The Los Roques Archipelago is one of the world’s biggest National Marine Parks, and lies 145 km due north of La Guaira, the mainland port for Caracas. About 50 coral cays and sand bars are arranged in a huge lagoon, but it’s only from the air you get true idea of its scale – it covers the same area as the whole of Virgin Islands. Photo by: Márcio Cabral de Moura

The isles are shielded from eastern currents by a 24 km coral reef running from north to south and the second reef, running 32 km from east to west. They form a pristine environment that attracts only the most discerning visitors, who come in their own boats or yachts in search of solitude and tranquility, or in small groups by light aircraft, often just for a day, from Caracas or elsewhere on the Venezuelan mainland. The islands residents came from Isla Margarita and are descendants from 110 families. Photo by: Márcio Cabral de Moura

They will welcome you as temporary family members, and you will find that, along with the old style of manners, they still use the old ways of fishing to catch lobsters, king conch and Spanish mackerel. Los Roques is a countless transmutations of blue and green beauty and sharing the natural vibes of a totally unspoiled ecosystem. Photo by: Márcio Cabral de Moura

When to go: Year-round. Between July and September storms makes the water less suitable for scuba-diving. Population: 1,500. Getting there: By light aircraft from Caracas or by boat from Isla Margarita. You should know: There are no words to describe the sense of peace you get in Los Roques. Photo by: Márcio Cabral de Moura

Cabo de la Vela is a headland in the Guajira Peninsula in Colombia with an adjacent small fishing village. Facing the Caribbean Sea and Venezuela in the northern most part of South America. The department capital city is Riohacha.

Cabo de la Vela is the most visited tourist destination of La Guajira. It has paradisaical beaches and an excellent landscape.This truely special region is well worth a visit. From Riohacha you have to go by car over to Cuarto Vias then up through Uribia to Cabo de la Vela probably another 70/80 km.

There’s over 60 guesthouses  in Cabo de la Vela – all offer pretty basic accommodation in either cabanas with beds or in hammock. Seafood is the number one and only option and lots of beach restaurants have fresh langostas and fish on the menu.

Just as the Guajira is the ideal place for adventure tourism. Camping, bicycle tours, water sports, cultural exchanges, dances and festivals in the region.

It is a nice place and the sunset in Cabo de la Vela is amazing!

Canaima National Park is stretches in south-eastern Venezuela that borders Brazil and Guyana. The amazing cascade of El Sapo Falls is located inside the jungle in Canaima National Park. The waterfalls are 40 m high and 120 m wide, that forms a curtain that invites us to walk behind it. The sensation of being trapped within millions of liters of water is unique. At the top of the cascade you will have opportunity to take fantastic pictures. In 1994, Canaima National Park became part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Margarita Island is a Venezuelan island, situated in the Caribbean Sea with wonderful climate, excellent scuba diving and completely gorgeous beaches! The beautifully beaches of Isla Margarita also offer perfect conditions for windsurfing and other water sports.

This paradise island has a dramatic architecture with high mountains framed by white beaches which fells away towards the turquoise-green water. More and more people are starting to discover the benefits of this Caribbean beauty. Tourism on Margarita Island is increasing year on year. The breathtaking scenery and excellent hotels and nightlife and duty-free shopping are all attracting foreigners.

The island of Margarita had clear and sunny weather 340 days of the year! This means 93.2 % of the days with 6 hours of sun or more!Isla Margarita is like a desert island. There have been years when the island had no measurable rain for several months. The daytimes temperatures is on the average of 30ºC (86ºF) and the nights is never below 20ºC (68ºF). Even in the summer months when the temperature may reach 99F (36C) the cooling breezes keep the climate very liveable.

The isle has two major advantages -  out of the hurricane belt making it a year-round destination and no rainy season where it ceaselessly rains for days. There are at least 50 unique and magnificent margarita beaches, scattered along a 106 miles of coastline!The wind sometimes rise high so there is reason to keep an eye on the red flag. The Margarita Island beaches is not crowded even at peak season.

The transport there is extremely cheap and  you can easily rent a taxi a whole day. This is because the price of petrol is extremely low, about $0.05/litre! The buses operate to the most of the places in daytime. The island also offers some excellent Caribbean scuba diving and Caribbean snorkeling.There are some really good snorkeling and scuba diving on and around Isla de Margarita. But the island has many wild dive places for exploring.

The Los Roques Islands are about 350 islands, cays and islets. The archipelago is a 40- minute flight from Caracas, Venezuela. Only 40 of Los Roques islands are large enough to have names. They attracting many visitors, especially from Europe. Because of the wide variety of seabirds and rich ocean life, Los Roques are declared as a National Park in 1972.

El Grend Roque is a modern fishing village which offers a lot of activities such as fishing, birding, snorkling, diving and kite surfing. On Grend Roque, the sandy streets are lined with low-key posadas and little else. As well as there’re small motorboats on Grend Roque ready to take you to the many deserted islands and cays.

