With miles of Caribbean coastline and a pleasant year-round temperature Venezuela is an idyllic destination to combine cosmetic surgery with an exotic holiday.
Venezuela is in the top three countries in the world for plastic surgery procedures per capita. Looking and feeling beautiful is big business in Venezuela and after intensive study and training, which typically lasts between 12 and 14 years, the plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgeons pride themselves on their skill and expertise and have a particularly good reputation for buttock augmentations. All clinics and hospitals are supervised by the Venezuelan National Health Department and private clinics are equipped with modern technology.
Venezuela is a popular international medical tourism location, not least because of the competitive prices. The favourable exchange rate means that cosmetic surgery is available at very attractive prices. At Surgical Services International (SSI) clinic in Margarita Island for example, a face lift costs from €2,600. Breast augmentation starts at around €1,800 and all-inclusive-packages are available which include accommodation, travel assistance, surgery and pre and post op support.
Venezuela has a tropical climate with dry and rainy seasons. The dry season is from December to May while the rainy season lasts the rest of the year. September to early April is considered the best time to go as flights around Christmas, New Year and Easter tend to be more expensive.
Spanish is the official language but English, French, German and Portuguese are also spoken (in addition to over 25 Indian languages around the country).
The currency is the Venezualan Bolivar (VEF) and €1 is worth approximately VEF6.3.