Venezuela’s Hard-Partying Beaches Are Now Deserted and Filthy

Just 45 minutes from Caracas, the beach town vibes of La Guaira have been ruined by the country’s economic nightmare.

Palm umbrellas at a beach in La Guaira.

Photographer: Adriana Loureiro Fernandez/Bloomberg

Editor’s Note: There are few places as chaotic or dangerous as Venezuela. “Life in Caracas” is a series of short stories that seeks to capture the surreal quality of living in a land in total disarray.

It would be a spur-of-the-moment thing, a call early on a Saturday, a text across the classroom, an alcohol-induced glance on the dance floor. Time to head to La Guaira.