Venezuela - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 872

Post o ce Ipostel beside the cathedral in Plaza la
Candelaria (Mon-Fri, 8am-noon & 1-4pm). There's
another post o ce at the international airport, and others
in Puntos de Gestión (administration o ces) around the
city. Locals will warn you against using state-run Ipostel
for anything important; private alternatives include MRW
( W mrw.com.ve) and DHL ( W dhl.com.ve), both of which
have numerous o ces around the city.

while restaurants in the village have
superb views.
To explore the park further contact
Akanán Tours (see p.860). Alternatively,
take a taxi to San Bernadín at the foot
of the hill at weekends, where jeeps
leave for Galipán when full (BsF15/
person one-way).

The northern coast
he coast of Vargas state, separated
from Caracas by Parque Nacional El Ávila
(see above), provides a good sample of
Venezuela's beaches if you don't have
time to visit anywhere else on the coast.
The surfing here is particularly good,
with some of the best breaks at Anare,
Los Caracas and Playa Pantaleta. To get
here under your own steam, catch the
bus (see below) from Parque Central to
the airport and continue 35km by taxi to
La Guaira or Macuto (around BsF180).
Here you can flag down one of the
numerous busetas that ply the seaside
highway in both directions; hop off and
on wherever you choose.

DAY TRIPS FROM CARACAS
For a quick escape from the hustle
and bustle of Caracas, ride the cable
car that ascends the slopes of Parque
Nacional El Ávila , with its spectacular
views and hiking trails. If you've got
more time, consider visiting Colonia
Tov a r , a Black Forest-style village built
by nineteenth-century German
immigrants. On the other side of the
coastal range, Caracas boasts some
fabulous beaches, particularly popular
with surfers from the capital.

11

Parque Nacional El Ávila
Based along the lush mountain
ridge that separates Caracas from the
coast, PARQUE NACIONAL EL ÁVILA
( W el-avila.com) is a popular day-trip
from the urban mayhem for caraqueños .
On clear days there are stunning views
of the city to the south and the
Caribbean to the north.
There are several ways to explore the
park. From Caracas, there are four
well-marked hiking trails accessible via
Avenida Boyacá, the city's northernmost
east-to-west thoroughfare. It is also
possible to drive to the top in a 4WD.
However, the most popular option is the
teleférico (box office Tues noon-6pm,
Wed-Sun 9.30am-6pm, closed Mon;
BsF45; last return 10pm), a high-speed
cable car. To get to the base station,
go to Colegio de Ingenieros metro station
and take a BsF20 taxi from outside the
entrance. There's an ice-rink at the top as
well as some more predictable attractions,
while a steep trail leads down to the
pretty village of Galipán . Jeeps wait at
either end to ferry passengers up and
down the trail for BsF8 each way.
Numerous roadside stands sell
strawberries and cream and local honey,

Colonia Tovar
Founded by German immigrants in
1843, the small mountain village of
COLONIA TOVAR , 60km west of Caracas,
is still inhabited by their ancestors.
Most of the houses have been built in
traditional Black Forest style, and
restaurants selling German-style
bratwurst line the main roads of the
village. Sadly, production of Cerveza
Tovar has moved from the village
microbrewery to the nearby town of
La Victoria, but the end result is still
readily available. “Colonia” is a popular
weekend destination, when it becomes
packed with bemused caraqueños , who
turn the whole place into a Deutsch
Disneyland. The Museo de Historia y
Artesanía (weekends and festivals
9am-6pm; BsF10) features a small
collection of documents, clothes, tools,
guns and other relics of the village's
early days.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By metro and buseta To get here from Caracas, take the
metro to La Yaguara station. Join the queue around the