Tourism in Tumbes

Beautiful beaches, wide open plains, rolling hills, and towering mountains make up the diverse terrain of the department of Tumbes where several ecosystems are located such as estuaries and mangroves, the dry equatorial forest (Cerros de Amotape National Park) and the Pacific tropical forest (Tumbes National Reserve). More than 30% of the territory has been declared as protected natural areas.

Cerros de Amotape National Park (91,300 hectares) is located on the Tumbes-Piura border and gathers together a great biological diversity. The wildlife is especially assorted with species like the Andean condor, the little spotted cat, the red deer, the peccary, the northern anteater, the spectacled bear, the gray deer, and the Guayaquil squirrel.

The Mangroves of Tumbes National Sanctuary that is composed of extensive aquatic forests that create a one of a kind environment between the river and the sea is home to black hawks, egrets, and other birds.

The history of Tumbes dates back to pre-Columbian cultures dating from 10,000 a. C., up to the domination of the Incas (S. XIV) and then the Spanish conquest that was initiated with the arrival of Francisco Pizarro and his army in 1532 to land at Caleta La Cruz. There are now large sections of the Inca Trail of the coast and highlights the archaeological place Cabeza de Vaca, a National Cultural Heritage.

Its closeness to the Equator makes the beaches of Tumbes ideal places for surfing, diving, sport fishing, or simply for the people searching for fun and sun in summer. Punta Sal is thought to be one of the best beaches in Peru because of its white sand and rich marine life. The Zorritos cove is famous for its tranquil water and wide variety of fish.

To the north of Tumbes, you come across Puerto Pizarro, well known for its islands and for its American crocodile breeding center, a species unique to Peru and one in danger of being extinct. This is also a place where you find large amounts of black scallops and crabs, the basis for an exquisite local cuisine.

Tumbes Guide

Tumbes City

The city of Tumbes is the capital of the province and department of the same name, and is located in the northern Peruvian coast, only 30 km from the Ecuadorian border. Its name derives from "Tumpis" aboriginal peoples that inhabited this area to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century.

Given its proximity to the Equator and the influence of the warm ocean current of the Gulf of Guayaquil has a semi tropical climate with an average temperature of 27 ° C in the summer months (December-April) reaches 40 ° C . and no rain.

The city of Tumbes is located along the river Tumbes, the only river in the Peruvian coast by small boats, is surrounded by a vast tropical vegetation and agricultural areas, a uniquely green part of coastal Peru.

Its buildings are republican and modern, has a modest economic development. Near the main square houses nineteenth century some wood and split-bamboo, pedestrian streets and modern monuments around which local people used to meet, local and craft galleries.

Around the perimeter of the main square to enjoy fine dining cuisine of Tumbes in outdoor restaurants, the bandshell, the shopping area and the Mother Church of San Nicolás Tolentino seventeenth century.

The Tumbes River boardwalk offers nice views of the area. In Tumbes can not fail to enjoy its famous seafood, such as black scallops ceviche, chili prawns or majarisco.

Main square of the city of TumbesThe main square has been recently remolded and the part that stands out the most is an acoustic shell covered with a mosaic. Called the “Encounter of Two Worlds”, the sculpture refers to the arrival of the Spanish and to all the natural richness of the region. In the center, you can see a representation of the chief Chilimasa, powerful ruler of the area who resisted the Spanish forces. The inhabitants enjoy walking or resting in the shade of the trees, locally known as matacojudos (Kingelia pinnata – sausage tree). Around the perimeter of the square is the Cathedral, City Hall, City Library and some colonial houses. The feast days and holidays is the meeting point of the population. It is located 100 m. Benavides Malecon overlooking the Tumbes River.

San Nicolas de Tolentino Church - The CathedralBuilt in the seventeenth century by Augustinian priests, this Baroque church features two Roman arches, a slanted two-level roof, and a rib vault covered with mosaics. Inside, you can see the

wood carven upper altar decorated with mosaics, stained glass windows with episodes from the life of Christ, figures of the saints and the Virgin, and a remarkable sculpture of the Christ.

Malecón Benavides

Viewpoint located on the north bank of the Tumbes River, 100 meters from the main square, is on the southern edge of the city and building emblematic of the city. It was restored after heavy flooding caused by El Niño in 1998.

Pedestrian EsplanadesThere are many esplanades inviting the visitor to stroll through the city. The best are La Concordia, Los Libertadores, Jerusalén, and Triunfino. The Boulevard of La Madre, the plazas El Beso and Bolognesi, and the park of El Avión are areas often frequented by the citizens of Tumbes.

