I've want to visit Barlovento

Any donation will do for Centro Madre. I will consider donations and a visit. Thanks for the web site.The festivals you mention draws a crowd. I don't like crowds. I just want to go somewher tranquilo. Centro Madre seems tranquilo. Thanks for the site.

I'd like to catch an ejecutivo bus from Caracas to San José de Barlovento (going in the direction of Rio Chico),. Which bus would you recommend and where can I get this bus?

Hola Billsmith510,

There is an upcoming on June 24th, a Festival called la Fiesta de San Juan Bautista. Perhaps one of the biggest festivals held along the Venezuelan Caribbean coastline, especially from Higuerote to Ocumare de la Costa in the Henri Pittier National Park. La Fiesta de San Juan, as it is commonly known as, is to commemorate Saint John the Baptist and to welcome the rains, which start toward the end of May (even though the dry season this year has been a particularly wet one) Images of San Juan are displayed and adorned. A statue of San Juan is taken from the house it was adorned in and taken to the town church accompanied by all his devotees. Festivities start on the midnight of June 23rd and go on through the whole of June 24th. In the coastal fishing towns of the Henri Pittier National Park, the local fishermen take an statue of San Juan from each village onto their fishing boats and then meet up in Ocumare de la Costa, a procession know as "El encuentro de los San Juanes". This procession can be observed from any of the coastal fishing towns of the Henri Pittier National Park, such as Chuao, Choroni, Cata, Cuyagua and Ocumare de La Costa, the second being the location which best caters to foreign visitors. Other important towns which join the celebration are La Sabana, Higuerote, Rio Chico, Curiepe, (close to San Jose de Barlovento) and Patanemo, among others. Bear in mind the Fiesta de San Juan draws quite a crowd; nevertheless, if looking for a more quiet afro-caribbean experience you could try Choroni or Chuao at any given weekend as the locals are always beating away at their "tambores".

Close to Higuerote is a town called Birongo, where the locals have set up their own chocolate factory (sponsored by Polar, the local beer factory) and where chocolate is made by some of the finest cocoa in the world.

As for Buses to San Jose de Barlovento formerly San Jose de Rio Chico you would have to get the buses from el Terminal de Petare (a pretty dodgy place) in Caracas.

Hope you find this info helpful

Travel safe,

All the best,

Thomas
Caracas
berry_venezuela@hotmail.com

Thanks, TBerry. I'm going to pass on the Dia de San Juan; too crowded. But thanks for the clarification on San Jose de Rio Chico/Barlovento. You helped me to narrow down my search to where i want to go. Now that I know Curiepe is close to San Jose, I'll visit both. Thanks again.