Venezuela travel blog by Mark Berman -
January 2011
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Late morning on New Years Day 2011 I left Puerto Cabello on the coast via Moron to Maracay, this took just over an hour. When the bus
arrived at the terminal in Maracay there were young people everywhere getting ready to board buses for holidays in popular places. One of
these places is Puerto Colombia, a place I had decided I would visit for a few days. Getting There by Bus
I waited
in a long line at Maracay bus terminal and ended up in a bus full of happy and fun Venezuelan youth. Puerto Colombia is on the coast on the
other side of Parque Nacional Henri Pittier from Maracay. The road goes straight through the middle of the park and is a twisting and turning one with several hairpin turns and travels through thick lush
forest and bamboo and gets very close to the clouds before it comes back down to sea level. There are bridges, waterfalls, rivers with
large boulders where people swim and small communities along the way. There was also a police checkpoint at the entrance of the park, all
males were lined up outside the bus and checked for identification. From Maracay to Puerto Colombia takes around 2 hours, make sure you
eat well before you take this journey.
Find a Pousada or Camp
By late afternoon I had arrived in Puerto Colombia. I was lucky to find a posada (guesthouse) with
a spare bed. Many of the young people and families who visit here sleep in tents underneath palm trees in the camping ground just back from
the beach.
What's in Town?
Puerto Colombia is a fun and lively little place with many restaurants that range from cheap feeds to more fancy foods. There
are dozens and dozens of pousadas and guesthouses to accommodate all the people who flock here on weekends and for vacations. The main attraction are the
beautiful beaches where palm trees create a stunning backdrop behind the sand. In town there is a small blue church near Plaza Bolivar and of
course a monument, the town is pretty clean, safe and well-kept.
Beaches, Boats, Fish
The beach closest to town
is Playa Grande, just 5 minutes walk away, boats take people along the coast to the other beaches in the area. The area beside the sea in town
is a colorful place where people enjoy sitting in the park, playing in the sand or just relaxing. There are hundreds of fishing boats that sit in the river that leads
to the sea, it is a very colorful sight. Fresh fish is brought in and pelicans hang around waiting for a bite to eat. The town itself has
a nice feel about it with colorful houses, plazas, parks and shops. The park beside the sea has a couple of old rusty cannons pointing out,
waves crash against the barriers and sometimes flood the park a little. There is a monument also.
Playa Grande Beach
I walked to Playa Grande across the bridge
from town, there are several cheap restaurants along the road on the way. The beach was absolutely packed with people, the reason being
that the beach and backdrop is very beautiful indeed, white sand, palm trees and mountains surround it, stunning!
Over the River
Over the other side of the river from the park is the mirador lookout point. To get there you walk across the fishing boats which are all side by side creating a
bridge, there are stairs leading up the cactus hill. It's only a 5 minute walk to the top where there are fabulous views of the town and
the lush green mountains and area all around, it's amazing. The lookout point also has a white monument of Jesus on the cross.
Back to Maracay
After 3 nights in Puerto Colombia I took a bus back to Maracay and continued my travels along the coast east towards
Caracas and Puerto La Cruz.