Choroni's pleasures are simple: the beach, the colonial streets, the national park, and the Afro-Venezuelan music that fills the main square in Puerto Colombia on weekend evenings. The tambor drumming sessions at the Plaza de Bolívar in Puerto Colombia are a genuine cultural event, spontaneous and participatory, not staged for tourists. They typically start after dark on Friday and Saturday nights and can continue well past midnight.
The surrounding Henri Pittier National Park protects one of the most biodiverse regions in Venezuela, and the drive through it from Maracay is itself an experience — the road climbs through cloud forest before descending dramatically to the sea. Birdwatchers come from around the world for the park; over 500 species have been recorded here, including the colourful cock-of-the-rock.