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Travel Information
 NOTE TO ALL TRAVELERS:
There are several ways to arrive to Santa Elena. However based on
our experiences and those of past volunteers, Peace Villages
strongly recommends the following arrival plan: a flight to
Caracas followed by a bus from Caracas to Santa Elena.
Although this option includes a long bus ride it is certainly
the most simple. There are no transfers, no multiple stages
and very little Spanish is required. If this option is not
suitable and you would like information on other possibilities
please Contact Us.
Arrival at Caracas Airport
In the airport your
first stop will be Immigration where you will show your passport and
be given a 3 month tourist entry stamp in your passport. Following Immigration, you
will pass through customs and then walk into the main terminal.
Flight Arrival Times
It is impossible to get through Caracas in less than 2 hours. Depending
on the day, it might even take up to 3 hours. Consequently, try to arrange a flight that
arrives well before the buses leave from "Terminal de Oriente".
The two direct buses to Santa Elena leave from the terminal at
3:30pm and 5:00pm. If you miss these two buses there is
another that leaves at 10:15pm and takes you halfway. (More
information is available in the
From Bus Terminal to Santa Elena section). If you can't fly into Caracas in time to catch a bus to Santa Elena,
you will need to spend the night in a hotel in either Caracas or
near the airport (near the airport: Posada ‘Il Prezzano’ in Catia
la Mar, tel. 0212-351.2626 (single room Bs. 60 / USD 28; taxi costs
about Bs. 20 / USD 9) then make your way to
the bus terminal the following day. From Airport to Bus Terminal
Highly recommended - Use the Pick-up service: If previously booked and confirmed you will be met at the airport by one of this
independent and reliable Pick-Up Services,
Oswaldo Morales & Walter Ungefug from Pleasure Viajes, or
Wilmer & Javier
The drivers speak fluent English and are extremely helpful. They
will receive you at the airport with a board in their hands showing
both your name and the name of their company. You will be
accompanied to the bus terminal or the hotel of your choice and
assisted while purchasing your tickets etc. The pick-up service is a
excellent option for travelers looking for
Peace of Mind.
Email Pick-up services:
Oswaldo & Walter:
pleasureventas3@cantv.net,
wungefug@cantv.net Wilmer & Javier:
javi_jauregui@yahoo.es
If you do not intend to use a Pick-Up Service, you have a couple options to safely reach
the bus terminal. Whatever you decide it is essential that
you arrive at the "Terminal de Oriente". This is the only
terminal that has buses leaving directly to Santa Elena.
Take a Taxi: Another option is to hire a official taxi
directly from the airport. Do not accept offers of transport in the
arrivals hall. Official taxis (with yellow license plate) line-up
at the official taxi rank immediately outside of the airport
building. Official taxis cost 100 to 130
Bs / USD 50-60. They are the safest and most reliable option. Let them know that you are
interested in going to "Terminal de Oriente" (the bus station located on the far side of Caracas). If possible, you should arrange to be met
by the pick-up service.
Shuttle Bus: Choosing to take a taxi is obviously much
more convenient than taking a bus because you don't have to worry
about being in a crowded space with a number of fellow passengers
for the two hour ride. From the airport there is a shuttle bus that
goes into the center of town. Upon entering the terminal, simply ask
around for the bus to get to the center of town (it is located
outside the domestic flight terminal). In the domestic terminal
there is a kiosk that sells tickets for the shuttle, which costs
around 15 Bs / roughly USD 7 . Walk outside of the domestic terminal
to find the shuttle. Though you may have reservations, this is in
fact a very safe and reliable way to get into the center of town.
Nevertheless, we do not recommend taking the shuttle after dark.
From the final bus stop a taxi ride to the "Terminal de Oriente"
will cost around 30 Bs / USD 14 .
 From Bus Terminal
in Caracas to Santa Elena
The fastest, cheapest, most convenient, and most comfortable way to
get to Santa Elena is by bus. The luxury buses that travel to
Santa Elena are equipped with new, stretch reclining seats, air
conditioning, a bathroom, and DVD system.
Several companies operate ultra-modern buses from
Caracas to Santa Elena (20ish hrs; 100 Bs / USD 45).
