Venezuela - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 901

campamentos are listed here, and they charge per person
rather than per room. Note that tour prices from Canaima
exclude flights.
Tiuna T 0414 864 0033, E [e-mail]. By
far the most receptive option (as well as the cheapest) for
independent travellers, Tiuna has a serene location at the
edge of Canaima Lagoon. Breakfast is BsF50, lunch and
dinner BsF100; the 3-day /2-night Angel Falls tour is
BsF1000. Hammocks BsF50 , dorms BsF200
Wey Tupuy T 0414 191 8708, E weytupui@hotmail
.com. Expanding to triple in size at the time of research,
this high-capacity place beside the lagoon has perfectly
decent rooms and a good re staurant. An extra BsF300 if
you want three square meals. BsF200

from the specially designed viewing terrace, order a
cocktail and soak it all in. Beers BsF20, cocktails BsF40.
Daily 6am-midnight.

SANTA ELENA DE UAIRÉN
SANTA ELENA DE UAIRÉN grew
significantly when the paved road
connecting it with the rest of the
country was completed, but, with a
population of only eighteen thousand,
it's still a quiet town. Many of its
inhabitants are originally from Brazil,
whose border is just 15km away. The
town serves as a good base for exploring
the awe-inspiring tepuis , as well as being
a good access point for Brazil (see box,
p.907), where Manaus is the closest
major city. Although there's little to do,
Santa Elena is a very backpacker-
friendly town, with reasonably priced
accommodation and restaurants. Two
blocks southeast of the Plaza Bolívar
a baseball field hosts local matches
in the evenings, where the party
atmosphere is fun, beers are cheap and
gringos are warmly welcomed whether
or not they can follow what's going on.
The town is the best place to book tours
to the Gran Sabana (see p.908) and up
Mount Roraima (see p.908).

EATING AND DRINKING
Food is included in tour prices; vegetarians should notify
the agency when purchasing a tour. Should you get
hungry between scheduled meals, Posada Kusari (which
is a poor accommodation option for BsF300) close to
Tiuna (see above) runs a general store, though prices are
outrageous since all stock is flown in. As a tourist hub,
Canaima has a fairly decent social life, with locals, tourists
and guides always up for a party.
Bar Morichal At Campamento Morichal . A beach bar
popular with the locals, guides and tourists alike. The
dancefloor has disco lights, an impressive sound system
and DJs. If your salsa isn't up to scratch, grab a few
unsurprisingly expensive beers from the bar, take a seat
in one of the parked boats and watch the waterfalls
across the lagoon. Open daily from noon until the last
patron leaves.
Salon Ikupai At Venetur Campamento Canaima .
Occupying the best spot on the lagoon, the state-owned
resort's restaurant and bar has unreal views of Canaima's
waterfalls across the water. Come to watch the sunset

11

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By plane Flights arrive from Ciudad Bolívar and Puerto
Ordáz, though schedules are unpredictable and planes
tend to be relatively old and very small.

EXCHANGING BRAZILIAN REAIS FOR BOLÍVARES
The Brazilian town of Pacaraima's designation as “ puerto libre ” - permitting visitors across the
border without immigration formalities if they return the same day - allows you to replenish
funds without resorting to Venezuela's unfavourable o cial exchange rate at an ATM or bank.
The border is open 7am-10pm.
Grab your passport and bankcard and head to the intersection of calles Peña and Zea,
where por puestos leave regularly for the border (20min; BsF15). In the unlikely event that
you're stopped when crossing, explain to o cials that you're returning to Venezuela the same
day; make sure they do not stamp your passport (if they do, you'll have to wait a day to return
to Venezuela). Once you're over, visit one of several available ATMs and withdraw Brazilian reais
at the current exchange rate of US$1 = R$2.
Back in Santa Elena, head to the intersection of calles Urdaneta and Bolívar, where uno cial
moneychangers congregate. You can change cash on the street, although they often have
better rates at the open-fronted o ces where you can sit and take your time over the
transaction. You should be able to exchange R$1 for at least BsF6, tripling the value of your
money within Venezuela.