Palo Santo Tourist Lookout and Private Natural AreaThis is a lookout constructed on top of the highest hill of the city, just five minutes away by car, from where you can see a great amount of the geography of the area. The lookout is located inside the Private Natural Area called Palo Santo, which is made up of forests housing characteristic native trees like carob trees, palo santo trees, spruce trees, and charan trees. The zone is home to thirty species of birds, many of them endemic to the Tumbes Region. A trail has been created for visitors to observe the local flora and fauna. It is open all year long..

Within the city's shopping area, banks, ATMs, medical services, craft sales, Internet booths, local tour operators, casinos, nightclubs, bars and restaurants, highlighting the marine food and specializes in seafood and black shells a good infrastructure of hotels. The city's public transport is based on "motorcycle taxis" and few air-conditioned taxis.

The city of Tumbes is connected by the Pan American Highway North, and has bus daily services to other cities of Peru and international services to cities in Ecuador. It also has an airport with daily flights to the city of Lima.

TUMBES CUISINE

The typical Tumbes cuisine of is famous for dishes based on sea bass, grouper, sole, swordfish, as well as mollusks and shellfish from the ocean and the mangroves such as black scallops, crabs, oysters, lobsters, and prawns. The dishes that must be tried are:

Cebiches de conchas: scallops with lemon, onion, and aji limo (hot pepper)

Aji de langostinos: prawns in a bread crumb and aji amarillo (hot pepper) sauce

Chupe de cangrejo: crab chowder

Majarisco: mashed green bananas with a shellfish sauce

Sango de plátano verde: made from black scallops and green bananas

Caldo de bolas: stuffed banana balls

Some typical desserts are:

Antecoco: coconut dessert

Antepapaya: paw-paw dessert

Dulce de grosella: gooseberry dessert

Mazamorra: purple corn pudding

The chinguirito is a typical drink made from coconut juice.

Restaurants in Tumbes:

Restaurante Si Señor

Las Terrazas

Budabar

Restaurante Latino

Around Tumbes

Cabeza de Vaca Archeological Remains

Located 5 km / 3 miles from city of Tumbes (10 minutes by car) in the district of Corrales. This adobe and stone archeological site was occupied before the Incas during the reign of the Chimu but also during the Inca Empire. The investigators have found pieces of pottery, bones, stone instruments, and a workshop in which artisans used to create items using shells such as spondylous and other bivalve mollusks. Likewise, an 8 km pathway (5 miles) constructed from small rounded stones has been found that connects the archeological site with the shore, an irrigation ditch, and a truncated pyramid or adobe huaca called. “Cabeza de Vaca” (cow head) that is 250 meters long (820 feet), 100 meters wide (328 feet), and 15 meters high (49 feet).

Rural Community El Bendito

El Bendito is a rural community located on the southwest boundary of the Mangrove of Tumbes National Sactuary, where the inhabitants live from gathering black scallops and catching prawns. Visitors can participate in the gathering of black scallops, take rowboat rides, or relax on the white sandy beach.

Caleta La Cruz

Located 16 km / 10 miles southwest of the city of Tumbes, and is the historical place where he landed the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro and his forces in 1532 to begin the conquest of Peru. In its beaches placed a cross as a symbol of Christianity, which gave the name of the current Caleta La Cruz. The true cross is now housed in the National Museum of Anthropology Archaeology and History in Lima. Caleta La Cruz is a tranquil spa and clean waters ideal for some water sports, horseback riding enter many others, has all the services, lodging, restaurants Internet, a fishing port and is one of the most visited beaches during the summer by the locals, especially so-called kilometer 19.

Hervideros Hot Spring

Located 40 km / 25 miles from city of Tumbes (45 minutes by car). South of Zorritos, the water bubbles through a layer of fine clay where it forms a mixture much like the pure liquid clay used by potters, with elements of iodine, chlorine, and iron which is supposed to have medicinal properties. The concentration of mineral substances in the solution gives it the aspect of a volcano of mud or some type of boiling liquid.

Aguas Verdes

District of Zarumilla, located 30 km / 18.8 miles northeast of the city of Tumbes on the border with Ecuador, linked with Ecuadorian town of Huaquillas through a bridge border post with customs and immigration services. Town of 13,000 inhabitants with border trade. It is the starting point of the North Pan American Highway entering from Ecuador.

BEACHES & SPAS OF TUMBES

Punta Sal, Zorritos and Puerto Pizarro are the most required beaches by tourists in Tumbes.

