Lonely Planet Venezuela

Average customer rating:

Disappointing, for a Lonely Planet
Practical & helpful, but flawed
Take Venezuela w/ a grain of salt
What a joke!
Too snobby for the budget traveler

Lonely Planet Venezuela
Krzysztof Dydynski
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 174104197X

Book Description

Track jaguars around mysterious tabletop mountains and raft through Amazonian rain forest. Relax on a palm-fringed Caribbean beach or put on your party shoes and enjoy Caracas' infamous nightlife. Whether you want to soar over Angel Falls, dance with Corpus Christi devils or hobnob with beauty queens and baseball teams, our unbeatable guidebook gives you detailed coverage for the adventure of a lifetime.

• BE PREPARED - highlights, tailored itineraries and an all new 'getting started' section help get your trip underway • EXPLORE - follow Bolivar's footsteps with more than 80 detailed maps • DISCOVER - authoritative coverage of the country's wild and wonderful national parks, from the white sands of Los Roques to the snow-dusted peaks of the Andes • LEARN THE LINGO with help from our practical Spanish-language guide • REST EASY - frank, in-depth hotel and restaurant reviews eliminate the guesswork at any budget

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing, for a Lonely Planet.......2007-01-04

I have been using Lonely Planet guides for years. However, I was surprisingly disappointed with this guide for Venezuela. To me, both writers seem so enamored with the country that they could have been writing for the national tourism office. Much of the info is out of date, and important details -- for example, about less-traveled bus routes, or warnings about dangerous neighborhoods -- were missing entirely. For this country, I would recommend that you consider another guidebook, preferably one which has been written more recently. (Note to Lonely Planet: consider updating your guide books more often for countries that are in as much transition as VZ).

Practical & helpful, but flawed.......2006-09-16

I've used Lonely Planet (LP) guides in several nations now, and each time the LP guide has proven highly readable and practical, but never flawless. This Venezuela guide seems to have a few more flaws and omissions than expected. True, the book has that wealth of practical information on budget hotels, restuarants, night life, busses, the metro, travel tips, etc., plus some decent maps, and it captures the nation's lively character. But a couple city maps omit vital parts of town, prices are occasionally off mark, and the book omits words on dangers to pedestrians from speeding drivers or the congestion in Caracas. The author's exalted view of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Caracas left me puzzled, and travelers should understand that at this writing free speech seems questionable under the rule of left-leaning President Hugo Chavez.

One wonders if LP authors occasionally fail to complete their homework and merely reprint old information. This LP guide is useful but needs a few corrections, and travelers that speak a little Spanish might be advised to call ahead.

Take Venezuela w/ a grain of salt.......2006-07-09

We took two guides with us to Venezuela during our July 2006 trip. One was Fodor's, one was Lonely Planet. Both were valueable for their insights into culture and customs, but only Lonely Planet offered practical information such as names and phone numbers for hotels and attractions. That said, much of the information was outdated or deceptive. For instance, food and taxi service in Venezuela is very expensive! (not the $5 a meal lonely planet represents). Caracas is not set up for tourists and many of the areas are unsafe to travel without a local guide. Also, finding an offical place to change money can be challenging, I recommend using taxi drivers who are readily available. Good luck! You may need it.

What a joke!.......2001-04-03

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...

Too snobby for the budget traveler.......2001-03-27

What ever happened to South America on a shoestring? Dydynski often sounds like he holds Venezuela in disdain as a dirty, dangerous, and messy little Third World backwater rather than someplace somebody might actually want to visit. He comes off like a gringo snob, and his personal hotel preferences obviously lean towards the five-star end of the spectrum. Missing here are all the excellent low-cost, unique, and out-of-the-way options I used to turn to Lonely Planet to find. No descriptions of night life or fun things to do, heavy on the historical landmarks. Here and there the book waxes useful when the location in question is someplace Dydynski seems to have liked, the rest of the descriptions are not helpful. Also: many of the phone numbers I have tried from the book are incorrect. I haven't compared this book to other Venezuelan guides, so can't truly make a comparison -- but I suggest you start with another guide first.

Average customer rating:

Lonely Planet Venezuela
Thomas Kohnstamm , Sandra Bao , Beth Kohn , Jens Porup , and Daniel Schechter
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Lonely Planet | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1741045452

Book Description

Discover Venezuela Get drenched by nearly 1km of cascading water beneath the world's highest waterfall,p.310. Sink your toes into sugar-white sands on an uninhabited island in Archipielago Los Roques, p.101. Crunch on chocolate-coated hormigas culonas - deep-fried Amazonian ants with big, juicy rear ends, p.49. Hear howler monkeys roar as you cruise the wildlife-rich channels of the Delta del Orinoco, p.289. In This Guide: Five authors, 187 days of in-country research, 495 arepas, 52 detailed maps, one paragliding accident. You asked, we delivered: more off-the-beaten-path coverage of the Andes and Los Llanos. Expanded focus on sustainable travel helps readers plan environmentally and socially responsible adventures. Content updated daily - visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-the-minute reviews and traveler suggestions.

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