Venezuela is located on the northern tropical Caribbean coast of South America. It borders Brazil to the south, Guyana to the east, and Colombia to the west while the islands of Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and Trinidad and Tobago border its northern coast.

Venezuela is a country that is home to a wide variety of landscapes. In fact, when Christopher Columbus arrived on the Venezuelan coast in 1498, he was so enthralled that he referred to it as "Tierra de Gracia" or the "Land of Grace." Even today, the country is popularly referred to by this name.

Venezuela is epic in proportion: it boasts South America's largest lake and third-longest river, the highest waterfall in the world, the longest of all snakes, and some of the most spectacular landscapes you'll ever see.

There are the snowcapped peaks of the Andes in the west; steamy Amazonian jungles in the south; the hauntingly beautiful Gran Sabana plateau, with its strange flat-topped mountains, in the east; and miles of white-sand beaches fringed with coconut palms on the Caribbean coast.

The tourist season runs year-round, but consider the climate and Venezuelan holidays before finalizing your travel plans. Venezuela has a dry season (late November to early May) and a wet season (the rest of the year). The dry season is certainly more pleasant for traveling, particularly for hiking or other outdoor activities, though sightseeing in cities or towns won't be greatly disturbed by rain.

Some sights, such as waterfalls, are actually more impressive in the wet season. Angel Falls is absolutely spectacular after heavy rains in the wet months, but may be little more than a thin ribbon of water in the dry season. Furthermore, the falls can be inaccessible by boat in dry months.

Venezuelans are mad about traveling to visit friends, family and the beach over Christmas (through till mid-January), Carnaval (several days prior to Ash Wednesday) and Semana Santa (Holy Week; the week before Easter Sunday). These periods are colorful and alive with a host of festivities, but you may need to plan ahead for accommodation and transport.

The country is home to the world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls (about 16 times higher than Niagara Falls), and the world's longest and highest cable car, whisking tourists from the university town of Mérida to the 4,765m- (15,629ft-) high Pico Espejo. The capital, Caracas, boasts fine historical monuments, an excellent collection of museums and art galleries, and contrasting examples of old and new architecture.

Visitors to this country have the choice of a relaxing resort experience, a cultural city break or a wealth of adventurous activities. Whether they wish to experience one, or all of the above, Venezuela has more than enough to offer on all counts.

Travelers in Venezuela are obliged to carry identification. There are military checkpoints on many roads, so while travelling by car or bus keep your passport handy, ideally you should keep a colour photocopy of your passport. Should your passport be stolen, this will facilitate procedures with your local consulate. The military presence is constant, yet is not usually cause for concern.

That having been said, there are corrupt officials. It is wise to keep a close eye on your belongings when, for instance, bags are being checked for drugs. A soldier of the Guardia Nacional sometimes plants drugs to solicit a bribe or steal valuables. Penalties for drug use are severe, and the burden of proof falls on the accused, the police may also demand bribes using the same modus operandi.

Today's politics are dominated by President Hugo Chávez, the leader of a coup attempt in 1992, who formed his own party and, drawing on the support of millions of disaffected poor people, won the 1998 presidential election. Despite attempts by the opposition to remove him, Chávez's position remains secure for now. In the 2005 parliamentary elections, his party won a majority of seats in the National Assembly.

There is no national railway system in Venezuela, which leaves three options for travel inside the country: car rental, using buses, and using cars-for-hire. Drivers in Venezuela are generally aggressive and unconcerned by traffic regulations. Thus, car rental is not recommended in general. The very cheap price of gas, however, makes this option fairly economical. The expensive part of renting a car will be the insurance. The bus system is extensive and extremely affordable (in part due to the low price of gas). Bus terminals are hectic, but it is usually easy to find a bus to any major city leaving within a short amount of time. Short bus rides (2 hours) may cost 8,000 Bs (about $4 US), and even extremely long bus rides (9 hours) will only cost 30,000 Bs to 40,000 Bs per person (equal to about $15 or $20 US). The larger buses are typically air-conditioned. In fact, they are usually overly air-conditioned, so it is worth bringing a blanket with you. Buses are an easy and convenient way to get around the country.

If you decide to travel by bus a good option is 'Expresos Ejecutivos' they have their own terminal in a residential zone of Caracas (El Rosal), baggage is checked on the buses (as in an airport). The units are clean, safe and well maintained, plus the drivers are trained to respect the speed limit (there are many accidents on regular buses on Venezuelan highways, most of them caused by speeding on poorly maintained roads). They are more expensive than a regular bus, but still cheap by American/European standards.

For smaller towns, there may not be regular buses. In such cases, one can use cars-for-hire, called "por puestos." These are typically old and run-down vehicles, but they are affordable. They are more expensive than buses, typically costing 15,000 Bs per person for a one or two hour ride (about $8 US). The main problem is that they typically wait to have a full car (4 or 5 passengers) before undertaking a route. The driver will usually try to convince you to pay for the extra passengers if you want to leave right away. The cars are popular, however, and one does not usually wait long for a car to fill up.

Travel within cities is usually via taxi. Taxis are more expensive than any other form of transport, but still affordable when compared to North American or European equivalents. A ride across town will usually cost 8,000 Bs to 15,000 Bs (depending on the city). The taxis do not have meters and will charge more at night. This is normal in Venezuela and typically cannot be argued.

Local buses exist, and usually connect the terminal to the center of each city. They typically cost Bs.500 - 800, depending on the city. Bus routes usually remain a mystery to the uninitiated.

Caracas has a clean, modern and cheap metro system, currently being expanded.

Among fast food are Arepas (the famous are Reina Pepiada and Domino), Hallacas (you can eat this on xmas), Cachapas (with a cheese called "telita" is delicious), also Empanadas (you can find them in any beach and in street stands, use your good judgement went you select a street place to eat) and the best "Perros Calientes"(Hot Dogs). The arepa is the most common Venezuelan food item. It's basically a biscuit that is made out of cornmeal and you can fill it in with any type of food that you want, carne mechada which is shredded beef and which tastes really good. It is called "comida criolla", or Creole food. For slow food, try delicious fish meals, or shrimp soup Cazuela de Mariscos.

The traditional Venezuelan lunch is El Pabellón, but is not usually sell at restaurants, just in small family businesses, is mainly rice, black beans, and meat, it also has fried plantain slices. You can also find nice sweets made mainly of sugar. Venezuelan chocolate is really good, especially from a brand named El Rey. It's not that cheap compared with other venezuelan prices but it's still cheap compared to American or European prices, and certainly worth the extra expenditure.