Ferry from Trinidad to Maracaibo?

august says on Sep 19, 2008, 12:37:

Oh damn, Maracaibo is miserable (I'm not sure why so many songs were written about the place). It's like Houston, but worse. I don't know about any ferries directly from Trinidad to Maracaibo, but there are ferries that go from Trinidad to the closest town on the Venezuelan coast. They were asking some bullshit prices for that though - I think like 150 bucks or something. From there you can take a bus to Caracas (also miserable, but less so than Maracaibo) and from there to Maracaibo. I would estimate that was about 25-30 hours on the bus between the Venezuelan coast and Maracaibo when I did it last year.

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Saltador says on Sep 19, 2008, 12:37:

Bump.

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nine inch nails says on Sep 19, 2008, 13:18:

I just checked airfares and they have really gone up in 2 days! MIA-MED early Nov. for 11 days $990 direct!!! Can get for around $600 but has almost a 14 hour layover on the return!

I priced Cartagena only $371 but Christ have this huge layover on the way down

$238 $133 taxes & fees = $371 per person


Choose this departure
Leave
Fri, Nov 7 Avianca 31
Depart: 3:00pm
Arrive: 6:10pm Miami, FL (MIA)
Medellin, Colombia (MDE)

1 stop Economy 3hr 10min Boeing 757

Change planes. Time between flights: 11hr 58min


Avianca 9760
Depart: 6:08am
Arrive: 7:30am Medellin, Colombia (MDE)
Cartagena, Colombia (CTG)

Economy 1hr 22min Fokker 50 Turboprop
Total duration: 16hr 30min

This is an overnight flight.



Choose this return
Return
Mon, Nov 17 Avianca 34
Depart: 9:12am
Arrive: 11:55am Cartagena, Colombia (CTG)
Miami, FL (MIA)

Non-stop Economy 2hr 43min Boeing Douglas MD-83


Major suckage for those that have to travel to Colombia these days. Wrote "have to" with reference to paying sky high airfare for a relatively close destination. Central America can get low $200s RT from MIA and Rio $1050 which seems cheap for the distance flown. Lima around $400. If I had a serious novita down there right now would be serious time to consider moving down for awhile if I could afford it or bringing her up to the states via marriage contract (complete misery jajajajaja)....

The Hedge funds have all gone wild on us!

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island girl says on Sep 19, 2008, 14:28:

I highly doubt a ferry from T&T to Maracaibo, given that Trini-land is on the far east side of Venezuela and Maracaibo is in the West. From Trinidad there are flights to Caracas and Margarita Island, and less frequently from Grenada and St. Vincent to Margarita. In Margarita it is possible to grab a ferry over to the mainland in Eastern Venezuela. Going to Caracas would still place you closer to Maracaibo than the ferry from Mararita Island. Overland travel or internal flight from Caracas, the former would be cheaper.

From the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) I know there are flights to Colombia on Avianca. The ABC's are very close to Maracaibo so I would check into a flight or ferry from one of them as opposed to Trinidad. It would be possible to grab a cheap ticket, especially on a charter plane, to go to the Aruba etc if you do find a way from there to Maracaibo.

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quantum says on Sep 19, 2008, 15:18:

What kind of fares does Spirit offer to Trinidad? I did investigate that route to Venezuela and last I checked that ferry to the Venez mainland was costing about $100, but I think I may pulled that off Lonely Planet, so dont know if its accurate. But I might want to go to the eastern part of Venez, so it might be the way to go if airfares are favorable. Mahalo.......

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Sam Salmon says on Sep 19, 2008, 18:47:

There's a Ferry from Chaguaramas in Trinidad to the Port of Güiria in Venezuela-from there it's another day's travel by land to Caracas.

God alone knows if the Ferry is still running it used to be every Wednesday.

Also transfer from the POS Airport to Chaguaramas is not cheap-nothing in Trinidad is.

' a la orden!'

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island girl says on Sep 19, 2008, 22:10:

yes being from the Caribbean i can tell u its damn expensive as a whole not just T&T

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august says on Sep 20, 2008, 17:10:

I believe as well that the ferry from Chaguaramas to Guiria is a Wednesday only thing and as of June 2008 it was still running. The ferry company is in cahoots with the immigration authorities on both sides, so that is technically the only legal way to cross that straight and more importantly get the proper stamps - but, for the more adventurous, cash strapped and less concerned with immigration stamp collecting, local fishermen at least on the Venezuelan side can be talked into making the trip for about a third of the ferry price. Didn't hear it from me though.

I disagree about everything being expensive in Trinidad though. The transportation system is a mess for the tourist and almost completely informal, from my experience, but if you can figure it out, it's damn cheap - not the trip from POS to the POS airport, I agree there - but getting around POS and to the beaches can be done on the cheap.

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