01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗SIM and eSIM
Prepaid Digitel SIM cards from official shops work right away.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
Local ride-hailing app for getting around cities.Local ride-hailing alternative for city trips.US payment service that many shops accept, if you hold a US bank account.
Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 4 of 5: Most things can be paid by card, but keep some cash too.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Venezuela
Venezuelan Bolívar · VES
Keep small notes on you, as vendors and especially taxi drivers rarely have change.
US dollar cash can earn a discount at informal places, since it beats electronic payment at the official rate.
Keep at least US$50 in cash for departure in case airport fees are charged.
Bring a Maestro debit card if you can; Visa debit cards are often refused.
Collect Venezuelan Bolívar in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Tue, 8 Dec 2026 · Immaculate Conception Day La Inmaculada Concepción
Thu, 24 Dec 2026 · Christmas Eve Nochebuena
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Navidad
Thu, 31 Dec 2026 · New Year's Eve Nochevieja
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day Día de Año Nuevo
Wed, 6 Jan 2027 · Epiphany Día de Reyes
Thu, 14 Jan 2027 · Feast of the Divina Pastora Día de la Divina Pastora
Fri, 15 Jan 2027 · Teacher's Day Día del Maestro
Mon, 8 Feb 2027 · Carnival Carnaval
Tue, 9 Feb 2027 · Carnival Carnaval
Fri, 12 Feb 2027 · Youth Day Día de la Juventud
Mon, 8 Mar 2027 · International Women's Day Dia Internacional de la Mujer
Fri, 19 Mar 2027 · Saint Joseph's Day Día de San José
Sun, 21 Mar 2027 · Slavery Abolition Anniversary Día del abolición de la esclavitud
Wed, 31 Mar 2027 · Foundation anniversary Day of San Cristóbal, Táchira Aniversario del fundacion del San Cristóbal
Mon, 19 Apr 2027 · Beginning of the Independence Movement Proclamación de la Independencia
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Labour Day Día del Trabajador
Mon, 3 May 2027 · Festival of the Crosses Día del Cruz del Mayo
Thu, 6 May 2027 · Ascension Day Día de la Ascención
Sun, 9 May 2027 · Mother's Day Día de las Madres
Thu, 27 May 2027 · Corpus Christi
Sun, 20 Jun 2027 · Father's Day Día de los Padres
Thu, 24 Jun 2027 · Anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo Aniversario de la Batalla de Carabobo
Sun, 27 Jun 2027 · Journalists' Day Día del Periodista y aniversario de la instauración del Decreto de Instrucción pública gratuita y obligatoria
Mon, 5 Jul 2027 · Independence Day Cinco de julio
Sun, 18 Jul 2027 · Children's Day Dia del niño
Sat, 24 Jul 2027 · Simón Bolívar's Birthday Natalicio del Libertador Simón Bolívar
Sun, 25 Jul 2027 · Caracas City Foundation Day Aniversario del fundacion del Caracas
Tue, 3 Aug 2027 · Flag Day Día de la Bandera
Wed, 8 Sept 2027 · Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary Día del Virgen del Valle
Fri, 24 Sept 2027 · Feast of the Our Lady of Mercy Día del Virgen de las Mercedes
Tue, 12 Oct 2027 · Day of Indigenous Resistance Día de la Resistencia Indígena
Mon, 1 Nov 2027 · All Saints' Day Día de Todos los Santos
Tue, 2 Nov 2027 · All Souls' Day Día de los fieles difuntos
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Venezuela say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
Travel warning for some regions
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Some regions differ, see the official page.
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Reconsider travel
Calm
Caution
Serious ●
Don’t go
Level 3 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 26 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 26 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
Advises against all travel to parts of the country
Some regions differ, see the official page.
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 14 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 14 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Fake security staff at Maiquetía airport
Unsure if someone in uniform asking you to go along is real? Ask airline or airport staff.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unofficial ride offers in arrivals
Refuse arrivals touts and taxis with passengers; use a booked pickup or the official rank.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Bribe demands at checkpoints
Drive slowly, stop when told, keep papers in order, stay calm if a payment is hinted at.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Routine shots, hepatitis A and B, yellow fever for most travellers; malaria in some regions; Andes altitude.
Vaccinations
Be up to date on routine vaccines; hepatitis A and B are advised, yellow fever is recommended for most travellers except those staying only in the capital region and certain other areas, and typhoid or rabies shots may be worth considering.
Malaria
In some regionsAltitude
Altitude sickness can affect visitors to the Andes, mainly in Mérida, Táchira and Trujillo states.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $99.7 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $3,495Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | crude petroleum, petroleum coke, scrap iron, alcohols, fertilizers (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 28.5 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 31.3 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 74.5 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 48.1%, Protestant 31.6% (Evangelical 31.4%, Adventist 0.2%), Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, African American/umbanda 0.7%, other 0.1%, believer 3.5%, agnostic 0.1%, atheist, 0.4%, none 13.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2023 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2023 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 912,050 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlandsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeastSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | federal presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +58Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 25 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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