Travel to Venezuela

Lufthansa, Air France and Condor are among the airlines offering indirect flights to Venezuela from a number of UK airports, including London Heathrow, Manchester and Newcastle. Before booking, make sure you know which part of Venezuela you're likely to spend most of your time in, as Simon Bolivar International Airport is near the capital city of Caracas while other possible gateways to your Venezuela holiday include La Chinita International Airport near the city of Maracaibo, and Arturo Michelena International Airport near the city of Valencia.

The extensive bus system offers the easiest and cheapest way to get around during your holiday in Venezuela. Shared taxis are also availablethe vehicles are often very run down, but they are convenient. Make sure you look for signs advertising them as "por puestos" and displaying their destination, as rogue cars are also known to operate. Private taxis are also available, although they don't tend to have meters and it's up to you to negotiate a fair rate.

Bear in mind that seeing Angel Falls will require connecting flights within the country, as it is a very remote area. A number of tourist packages are available, ranging from fly-overs to give you a bird's eye view of the Falls, to a full exploration of the area which is liable to take up much (if not all) of your holiday. If you're hoping to see Angel Falls, then it's essential to research the various deals on offer and pick one that fits the timeframe of your holiday.

Cheap hotels in Venezuela are fairly easy to find, particularly if you look around online first and book in advance. Posadas are basic guest houses which can fit even the tightest of budgets.

You can eat well and cheaply in Venezuela if you stick to traditional, local dishes like arepas, hearty filled tortillas. Other street food to feast on include empanadas (pasty-style snacks filled with meat and cheese) and perros calientes, the hot dogs that are so popular everywhere.

• Caracas