Expresos
Occidente runs daily, departing at 3.30 pm
from Terminal del Oriente. Or there's
Expresos los Llanos,
which also runs daily, departing at 5.00 pm from the same
terminal. Another night bus
leaves daily at 10.15 pm. While the first two buses travel
directly to Santa Elena, the night bus at 10.15 pm will
bring you (10 hrs; 60 Bs / 28 USD) to San Felix/Puerto Ordaz (halfway to Santa Elena). From there you can
change buses and come directly to Santa Elena (9 hrs;
60 Bs / 28 USD). Another option is to go to Ciudad Bolívar and from there
change buses to Santa Elena (9 hrs; 60 Bs / 28 USD). Stopping a
day or two in Puerto Ordaz, Ciudad Bolivar or San Felix is a
nice way to break up the trip if you are not in a hurry.
It is
generally not possible or necessary to book a bus ticket in advance. Just get to the terminal to
buy your ticket well before the bus departure time if at all possible to make absolutely sure
that you will get a seat.
If you do not
have enough time to make it to the terminal before the bus
departs (give yourself at least 2,5 hours
to get to the bus terminal), or you want a slight break from traveling, spend the night
in a hotel either near the airport or in downtown Caracas.
Book ahead and make sure you receive a confirmation. Remember, the
Pick-Up Services are also
available to help you make your way to a hotel in the city, but
also must be arranged in advance.
It should be
pointed out also that you will more than likely be stopped at a routine
military check-point once or twice along the way to Santa Elena.
At these check-points, you are sometimes just asked for your
passport, and at other times are required to show the entire contents of your bags. Don't panic. As mentioned,
these stops are customary. This is a chance to
stretch your legs.
To put your mind at ease some more, the bus stop in Santa Elena
is the last stop. So there is no need for concern every time
the bus stops along the way. Stay on until the end!
Although
the travel time is long, the trip passes by much faster than you
would expect! Keep in mind that these buses are much more
sophisticated and comfortable than buses in Europe or North
America, for
example. You can easily relax: the seats are very comfortable and
can be turned into sleepers. Movies are regularly shown, and
the buses frequently stop for snacks and meals along the way. Carry a good book with
you, perhaps also some music, and enjoy the marvelous
scenery and impressive landscapes from the comfort of your
window seat. A few words of advice: bring warm clothes or a
blanket with you - the buses are notoriously freezing as the
drivers tend to go nuts with the
air conditioning. Ear plugs also don't hurt.
You may find the need to block out the sounds ceaselessly
pumping from the DVDs (unless you're into non-stop Van Damme
marathons).
IMPORTANT: Please give us a call before leaving and getting
on the bus from Caracas, Ciudad Bolivar or Puerto Ordaz so we will
have a rough idea of when to expect you.for Santa Elena. In Caracas
you can buy a phone card (CANTV) and make a phone call from the bus
terminal “Terminal del Oriente.” On the second level of the bus
terminal you can find a "telephone shop" chain (MoviStar). Arrival at Santa Elena Bus Terminal
Peace Villages staff will welcome you at the local bus
terminal, bring you to your accommodation, and help you get adjusted.
Our staff will welcome you to the Peace Villages home-base
and ensure that all of your needs are met - from a safe and
comfortable place to stay, to unparalleled access to
perspectives and insight about the local culture.
IMPORTANT: Travel times and
telecommunications are sometimes unpredictable in Venezuela. If you
should arrive at the bus station in Santa Elena early/late, or you have not been
able to confirm with us when you are expecting to arrive, please
call us at:
House phone: 0289 - 414 5721
Office: 0289 - 416 0718
Manfred: 0414 - 870 4895 Kelvis: 0426-9771594
Exchanging Money
Strict currency controls remain in place in Venezuela, but
Bolivar's can be obtained through banks and some travel agencies
in your country. It is best to obtain local currency where
possible before traveling. Bureau de change at the Caracas
airport, will exchange US dollars for Bolivar's, as will some
major hotels. Some banks in Caracas will buy US dollars for
Bolivar's or sell Bolivar's against a foreign credit card. US
dollar travelers' cheques are accepted at most Italcambios
offices in Caracas.
In most towns and all major cities, credit cards are accepted.
However, it can be difficult to withdraw cash from ATMs. Please be advised that ATMs do not
accept debit cards but only credit cards. You can also do the
transaction via the counter in the bank. All bank transactions
will result in Bolivar. You cannot draw American dollars or any
other foreign currency through ATM's in Venezuela.
It is best to change about USD $100 into Bolivar before you
depart. This will enable you to have cash to pay for your bus
ticket and to purchase food. Any other money that you are
planning on spending in Venezuela should be brought with you in
large American bills, for example USD $100´s cash.
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