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City guide

Maracaibo

Maracaibo is a city and municipality in northwestern Venezuela, located on the western shore of the strait that connects Lake Maracaibo to the Gulf of Venezuela. It is the capital of Zulia and is the second-largest city proper in Venezuela, after the national capital, Caracas.

Type CityPopulation 1,752,602

Why go

  • Municipality in Zulia, Venezuela.
  • Served by La Chinita International Airport (MAR).

History

Maracaibo is a city and municipality in northwestern Venezuela, located on the western shore of the strait that connects Lake Maracaibo to the Gulf of Venezuela. It is the capital of Zulia and is the second-largest city proper in Venezuela, after the national capital, Caracas. The city has an estimated population of 1,752,602, with the metropolitan area estimated at 2,727,957 as of 2019. Maracaibo is commonly nicknamed "Spanish: La Tierra del Sol Amada".

Restaurants & places to go

Burger, Restaurant · Opening hours: Su-We 12:00-22:00; Th-Sa 12:00-24:00 Features: outdoor seating, air conditioning · Avenida 3Y, Maracaibo, 4001 · instagram.com
Indoor
Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 17:00-23:00 Features: outdoor seating, air conditioning · Calle 72, Maracaibo, 4002 · instagram.com
Indoor
Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: 12m-9pm · Calle 74, Maracaibo, 4002 · instagram.com
Indoor
Burger, Hamburguesa, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:30-22:00; Th-Sa 11:30-23:00 Features: outdoor seating, step-free access, air conditioning · Calle 74,… · bonburger.com
Indoor
Coffee Shop, Tea, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-21:00; Su,Sa 10:00-21:00 · Avenida 4 Bella Vista · instagram.com
Indoor
Mexican, Restaurant · Mexican restaurant · Avenida 10, Maracaibo, 4002 · instagram.com
Indoor
Cafe · Opening hours: Lun-Vié 7am-8pm. Sáb 8am-8pm Features: air conditioning · #3G-27 Calle 74, Maracaibo, 4002 · instagram.com
Indoor
Restaurant · Opening hours: Lun-Mié 8am-5pm. Jue-Sab 8am-9pm · Avenida 3Y, Maracaibo, 4002 · instagram.com
Indoor

122 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

La Chinita International Airport (MAR) 14 km to the centre
Maracaibo, V, VE — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 9 airlines (Conviasa, Volotea Costa Rica, Aserca Airlines, Aero Lanka…) · direct flights to 8 destinations incl. Caracas, Oranjestad, Valencia, Miami, Panama City… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 9 airlines, 8 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Oro Negro Airport (CBS) 49 km to the centre
Cabimas, V, VE — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor. ✈ 1 airline (Conviasa) · direct flights to 1 destination incl. Caracas (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 1 direct destination
  • Conviasa V0 (ATR) · 1 route: Caracas

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor
San Benito Airport 59 km to the centre
V, VE
Outdoor
Villa del Rosario Airport 81 km to the centre
V, VE
Outdoor
Hacienda El Caimito Airport 81 km to the centre
V, VE
Outdoor
Macana Airport 93 km to the centre
V, VE
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Terminal Lacustre
Ferry terminal · 3.4 km from the centre
Outdoor
Terminal Lacustre Los Puertos de Altagracia
Ferry terminal · 14 km from the centre
Outdoor
Maracaibo - Los Puertos de Altagracia
Ferry route
Outdoor
Maracaibo - Isla de Toas
Ferry route
Outdoor
Maracaibo - Santa Bárbara del Zulia
Ferry route
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is La Chinita International Airport (MAR); 7 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: MAR has direct flights to 8 destinations on 9 airlines (incl. Caracas, Oranjestad, Valencia, Miami, Panama City…). By water: 2 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Terminal Lacustre, 3.4 km); routes include Maracaibo - Los Puertos de Altagracia, Maracaibo - Isla de Toas, Maracaibo - Santa Bárbara del Zulia.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Maracaibo. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.