Money and costs
Venezuela's currency is the Bolivar Forte (VEF). Due to runaway inflation, at the time this text was created, it had been in free fall for some time against most other currencies. Furthermore, it has an official value substantially higher than that practiced on the black market.
In the 90s, Venezuela was one of the most expensive nations in South America. Today, the sharp devaluation of the Bolivar has made it one of the most accessible on the continent. There are ATMs in the main cities and payment with credit cards is widespread in the most sophisticated establishments. However, don't expect to find ATMs or payment terminals in the wild scenery of Canaima National Park or Amazonas.
ACCOMMODATION
Caracas, Margarita Island and a few other hotspots for Venezuelan tourism have their 4 and 5 star hotels. Despite being responsible for the inflation of prices – from €120 to €400 per night – this quotation, by inflated standard, does not guarantee the infrastructure, refinement and quality of service of the best European or North American hotels.
Os hostels e youth hostels, as we know them, are rare like the campsites. In other tourist places, the best accommodation solutions are often the inns, which there are in large numbers and usually with vacancies, with the exception of the long weekends around major holidays. Some posadas have their own styles, sometimes suited to the places or buildings in which they appear, others are mere cement crates. At inns lower level may have deplorable hygiene and comfort conditions. Choose the place where you will stay carefully and also take into account that in Venezuela there are plenty of brothels and sexual motels who rent rooms by the hour but may not excuse themselves from renting for one or more nights to tourists who visit them by mistake.
prices of inns vary in large order, from €7 to €10 per double room for the most spartan and uncharacteristic to €80 to €90 per night in inns exquisite historical.
FOOD
Restaurants abound in Venezuela. They serve a variety of dishes and snacks that are a testament to the country's ethnic richness, which over time has welcomed immigrants from all over: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Middle Eastern, Chinese, etc.
The least expensive way to have lunch is to order, in a popular restaurant, a executive menu ou of the day, which includes soup and main course for €3-5. As elsewhere in South America, some market stalls sell these same types of meals even cheaper.
In any restaurant, if you order meals à la carte, supposedly cooked just for you, they'll cost you a lot more. Venezuela has its dose of independent restaurants or part of the more sophisticated hotels you can find buffets wealthy but you will hardly find executive menu ou of the day. At these restaurants, expect to pay €20 to €80 for a full meal, depending on the reputation of the place.
INTERNET
Not all guest houses provide Wi-Fi, but you should expect it from the most expensive hotels in the country. If you do not have free access where you stayed, you should have no difficulty finding an internet café with very acceptable internet access. Many public libraries and bars provide this service, bars give passwords to customers.
If you want to have internet all the time and you own a smartphone ou tablets unlocked or portable and from a pen (USB Stick), buy a Venezuelan SIM card with minutes for calls and gigabytes for navigation included.