Aragua · Venezuela
Maracay travel guide
Maracay is a city in Aragua, Venezuela, home to about 1,102,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- VLN38 km · Arturo Michelena International Airport
- Currency
- VESsovereign bolivar
- Time zone
- America/Caracas
- Language
- Spanish, Venezuelan Sign Language
About
About Maracay
Maracay is a city in north-central Venezuela, near the Caribbean coast, and is the capital and most important city of the state of Aragua. Most of it falls under the jurisdiction of Girardot Municipality.
Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Maracay
Do
Usually the tourists don't spend much time in Maracay, using it as point to buy supplies before traveling north to the attractive beaches of Cata, Choroní, Cuyagua, etc. (collectively called the Aragua beaches). You can travel to these beaches taking a bus in the terminal located at Ave. Constitucion with Ave. Fuerza Aereas. Try to avoid traveling during the Venezuelan high seasons: Carnival, the Holy Week and the Christmas season (from December 23rd to January 2nd), as you may find hard to find a bus or a hotel. During workdays these beaches tend to be empty.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Maracay
2 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Eurobuilding Express Maracay | 1.1 km | |
| Marriott Maracay Golf Resort | 4.8 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Maracay
Maracay has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; August is the wettest, with about 168 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Maracay: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Arturo Michelena International Airport (VLN), about 38 km from the city centre in a straight line; Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS, 77 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Maracay doesn't have its own commercial airport (although it has two air military bases), but the visitor can approach it by plane using the Maiquetía's Simón Bolívar Airport and the nearer Valencia's International Airport Arturo Michelena. From both airports the traveler can take a licensed taxi to Maracay (the most expensive although the safest option), or make his way through the unorganized Venezuelan public transport system to the main buses terminals in Caracas or Valencia (La Bandera and The Big Low Center, respectively), and then take a bus to Maracay (the cheapest option).
Getting around
One or two hours from Maracay you can find several beautiful tropical beaches, including Cata, Choroni, Cuyagua, El Playon, etc. The roads to these beaches wind through the dense mountainous cloudforest of the Henri Pittier National Park. The roads, especially to Choroni, are very narrow and windy and extreme caution should be taken if driving your own vehicle. Public transportation is easily available although can be nerve-racking: buses leave from Maracay's bus terminal and taxis can also be hired. The beaches are generally very busy on weekends.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
VLN · Arturo Michelena International Airport
CCS · Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Maracay
Eat
Many good restaurants can be found along the Las Delicias avenue. Some cheap eats are found in the area of the market near Plaza Bicentenario.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Maracay: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Maracay?
Maracay has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; August is the wettest, with about 168 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Maracay?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Arturo Michelena International Airport (VLN), about 38 km from the city centre in a straight line; Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS, 77 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Maracay?
sovereign bolivar (VES).
Nearby
Destinations near Maracay
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.