Fears of being kidnapped or not finding toilet paper are not much of an incentive for a holiday in Venezuela. Yet hardy travellers undeterred by the tales - real and exaggerated - of crime and shortages are finding the South American nation absurdly cheap.
That’s thanks to exchange controls skewing the economy in favour of anyone with foreign cash, meaning you can hire a boat to a Caribbean island for $15 a day, or trek through Andean mountains or Amazon jungle for a week, with porters, at $125.
Story
In contrast with tourists, Venezuelans' purchasing power has fallen as wage rises cannot match inflation of 68 percent in 2014 and widely forecast to hit triple digits this year.
Shopping for basic food and goods has become a daily struggle for many locals - let alone the sort of exotic holidays foreigners are enjoying in their country.
In Los Roques, a group of Argentine pensioners were off to snorkel in the shallows with a local guide, after a boat-ride across azure waters from the island where they were staying. Including breakfast and some mid-morning drinks in a cooler, their total layout that morning was minimal.
"We're in paradise for $20!" shouted one, before ducking under the water.