Venezuela

Venezuela can be rough around the edges: As of mid-2015 the U.S. government is still warning its citizens about traveling in the country on account of the depressingly high homicide rate. However, for tourists willing to brave the grittiness, some of South America’s most gorgeous—and wildest—landscapes await.

One great attraction of Venezuela, roughly twice the size of California, is its geographic variety. There are sublime beaches and fortress-like mangrove swamps along the Caribbean coastline; the northeasternmost peaks of the mighty Andes, culminating in 16,332-foot Pico Bolivar, which still claims a few fast-dwindling tropical glaciers; the wide-open marshy grasslands and savannas of the Llanos; and the evocative table mountains, or tepuis, looming on the Guiana Highlands. And within those diverse landscapes are some superlative landmarks: the Orinoco River and its delta, one of the mightiest drainages in South America; Lake Maracaibo, by some measures the continent’s biggest lake and site of the spectacularly relentless Catatumbo lightning storms; and 3,212-foot-tall Angel Falls (Churun Meru), which drops off the sheer edge of Auyán-tepui, and is one of the planet’s most spectacular cataracts.

In other words, anyone with a passion for tropical ecology and magnificent scenery has a lifetime’s worth of explorations on tap in Venezuela. Canaima National Park is one of the finest destinations in the country, protecting Angel Falls and a number of gorgeous tepuis. On the coast, meantime, Morrocoy National Park reveals the Venezuelan Caribbean at its most glorious, stretching from dense mangroves and heaven-sent beaches to farflung cays and reefs. You can explore a breathtaking sweep of the northeastern Andes in Sierra Nevada National Park; if you’re particularly lucky, you may even glimpse South America’s only ursid and an iconic Andean beast, the spectacled bear.

Venezuela also has some enthralling culture to dig into. The capital of Caracas is beautifully situated and boasts fine museums, art galleries, restaurants, and nightclubs; it’s also busy, traffic-clogged, and—like most large Venezuelan cities—ridden in parts with crime. You can find plenty of spots for paying respects to the national hero, Simón Bolivar, in his hometown—from La Plaza Bolivar to the Museo Bolivariano. In a country of ethnic fusion—most Venezuelans are mestizos or mulattos—there’s excellent food to be had, both in high-end restaurants and chaotic neighborhood markets.

Crime, poverty, civil unrest—Venezuela has its share of societal ills, and many international visitors do their best to steer well clear of them as they beeline to the breathtaking ecological beauty of the country’s parks and reserves. But if you’re cognizant of the risks, street-smart, and (ideally) shown around by some Venezuelan friends, the more populated urban quarters certainly have their own enchantments.