Choroni, Venezuela. A small paradise in the Caribbean

When you hear Venezuela many things may pop in your mind. The first of all of them is "crisis". Which is very tragic because no country should have that word for a first description. Another one is probably "beach", because yes Venezuela is famous for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. You may also think words like oil, beauty queens, dictatorship, arepas, and so on.

There is a lot of words that describe my country some of them are good some others aren´t. But let's stick with the good ones, let's stick with Tropical Paradice. That is how I see the place I´m going to talk about right now: Choroni.

Everybody knows that Venezuela is in the middle of a crisis and that is not a safe country to visit. But if we can forget about that for a minute and think about all the amazing things that Venezuela have to offer you would be amazed by how beautiful the country is.

Old town
I have a proposition for you all: Let´s forget for a minute about the situation in Venezuela and let´s talk about this paradise named "Choroni".
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Choroni is small town located in the north coast of Venezuela, in a state named Aragua, facing the Caribbean sea. To get there you have to go from Maracay which is the main city of Aragua through a mountain located in the Henri Pittier National Park.

Going through the park you can find a lot of wild spices and some of them are natural from the area. When you get to the first houses of the town you can also find some amazing waterfalls and fun to visit river wells. On the other side of the river, there is a cocoa plantation with some of the best cocoa in the whole world.

After the path through the mountain, you get to the main town which is a street with a colonial style, all houses are different colors and different sizes. The transportation inside the town is named "gua-gua" and is a kind of multi-colored trucks with music.

The main beach of Choroni is Playa Grande. It has one kilometer long and has beautiful turquoise water and white sand. Is full of palm trees and is the main choice for surfers to go to. You can also visit other beaches and towns if you take a small fishing boat on the port named "La Boca".

Playa Grande
But all this places are known by people, they are easy to find. I will tell you some secrets that the town hide and only the locals know about.
El Alto: Is a rock formation at the end of "El Malecon" to get there you have to cross the river and climb a little mountain. From there you have a beautiful view of the sea and standing there you can enjoy the most amazing sunsets. The fun part of it is that you can do cliff-jumping 10 meters high directly to the ocean. Also after you swim to the shore you can go inside a cave that has a straight exit to the open sea so you can do scuba-diving and fishing.

El Alto
El Lajao: Is a river well located in the community of Uraca. Its has refreshing cold water and the cocoa plantation to the side. But if you want adventure and adrenaline you have a waterfall that is a kind of natural slide made of slippery rocks so you can jump from the top and dive on the river (just be careful with the water because it can drag you down). If you enjoyed the jump there is a rope beside the fall so you can climb up and do it again!

El Dique: If you are seeking for more river adventure "El Dique" is the perfect option for you. Is a balance between nature and history. It has a big dam holding the water creating a beautiful waterfall where you can also jump from. But not everything is about the adventure, if you swim under the fall you will find a romantic cave with a banch to sit in while the water is falling over you. And in the entrance of the river you can find an abandon water plant that looks a little like a hunted house.

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Me before I jumped in El Dique
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Valle Seco: If you go all the way down to the port there is a bunch of boats that can take to go to different beaches and towns on the Venezuelan coast. Valle Seco is a must go for everyone who visits Choroni. Is a beach ten minutes away from the town and is a wonderland of nature. Is a natural swimming pool created by reef to stop the waves. If you go don't forget your diving mask because you are going to find any kind of marine fauna inside those crystal clear waters. And also don´t miss the chance to visit the cave at the end of the shore for a romantic getaway.

Those are my recommendations of magic places that you should visit if you go to Choroni.
Go have Arepas and Empanadas for breakfast, don´t miss the fried fish from Playa Grande and try "Guarapita de Parchita" (the local cocktail). If you are looking for a nightlife go to the party in "El Malecon" I guarantee you are going to have the time of your life dancing "tambores" with the locals. Choroni is full of nice and really welcoming people that will make you feel like home.
I know Venezuela is not in the best situation right now, but in a couple years if you have the chance to visit this extraordinary country don´t miss the chance to go by this small paradise on the Caribbean sea.