The competition of Miss Venezuela rose in the year 1952, thanks to the initiative of the PANAMERICAN AIRWAYS. The intention of the contest was that to send to a representative Venezuelan to the first contest of Miss Universo that it would be realized that same year in Long Beach, California.
Beginning from that moment, the election of the most beautiful Venezuelan would annually be realized and the winner would compete to the Miss Universo.
Beginning from that moment, the Miss Venezuela reached a big level and international prestige, when the Venezuelans were brought the international crowns than competed it existed, or at least, they remained among the first finalists. In the ninety ten, the organization Miss Venezuela was listed more as the local enterprise success internazionale.Oggigiorno, the organization Miss Venezuela has in his possession around 70 world crowns of beauty and an infinity of classifications in the different international competitions. Already in a new century, the continuous destination to be the same one: to continue to exalt the beauty of the Venezuelan woman and that the name of the country continues to emerge in all the angles of the world.

Hidden in a wilderness region, called the Gran Sabana, in Venezuela.
Angel Falls – spills from the Auyantepui into what is known as the Devil’s canyon 979 Meters below. The indigenous people call it Kerepakupai-merú but is was named Angel Falls after Jimmy Angel, an American bush pilot and gold-hunting adventurer, who discovered it in 1937. The waters fall freely some 807 meters (2,648 feet) and reach the bottom of the valley as a misty spray that gathers into a small creek which eventually finds its way into the north-bound Churun River.

There are many ways to get to Angel Falls and to experience the tepuis. Thousands of people have visited this web site and many have requested our advice on how to make their trip as easy and enjoyable as possible. Others have chosen the rugged way asking for expeditions on foot and in curiaras (Indian Canoes) trekking upriver to experience the falls first hand. We are here to help you decide the best way for you to experience Angel Falls. Whether you decide to see it by trekking on foot, by curiara, by helicopter, renting a plane or just on a fly past we can arrange your excursion to Angel Falls. We invite you to visit our excursion and lodging pages to access our directory of services and accommodation.This camp was one of the pioneers in adventure tourism in the country and many people know it by the name Rudy’s Jungle, in honor of its founder. Visitors are attended to by the family of the legendary Rudy Truffino. It is located on the banks of the Carrao River, where you can enjoy a refreshing dip as well as the tranquility and privacy the camp offers. The surrounding landscaped consists of savannah and jungle, typical of the Gran Sabana, with its imposing tepuis in the distance. Diverse half-day excursions are offered to different falls such as Mayupa, El Sapo, El Hacha, Sabanero, and the Moroco River. Visits to indigenous communities and to obtain handicrafts from them. Price includes lodging in double room, land and river transfers between airport-camp, all meals and welcome cocktail.
Recomendaciones/Recommendations: It is necessary to bring identification documents, cédula or passport, light clothing appropriate for the climate.

It is designed for the discerning traveler and if you have millions of dollars it will surround you with unparalleled luxury as you circumnavigate the globe.

With its unsurpassed craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail, the Magellan redefines luxury. It boasts 15 public and residence decks, with 212 exclusive homes, lavish amenities and impeccable service.

This premier residential ship is limited to only 212 private homes, including 16 penthouses. Named for an exotic port of call, each residence offers unprecedented levels of luxury, enhanced by breathtaking views.

To ensure your ultimate comfort, each home features: Pioneer Elite audio-visual systems; Satellite Internet access, phone and TV; Top-of-the-line Whirlpool Architect stainless steel kitchen appliances; Jacuzzis; Walk-in closets; Picture windows and outside Terrace; Complete collection of furnishings, artwork, china and linens.

Starting in mid-2009, the Magellan will sail to Portugal, Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Tunisia, Malta, UK, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Gibraltar, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Faeroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, USA, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Grenada, Venezuela, Nether Antilles, Columbia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina.

Owners of luxury residences of the Magellan cruise ship will have an opportunity to participate in a professionally-managed rental program comparable to that in condo hotels on land. Prices range from $1,875,000 to $6,200,000 for full ownership or 1/12th this amount for month-long fractionals.

Colombia is bordered on the northwest by Panama, on the east by Venezuela and Brazil, and on the southwest by Peru and Ecuador. Through the western half of the country, three Andean ranges run north and south. The eastern half is a low, jungle-covered plain, drained by spurs of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers, inhabited mostly by isolated tropical-forest Indian tribes. The fertile plateau and valley of the eastern range are the most densely populated parts of the country.

Official Name: Republica de Colombia.
Capital: Bogota.
Independence day: July 20, 1810.

NATURAL FEATURES
Area: 440,831 square miles (1,141,748 square kilometres), includes the San Andres y Providencia archipelago.
Climate:Tropical. Varies according to the altitude.
Highest Peak: Pico Cristobal Colon, 19,020 feet (5,800 meters).
Major Rivers: Magdalena, Cauca, Meta, Guaviare, Caqueta, Putumayo, Atrato, Vaupes, Vichada.
Mountain Ranges: Occidental, Central, Oriental.

