VENEZUELA

This village in the state Sucre made us feel good and confortable, probably due to its beauty and to the nice posada we found and the delicious restaurant (and even very cheap).
Río Caribe is the capital of the province Arismendi in the Sucre state. All this is very well known as a holiday destination specially for Venezuelan.
http://www.venezuelatuya.com/oriente/riocaribe.htm
http://www.etwoucre.gov.ve/municipios/arismendi.htm
http://www.habitatparia.vzla.org/esp/mapa.jpg
How to arriveComing from Tucupita, we first went to Maturín, took a “por puesto” that cost 21.000Bs and took 3 hours to drive 200kms.

Buses of Expresos la Guayana cost 8.000Bs and leave at 11,30 or at 3pm, buses of Expresos del Mar leave at 6pm and cost 15.000Bs, Expresos los Llanos at 5pm and cost 15.100 Bs.

Once in Maturín we took another “por puest” until Carúpano and we paid 20.000Bs for the 180kms distance, which we made in arund 3 hours, as it’s only a mountain road and it rained the whole time.
We did not take a bus because we only saw one company operating this way and it left only at 1,30pm and costed 15.000Bs.

Once at the bus terminal in Carúpano, we walked some streets until Avenida Juncal corner street Quebrada Onda where the buses to Río Caribe leave from, it costs 1.500Bs, and takes 20 minutes to reach the centre of Río Caribe, around 25kms. Curiously this piece of road seems to be the same as the Garraf road from Barcelona to Sitges.
Sleeping & EatingIn Río Caribe we chose a wonderful posada that belongs to another German owner: Lothar Berg. The posada Shalimar was opened on Christmas Day 2005, It has Indian and Arabian inspirations. A double room with bath, hot water and air condition (a modern and silent one!) 80.000Bs.
Moreover the posada offers breakfasts at 9.000 Bs and has a recommendable restaurant. The best thing in the posada is the wonderful swimming pool (not really big) and it’s grateful as Río Caribe is very hot.
Posada Shalimar (Avenida Bermúdez 54, Tel. 0058-294 6461135, www.posada-shalimar.com, [email protected])

To eat we went several times to the same restaurant: Mi Cocina (Street Juncal s/n, Tel. 0058-294 8083088). It was not easy to find it as it’s hidden like a garage door. They offer big portions and for me it’s compulsory to order the delicious “Casuela de marisco”, which could be enough for two people. Really recommendable.
What to seeRío Caribe by itself is a cute village but has not much to offer, it’s nice and simple but small. In the morning is worth to walk around the small fishing harbour where there is a fish market too.

From there boats leave to the different beaches and the price is agreed before leaving, for a return trip, and it’s usually around 40.000 or 50.000Bs retour, taking into account that the first price is much higher, I think it’s better to bargain for a while.

Some kms. further from Río Caribe there is Hacienda Bukare (Via Beach Medina, Chacarual, Municipio Arismendi, Z.P. 6164, Tel. 0058-5112739, www.bukare.com [email protected]). To arrive there we walked to the oil station, what Venezuelan call “bomba” of the village and from there leave the buses to the Hacienda direction, it costs 1.500Bs. Hacienda Bukare produces cacao and makes chocolate, the guided visit (including chocolate tasting) of 45 minutes costs 15.000Bs.
The Hacienda has also a simple posada around a small swimming pool where the double room costs 100.000Bs and dinner 40.000Bs.

The most famous beach of the state Sucre and probably the most famous at continental Venezuela is Playa Medina. To arrive there you can take a small boat from the fishing port or you take a “por puesto” that can cost 30.000Bs or more.
The beach is nice, has some palm trees on the beach and the grass arrives to the sand, but the water colour is not transparent as we could imagine from the Caribbbean.
There is one posada on the beach that costs 50€ per person and is not a really nice one.

There are a lot places cooking fresh fish and they bring it to your place on the beach, it costs between 10.000 and 30.000Bs depending on how big is the fish. To rent easy chairs costs 5.000Bs and renting an umbrella 10.000Bs.

It’s very typical from the area to drink (and sell) a home made punch. Going to this beach, at the small village San Francisco de Chacaracual you can buy some, as the inhabitants do produce and sell it in many different flavours.

Another interesting beach is Playa Pui-Puy. We were told Playa Medina was more beautiful and the security level higher in Pui-Puy was not to trust (it’s actually a longer beach, so this means there are more spaces and more risks).

A couple of trips from Río Caribe could be to visit the buffalos hacienda Hato Río de Agua, and Hacienda Aguasana with termal waters. We did not go there.
From Río Caribe also you can visit the beaches of San Juan de las Galdonas, others tourists told us that it was worth to arrive there and spent a couple of nights at the posada Las 3 Carabelas that belongs to a Spaniard and it’s nice.