Choroni
The fishing village of Choroni is hidden between the rainforest of the Henri Pite National Park and the Caribbean coast. During the colonial period and after the liberation from the rule of the Spanish Crown, local plantations produced one of the best cocoa varieties in the world. The local Malecon (city embankment) is practically not inferior to the famous Malecon of Havana (except for size). It reminds of the stops of English and French pirate ships that devastated the colonies of His Majesty the King of Castile and Aragon along the entire Caribbean coast.
Now the town of Choroni retains the status of a “fishing village” only out of habit. It has long become a favorite vacation spot for residents of the city of Maracay, the capital of the state of Aragua. Choroni beaches are great for snorkelling. The road from Caracas by car takes no more than two hours. Fishing boats carry tourists, and fishermen’s houses have been converted into quite decent “posadas” (small hotels) with air conditioning and swimming pools, in which it is pleasant to spend a few days. The restaurants offer a wide selection of fresh fish, seafood and vegetables. Around midnight, locals gather on the Malecon promenade. The night coast is filled with the sounds of African drums, which involve everyone present in a passionate dance.
The area of the Henri-Pitet National Reserve is 107.8 hectares. Its landscape is covered with thickets of mangrove trees and undersized shrubs along the coast, smoothly turning into mixed forests on the hills. Behind them are evergreen jungles and dense tropical massifs on mountain peaks. The reserve has gained worldwide fame due to its rich flora and fauna.
The fauna of the reserve presents regular pleasant surprises. Henri-Pite serves as a kind of corridor and temporary shelter for birds and butterflies migrating here from North America. The national park is home to many endangered species. Among them are the American crocodile, tapir, ocelot, long-haired spider monkey, as well as subspecies of predatory cats – jaguar and puma. These places are known to be inhabited by a wide variety of bird species, including 6 endangered species.
Margarita island
Margarita Island is one of the most famous resorts in the Caribbean. This wonderful island lies 40 km south of the coast of Venezuela, in the southernmost part of the Caribbean Sea near the equator.
The official capital of the island of La Asuncion, the largest city is Porlamar. Margarita Island was discovered by Columbus on August 15, 1498 and got its name in honor of the heir to the Spanish throne, Infanta Margaret of Austria. The first inhabitant of the Old World to set foot on his island was Pedro Alonso Niño, who exchanged 38 kg of pearls from the Indians, which became the most expensive booty of the Spaniards in the 15th century. Pearls, which this island has always been famous for, became the reason for its rapid colonization. Since then, pearl banks have faded into the background, although the title “Pearl of Venezuela” has remained. And tourism has become the main source of income for the islanders – more than a hundred luxury hotels have been built on Margarita, long beaches (about 315 km) are considered one of the best in the country, and the absence of manifestations and political conflicts so characteristic of the continental part of the country make the rest here calm and serene. The best beaches are in the north and east of the island (Playa El Agua, Playa Guflnlsh, Playa Manzanillo, Playa Puerto Cruz).
The landscapes of the island are very diverse: there are mangrove swamps, forest, and semi-desert. There are 5 national parks on the island. During a trip to La Restinga Park, you can take a cruise on an Indian pie along the channels of mangrove swamps in a flooded forest, where you will see herons, red ibises, pelicans, frigates, cormorants.
Margarita was created to be the place for the perfect vacation, because everything here is designed specifically for this. It offers incomparable beauty, interesting folklore, tropical climate, truly fabulous places where you can enjoy the spiritual world, friendly and hardworking people and charming nature.
The island has two National Parks and three natural reserves with numerous species of birds – flamingos, pelicans, parrots, etc. In the mangroves and tropical forests of Venezuela, you can observe the life of animals such as the jaguar, sloth and armadillo in natural conditions. You can even hunt piranha and crocodile.
On the island you can also see various fortresses, cathedrals, churches and much more. In addition, this island has a first-class hotel infrastructure, as well as a free trade zone, which makes Margarita a great place to shop. Island holidays always offer a huge selection of marine activities: scooters, scuba diving, yachting. And, of course, the island offers great opportunities for windsurfers: on Parguito beach you will be met by high waves and gusty winds, and on Playa El Yaque beach you will be met by a steady, constant breeze. In addition, you can offer golf courses, airplane flights and parasailing. No less attractive is the evening and night life of Margarita Island, and it is best to start it from the Amusement Park. Closer to midnight you can have fun in the famous bars, restaurants, pubs, discos,
The flight from Caracas is 40 minutes.
The climate
on the island is always hot and dry; there is little rainfall throughout the year, with the periods from July to August and from November to January being considered the rainy season.
