Diving Venezuela
Off the coast of Venezuela are some of the most beautiful and remote islands in all the Caribbean. Beginning with Los Testigos’ tiny fishing village and sand dunes in the east and stretching 300 miles to Los Aves’ reef-strewn mangroves in the west, the offshore islands of Venezuela offer a Caribbean paradise and excellent diving. From the steep coastline of the Henri Pittier National Park, which offers some of the great Venezuela diving, to the coral reefs that surround many of the islands offshore, there are unlimited diving opportunities in Venezuela. Determine the areas/islands that interest you and research them separately to find out specific information about diving that area.
Best time to dive
Year-round diving off Venezuela’s coast is excellent. The main thing to pay attention to is hurricane season, which is most active in the months of August and September.
Visibility
Visibility averages 40 to 100 feet.
Water temperatures
Water temperature averages 77 to 85 °F
Weather and climate
The country’s climate is predominantly tropical, with a warm temperate zone extending along the coast. Temperatures rarely vary more than a few degrees (Caracas 64 to 68 °F, Maracaibo 81 to 84 °F); consequently, Venezuela’s climatic zones are defined by rainfall rather than by differences in temperature. The northern coastal lowlands are relatively arid, but rainfall increases over the Llanos and the Guayana Highlands, with average yearly readings reaching 58 inches in both regions. The dry season (called the verano) extends from December to April, and the wet season (invierno) covers the remainder of the year. The Amazon region has no distinct dry season, and annual rainfall exceeds 78 inches, distributed evenly throughout the year.
Language
Spanish
Passport/Visa requirements
U.S. nationals, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, UK nationals, South Africans, and most western and Scandinavian Europeans do not require a visa if they fly directly to Venezuela. All foreigners entering Venezuela by land require a valid visa; get one before you leave for South America.
Currency
Venezuelan Bolivar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Electrical current
120 volts, 60 cycle, U.S. standard
Capital
Caracas
General information
Venezuela is situated on the northern coast of South America, north of Brazil and between Colombia and Guyana. Venezuela has an incredibly diverse landscape encompassing 10 broad geographical regions. Off the north coast lie numerous Caribbean Islands, of which the biggest is Isla Margarita. The Andes in the west continue in the north with the Cordillera de la Costa, a mountain chain that runs along the Caribbean coast. The Andes also continue south to Los Llanos, a giant plain extending east as far as the Caura River, which flows through Venezuela’s second largest forest reserve after Amazonas and only recently became known to adventure tourism. Located south of Los Llanos is the Amazon Basin, the largest rain forest in the world. East of the Caura River forest is the beginning of the Gran Sabana, part of the Guayana Highlands, which extend up to the rainforests of the Orinoco Delta in the northeast and the Brazilian border in the south.
Map
Get a map of Venezuela from WorldAtlas.com.