Exploring Chenchena Island

It's not a Caribbean island paradise, but rather one of the small islets that make up La Llovizna Park, Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the park is made up of many islands and lakes. Therefore, it's surrounded by abundant water from the Caroní River and extensive jungle vegetation with large trees and a multitude of plant and flower species, as well as some animal species that still spend the night there, although only a few can be seen during the day.

For this occasion, when I decided to visit the park this past Sunday, I wanted to visit other places that aren't usually visited very often. This is because it's impossible to explore the entire park. Normally, visitors tend to visit certain lakes and the main attraction, La Llovizna Waterfall, a marvel located in the heart of Puerto Ordaz, as part of the city's grand vegetation, where there is harmony between the natural and what a city can bring with it, filled with structures and a lot of concrete.

The name of this island is Chenchena Island, which can be reached after passing several of the park's attractions, mainly after passing the tourist stops at La Llovizna Waterfall. You can find trails that lead to several of the park's islands, surrounded by jungle surroundings and connected by bridges, such as the main Teachers' Bridge, which is sadly remembered for the deaths of more than 20 teachers who fell from that bridge, which was previously built of wood. After that fatal accident, the park was closed for several years until the bridge was rebuilt with stronger materials. Consequently, all of these islands are connected by countless bridges that span several small rivers.

However, this island isn't a very crowded place. You can even notice that the vegetation itself is slowly taking over the entire place, so much so that one of the connecting bridges is obscured by several fallen trees. The island had the audacity to cross this obstacle. But we certainly won't find anyone else here, except for vegetation and perhaps some animals.

Perhaps due to the constant rains this season, access is more difficult, and we can see that several of the island's rivers and lakes are flooded. It's still a perfect place to be in closer contact with nature. For me, it's about having that harmony in this environment, which is painted with a green hue, and you can breathe in that pure air. Despite the downside, these places can be a bit stifling due to the humidity and heat, this is very characteristic of this type of vegetation, so it's not something that bothers me much. In the end, I enjoy this environment and appreciate what I can appreciate, something that perhaps many people who visit the park don't get to see. Beyond this island, you can follow a route that practically encircles the entire park until you reach the park entrance, so for those who have the opportunity to come, don't hesitate to visit Chenchena Island.

All photographs are mine.