PEOPLE
Population: 39,309,422 (July 1999 est.); 89.2, people per square mile (34.5 people per square kilometer); 73 percent urban, 27 percent rural.
Major Cities: Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Cucuta, Bucaramanga
Religions: Roman Catholicism, 95.4%.
Language: Spanish (official).

Leading Universities: National University of Colombia, University of the Andes, Javeriana Pontifical University, all in Bogota; Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia, Tunja; University of Valle, Cali; University of Antioquia, Medellin; Industrial University of Santander, Bucaramanga.

GOVERNMENT
Form of Government: Unitary republic.
Chief of State and Head of Government: President; elected to four-year nonconsecutive terms by direct national vote.
President:Alvaro Uribe Velez
Legislature: Congress consists of Senate and House of Representatives; members elected to four-year terms. Voting Qualification: Age 18.
Political Divisions: 32 departments since July 1991, 1 capital district.

ECONOMY
Main Agricultural Products: Crops; sugarcane, potatoes, plantains, rice, bananas, cassavas, corn, coffee, flowers. Livestock; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens.
Main Mined Products: Petroleum, natural gas, gold, coal, iron ore.
Main Manufactured Products: Foods, textiles, chemicals, machinery, electrical apparatus, transport equipment, metal products.
Main Exports: Coffee, petroleum and petroleum products, fruits, flowers, iron and steel, textile and apparel.
Main Imports: Machinery, chemicals, transport equipment.
Monetary Unit: Peso.
Coffee for Colombia, Cartels for Colombia, Cocaine for Colombia – cliches can’t conjure the diverse terrain of mountains, valleys, deserts, beaches, lowlands and jungles all tossed together into a delicious scramble. Have absolutely no doubt that the Colombians know their international reputation. The truth is that most of them lead very normal and peaceful lives. Exercise caution when you are in Cali and Medellin, the drug dens, and your visit should be memorable.

Colombians have very strong family ties, which makes it easy to explain why the world’s most (in)famous cartels belong to Colombia. They are hospitable people and the best coffee “tinto”, well sugared, is offered to the revered guest with extraordinary courtesy. Colombian jewellery is incomparable and the emeralds are among the most perfect in the world. Add to this the temperate climate all year long of its capital city, Bogota, and you have every reason to visit the country.

There is also an offer for a water-buffalo ranch in the swampy lowlands where visitors stay in attractive thatched huts with magnificent views of the watery savannah. The owners are keen conservationists and are experimenting with alternative power sources such as solar energy and biogas. They use no chemicals on the ranch, and consequently the wildlife is thriving.

Playa Medina is on a 10-hour drive from Caracas and is accessible only via rough dirt roads and retain its virtually pristine beauty, except during local holidays when they can get crowded. It has comfortable, unobtrusive cabanas and restaurant facilities run by the private consortium Corpomedina. The Medina cabanas cost a little more $136.

Further east, where the roads end and the Parque Nacional Peninsula de Paria begins, you can really have beaches all to yourself. Trails that crisscross the park’s rarely visited mountains offer the chance of some close-up views of the wildlife. This includes several species of birds found nowhere else in the world, like the yellow-faced redstart, the white-throated barbtail and the scissor-tailed hummingbird. Below are some other “strange birds”, but fortunately i think they are just chillin in Playa Medina.

The people of Nigeria have an extensive history, and based on archaeological evidence, human habitation of the area dates back to at least 9000 BC. The Benue-Cross River area is thought to be the original homeland of the Bantu migrants who spread across most of central and southern Africa in waves between the 1st millennium BC and the 2nd millennium AD. However, the Nigerian state came into being on October 1, 1960 when Nigeria declared its independence from the British and at present consists of 36 states and the federal capital territory. Nigeria re-achieved democracy in 1999 after a sixteen-year interruption by a series of military dictators. From 1966 until 1999, Nigeria had been ruled (except the short-lived second republic, 1979-1983) by military dictators who seized power in coups and counter-coups.

Located in western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria has a total area of 356,669 mi? (923,768 km?[1]); of that around 5,000 square miles (13,100 km) is water. Its size makes it the world’s 32nd-largest country (after Tanzania). It is comparable in size to Venezuela, and is a little more than half the size of the U.S. state of Alaska. It shares a 2,515-mile (4,047-km) border with Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

The highest point in Nigeria is Chappal Waddi at 7,936 feet (2,419 m).

Nigeria has a varied landscape. From the Obudu Hills in the southeast through the beaches in the south, the rainforest, the Lagos estuary and savanna in the middle and southwest of the country and the Sahel and the encroaching Sahara Desert in the extreme north.

Nigeria’s main rivers are the Niger and the Benue which converge and empty into the Niger Delta, one of the world’s largest river deltas.

Nigeria is also an important centre for biodiversity. It is widely believed that the areas surrounding Calabar, Cross River State, contain the world’s largest diversity of butterflies. The drill monkey is only found in the wild in Southeast Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon.