Cosmetic surgery in Venezuela: Travel and accommodation

The Simon Bolivar International Airport is located in Caracas and is 12 miles (19km) north of the city.  Scheduled airlines flying from the UK to Caracas include Air France, Alitalia, Iberia and TAP Air Portugal.  Air France advertises fares from London to Caracas for £430 inclusive and TAP Air Portugal return fares from £543 inclusive.  Flights with TAP depart from London Gatwick to Caracas every day (except Tuesday) departing at 06.25 and going via Lisbon, arriving in Lisbon at 0900 and departing there at 1115 to arrive in Caracas at 1455 local time.  From London Heathrow there are three daily flights departing at 0830, 1155 and 1820 to Lisbon but an overnight stay in Lisbon will be necessary to connect with the morning Lisbon to Caracas flight.  Alternatively, First Choice has a weekly non stop flight from London Gatwick airport direct to Margarita Island and fares start from £419 return (inclusive of taxes, in-flight meals and an online booking discount).  The flying time is nine and a half hours from the UK.

 

The best way to get from the airport into town is via Black Explorer taxi.  Avoid bogus taxi drivers and never get into a car if there are other people already inside.  There is also a public bus from the airport departing every 30 minutes but with taxis being so reasonably priced they are a more convenient option.

 

Getting about the country is best done by air as most large towns are connected with scheduled flights by domestic airlines Aeropostal, Aerotuy, Avensa-Servivensa, the latter offering discount tickets for students and families, but be aware that flights are very busy so travellers are advised to arrive extremely early at the airport to ensure a seat.  Margarita Island is served by Santiago Marino Caribbean International Airport, located at  El Yaque, Isla Margarita, telephone 58 (295) 2691135/1122, where several daily air shuttles are available to and from Caracas airport.  The journey time between Caracas and Margarita is 35 minutes.  Ferries also link Puerto La Cruz with Margarita Island with a journey time of two hours and 45 minutes.

 

Although there are plans for a major rail network overhaul, at the moment there is just one railway running between Barquisimeto and Puerto Cabello along with cheap interurban bus services between the major towns.  The usual international car rental companies such as Hertz, Avis and Budget are available at the international and domestic terminal of the airport but while the main roads in Caracas are fine, the quality of the roads in Venezuela can vary greatly.  Driving is on the right.

 

There is a 35 station metro in the capital, Caracas, which is a comfortable and easy way to traverse the city, as are the ‘Por Puestos’ (share-taxis) which are operated by minibus companies.  Fares are similar to the buses, although they are higher during the evenings and at weekends.  Traditional taxis in Caracas are white cars with yellow plates and run by meter, but the fare can also be negotiated with the driver if/when they don’t use the meter, which is often the case after midnight.  Always make sure a fare is agreed beforehand.

 

The monetary unit in Venezuela is the Bolívar which comes in paper and coin denominations.  £1 is equivalent to approximately 4 Venezuelan Bolivares (VEB).  The average price for a three star and four star hotel in Caracas or Margarita will cost between US $105 and $150, approximately £57 or £81.

 

The time zone is GMT + 4 and no vaccinations are needed for Caracas or the coastal areas in Venezuela, but visitors planning on travelling to rural areas will need to be immunised against yellow fever, Hepatitis A, and typhoid.  British visitors just need their passports, a tourist card will need to be completed upon arrival but no visa is required.

We provide an enquiry service for information or quotations from up to three hospitals abroad for people interested in cosmetic surgery abroad.