sized roaches at the Simon Bolivar airport.

Quick Tips:

1) Get to the airport early! They really overdo the security thing here, and the process of checking in is very time consuming. Remember to buy your US exit pass prior to going to the gate, or you'll have to go back and lose your place in the (long) line. 2) Watch out for torn bills when you exchange your currency for Bolivar - we got several and were stuck with them after they were refused by everyone, and ended up dropping them in a charity bin for the Venezuelan children at the airport.

Best Way To Get Around:

Taxis, unfortunately are a necessity. They are are not cheap, and drivers charge whatever they like. Private taxis are not safe, so be sure to catch a cab from a government taxi at the airport. They are easily identified by their white shirts (with yellow underarm stains), black ties, and badges.

Stuck in Caracas for the night, we took a cab from the airport to the Caracas Hilton. The hotel was on Avenue Liberatador, and was very nice. The perk for me was all of the shops and being able to check my email at the Cybercafe. They have a flower shop, beauty salon, photo centre, travel ageny, American Airlines counter, drug store, and jeweler all on site.

The hotel also has a gym and pool, but they were closed by the time we arrived.

The rooms were spotless, but average in decor. Now, the greatest thing about this room was the shower. In all my life I have never taken a shower with such high water pressure. I actually had to turn the shower down from full blast because it hurt! And there was a never ending supply of hot water. I'll never forget it.

The Caracas Hilton had three restaurants, and we tried them all. First, we had a snack in the Cybercafe (which specializes in sushi for those who care for it) and checked our e-mail. Later, we went to dinner in the fine dining restaurant. We opted to sit out in the lobby courtyard next to the fountain. The restaurant offers a full buffet, which we decided against due to the lack of vegetarian items. Instead, we each had our own really yummy, cheeseless pizza topped with fresh veggies. Save your money and pass on the wine - their wine list is pretty skimpy and the house wine is terrible.

Afterward, we went up to the rooftop bar and had a fabulous time drinking and dancing under the stars, listening to the crickets after-rainfall chirping. From the rooftop you can see all of downtown Caracas.

If you ever take a trip to Porlamar, you will likely be forced to spend the night (6 hours) at the Caracas Simon Bolivar airport (or pay for a hotel room for 4 hours, and get yourself to and from the airport ($40) with the remaining 2). We took the cheaper option and spent the night at the airport. Things were pretty fun until about 11 pm, when everything closed. We looked at the shops, and sat at the bar where there was plenty of cheap, tasty Polar beer on tap. Now, after about midnight when most of the flights have gone, the Simon Bolivar airport can be a really scary place. The homeless start coming in and going through all of the trash. They are harmless, but it makes it impossible to sit in peace because you have to keep a constant eye on your belongings. Much worse were the roaches. These things were just enormous, and I was afraid that some would get into my suitcase and I'd bring them home, so I got to get in a big fight with my partner and wake him up to push two little cafeteria tables together and put our suitcases up off the floor. The other problem with these roaches is that they are really fast, and zip around. One scuttled across my arm, and I had imaginary crawlies all night. We also had about 20 mosquito bites each by the time we left.

So my advice is this: if you get stuck in Caracas for the night, spend the money on cabfare and a hotel. If you decide not to, bring bug spray and wear long pants and long sleeves.