• Colombia!

    Colombia: Caribbean Sea coast. Go Now!

    Colombia
    Although most of the people live inland, Colombia also has its share of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea (pictured). Go Now!

  • Ecuador!

    Ecuador: Sally Lightfoot Crab. Go Now!

    Ecuador
    The Galapagos Islands and Ecuador are home to incredible wildlife, such as the famous Galapagos Turtle and the lesser known, but more common Red Rock or Sally Lightfoot crab (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

  • Chile!

    Chile: Torres del Paine National Park. Go Now!

    Chile
    The Andes dominate much of Chile, including the breath-taking Torres del Paine National Park (pictured). However, the country also hosts the world's driest desert and a thriving metropolis. Begin Your Journey!

  • Venezuela!

    Venezuela: Los Roques. Go Now!

    Venezuela
    Rooted in Europe, Venezuela boasts an impressive history, culture, and beauty, including the Caribbean Coast (pictured). Explore Venezuela!

  • Bolivia!

    Bolivia: Salt flats. Go Now!

    Bolivia
    This hidden gem is full of surprises, from the impressive salt flats (pictured) to the migrating flamingos. It also clings to the most historic indigenous culture on the continent. Explore Bolivia!

Social Life in Venezuela

WARNING: Violence is common in Venezeula, please read this travel warning before going!

Behavior

The Venezuelans are conservative in most aspects of their lives and this is best seen in their behaviors, dress, and dining etiquette. They tend to dress and act conservatively, much of which is based on the tenants of the Catholic Church. However, there is also great variety in the way the Venezuelans behave as the country is quite diverse culturally and geographically. Despite the conservative lifestyle of the Venezuelans, politically the country is very liberal and their elected officials reflect this.

As a visitor to Venezuela try to follow the lead of the locals by dressing conservatively (see below for details), dining in the local etiquette (see our Venezuela Dining & Food Page), and avoid sensitive conversation topics, such as politics, finances, and business unless initiated by your local counterpart. Also try to avoid being loud, rude, showing off wealth, or getting noticeably drunk in public.

Dress

Historically, the people of Venezuela have worn a huge variety of clothing as the many native people had varying styles of dress. Among these people, the style from group to group varied, but much of the style include beads and whatever was needed to stay warm; along the coast this was less clothing, while in the mountains the wools were more popular. Today few people, including the native people wear these clothes. Among the early immigrants, the clothing was European, with large skirts or dresses being the popular choice for the women, particularly with flower prints on them. For men the clothing was more based on occupation as the clothing was generally durable and usable as most people at the time worked the fields or outdoor in some capacity.

Today most people in Venezuela wear western-styled clothes, which is similar to anything you would find in Europe or North America. The most noticeable difference in the clothing is that the Venezuelans tend to dress more formally on many occasions; or at least more fashionably. Fashion is important to many people as style tends to be somewhat individual, but this doesn't imply designer wear. This is especially true for women, who tend to wear tighter fitting clothes if going out, but rarely show much skin. Men tend to wear nice clothes as well, but in business settings there is little individualism as suits and ties are the norm. For both men and women, you will notice that clothes tend to be tighter as baggy clothing is rare; in other words, the Venezuelans tend to guarantee that their clothes fit well.

As a visitor to Venezuela try to dress somewhat conservatively as revealing too much skin can be viewed as a bad thing, although tight fitting dresses on women don't seem to cause any offense. Shorts are also very rare in Venezuela, but so long as they are not too short they are not offensive, just odd. Another thing to avoid is t-shirts that reveal where you are from, especially if you are from a country that has shaky relations with Venezuela as this can be very offensive. Generally, since the Venezuelans are fairly stylish, bring your best, but avoid outward signs of wealth like expensive watches, jewelry, and suits or ties that stand out.

This page was last updated: November, 2013