Side Trips

Caracas-based tour companies offer a host of tour options, from guided city tours and adventure activities to longer excursions to destinations such as Los Roques and Angel Falls . Some of the more popular day-tour options from Caracas include trips to Colonia Tovar and mountain-bike or jeep tours through Parque Nacional El Avila. Prices for day tours range from $35 to $90 per person. A half-day guided tour to El Hatillo usually runs around $30 per person. Akanan Travel & Adventure (tel. 0212/715-5433 or 0414/116-0107; www.akanan.com) and Cacao Expeditions (tel. 0212/977-1234; www.cacaotravel.com) are both reputable local operators offering a wide range of single and multiday options.

El Hatillo -- This neocolonial town, located 15km (9 miles) southeast of downtown, is a great place to spend a few leisurely hours and grab a meal. You'll want to spend most of your time strolling around, but be prepared -- it's hilly here. Moreover, the narrow streets have even narrower sidewalks, so beware of car traffic. Window-shop the many crafts and artisan jewelry stores and be sure to sample some homemade sweets at one of the many local pastry and candy shops. You'll find a good selection of restaurants, cafes, and bars here. Stop in for a coffee or a light bite at Croquer, Calle Bolívar 17 (tel. 0212/961-4269). After admiring the memorabilia, try to grab one of the third-floor tables under canvas umbrellas on the terrace.

Buses run between Caracas and El Hatillo at regular intervals throughout the day. Por puestos leave from Avenida Humbolt near the Chacaito metro stop; the fare is 600Bs (30¢). Metro bus route 202, beginning near the Altamira metro station, also goes to El Hatillo; the fare is 700Bs (30¢). A taxi to El Hatillo should cost around 18,000Bs ($8.40).

Colonia Tovar -- This small mountain village located 65km (40 miles) to the west of Caracas was founded and settled in 1843 by German immigrants. A paved road to the isolated hamlet wasn't laid until 1963. The town was so isolated for so long that it still feels almost a world apart, although its sudden and amazing popularity also gives it a little bit of an Epcot feel. German food, German architecture, and German dress are the norm here. You can wander around town, or hike through the nearby forests and fields. On weekends, the town fills up with Caraqueños looking for a cool getaway. In fact it gets downright crowded. I prefer to visit on weekdays. If you want to spend a night or two here, check out the Hotel Selva Negra (tel. 0244/355-1415; hotelselvanegra@cantv.net) or the Posada Don Elicio (tel. 0244/355-1254; www.posadadonelicio.com).

Por puestos leave Caracas from the corner of Avenida Lecuna and Sur 9. Take the por puesto marked EL JUNQUITO; in El Junquito, you'll have to switch to another por puesto for the rest of the ride. The entire trip should take around 2 hours and cost around 4,300Bs ($2) each way. A taxi to Colonia Tovar costs between 95,000Bs and 120,000Bs ($45-$55) for up to four people. This should be a round-trip fare; you may have to negotiate, depending on how long you want the driver to wait for you or to drive you around Colonia Tovar.

Los Roques -- Perhaps the most popular excursions from Caracas are to Los Roques, a gorgeous archipelago of small islands around a calm saltwater lagoon in crystal-clear Caribbean waters. Aerotuy (tel. 0212/761-6231; www.tuy.com) is by far the most established and professional operator offering trips to Los Roques. The cost for a full-day trip is $141 per person. Children are roughly half price, and rates are slightly lower during the low season and midweek.

Parque Nacional Henri Pittier -- Venezuela's first national park, founded in 1937, is named after a Swiss botanist who pioneered efforts to create the nation's national park system. The park covers much of the northern state of Aragua, running from the Caribbean Sea almost to the city of Maracay. The park encompasses a wide range of ecosystems, from coastal lowlands to cloud forest to rainforest, with mountains inside the park rising to more than 2,000m (6,560 ft.). The flora and fauna here is extremely rich and diverse, and Henri Pittier is one of the world's prime bird-watching spots, with more than 550 resident and migratory species recorded. The park is the gateway to the tourist towns of Choroní and Puerto Colombia and a string of isolated and beautiful Caribbean beaches. The area can be reached by bus and taxi from Maracay, or as part of a tour from Caracas .

Canaima & Angel Falls -- You may actually see advertisements for or be offered a day tour to Canaima and Angel Falls. However, given the distance, travel time, and outstanding natural beauty of the area, I highly recommend a longer trip.