La Guaira, Caracas - what to do?

[terrier]

We board the Sea Princess on saturday 29th March 08, really looking forward to it - apart from Caracas, been before, thought it was awful, can't find any decent reviews on the place, anyone any suggestions?

[sail7seas]

Stay on the ship. That is what we would do. Nothing there I want to do or see. JMHO.......

[gizmo]

Agree with Sails, Stay on the ship.

 

Caracas is one of the few places I would not get off the ship.

[Andee]

We negotiated with a cab driver when we got off the ship to take us to some sights that looked interesting to me. He was great, very protective of us, always made sure that we walked in front of him. We didn't feel any less safe than in any other large city. I can't remember everything we saw, but I think our day included Simon Bolivar's House, the Cathedral, the National Pantheon, the Federal Palace, Museum of Modern Art. It was a wonderful day.

[Tarheelbelle]

I have been there on a Princess Cruise. The place was scary [tanks, soldiers everywhere, etc.] and that was a few years ago before the current regime's issues. If I were to return, I would stay on the ship except for going in to the little shops right at the port. My only other advice would be to go on a ship-sponsored excursion. I would not want to deal with cab drivers and be alone in a cab in the current military/political situation there. [When we were there before, we did enjoy the trip to the Murano glass factory and the aerial ride up the mountain (forgot the name of that place), but on the bus to and from there it was scary. Also our guide was a strident nationalist who used the tour as a platform for her political views].