Beaches of white sand and warm (26°C. average), with almost guaranteed sun all year round, each offering different alternatives, one for game fishing, spear fishing, whale watching, other ideal for relax and rest. Hotels and bungalows for rent on these beaches and how to reach them. Other beaches of Tumbes are Cancas, Acapulco, Punta Mero, Bocapán, Playa Hermosa, Jeli. All beaches are accessible via the North Pan- American Highway. The beach of Máncora located in the department of Piura is more accessible from city of Tumbes referred to flights from Lima, in relation to the city of Piura. For nature lovers easy access to visit any of the protected natural areas of Tumbes.

Puerto Pizarro

Located 13 km / 8 miles north of the city of Tumbes (15 minutes by car), accommodations and restaurants is available, rent boats, kayaks and jet skis. There are regular transportation between Puerto Pizarro and Tumbes city. The fishermen’s cove of Puerto Pizarro is one of the starting points for visiting the mangrove swamps in the Mangroves of Tumbes National Sanctuary and navigate the Tumbes River delta. Off the coast of Puerto Pizarro lie the islands Isla del Amor (of Love) has lunch restaurants and attractive swimming beaches and island Hueso de Ballena (whale bone), with excellent beaches, also there is the island Isla de los Pájaros (Birds Island - not landed on), which is the refuge of a great variety of birds and is an ideal spot for bird watching, especially at sunset, when huge flocks of seabirds return to roost for the night. Puerto Pizarro is also famous for their black shells and crabs, prized for its taste and aphrodisiac qualities and offers a varied and exquisite seafood. Another attraction of Puerto Pizarro is the also well known breeding center of

the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), a species unique to Peru but unfortunately endangered.

Zorritos

Capital of the province of Almirante Villar, located 28 km / 17 miles southwest of the city of Tumbes (30 minutes by car). Is the biggest fishing village along the coast of Tumbes. During the nineteenth and early twentieth century was a major center of oil production, the largest in South America. In the town of Zorritos can find the commercial area with basic services as drugstores, Internet services, shops, market, telephones, restaurants, bars and accommodation services. He has a great boardwalk and some hotels and restaurants are located in the beach ocean front. This beach is made of fine, white sand and is stroked by continuous waves. The waters are warm (on average 26°C / 79°F). Zorritos is ideal for sports such as boating, surfing and fishing and for those seeking a quiet beach to relax. Zorritos is located near the Hervideros area. Interesting coastal birdlife.

Punta Sal and Canoas de Punta Sal

Located in the province of Almirante Villar, 80 km / 50 miles southwest of the city of Tumbes (1 hour and 15 minutes by bus) and 23 km north of Máncora (20 minutes by car). It is one of the most beautiful and longest beaches of the north coast of the country, ending in the town of Cancas the north. It is characterized by its warm, tranquil waters (average temperature 24°C / 75°F). The beach is divided in two: the resort of Punta Sal Grande and Punta Sal Chica. The latter is an isolated, half-moon beach with white sand and protected by two small headlands. This spa has good hotels, accommodations and restaurants. Punta Sal and ideal for holidaymakers looking for sun, warmth and tranquility, it is also suitable for fishing, diving and between June and October for whale watching.

Possibly the most heavenly beach on Peru’s north coast. The beach resort of Punta Sal or Punta Sal Grande, as it is known locally, is one of the most spell-binding beaches on the Peruvian coast, and enjoys peace and sunshine all year round. There is excellent fishing and diving to be found in its warm and clear waters. Seafood lovers will appreciate the local shrimp, lobsters and the finest fresh fish to be found up north. Access and services: the beach is reached via a 2 km detour off the North Pan-American Highway at kilometer 1.187. The area teems with hotels and restaurants that throb with activity during the summer season. Apt for all vehicles.

PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS IN TUMBES

Mangroves of Tumbes National Sanctuary (Santuario Nacional los Manglares de Tumbes)

Location: On the coast of the northwest coast of Peru, Department of Tumbes, province Zarumilla.

Area: 2,972 hectares.

Creation: March 2nd, 1988.

Objective : To protect the mangrove forest, home to a diversity of aquatic invertebrates of economic importance. Protect wildlife species as endangered American crocodile.

The Mangroves of Tumbes National Sanctuary is located in the province of Zarumilla in the department of Tumbes. It covers an area of 2,972 hectares. This spectacular place located on the coast border with Ecuador is a unique place because it harbors the largest tract of mangrove in the country. That's why the value of this ecosystem is not only due to their biodiversity, but also to many human populations reap direct benefits through the extraction, sale and consumption of seafood products they make.

Biodiversity: The sanctuary is composed of a forest made up mainly by five species of mangrove trees and is spread over 2972 hectares. This ecosystem, particularly rich in wildlife, is home to species like the silky anteater, 14 mammal species, 34 crustaceans, dozens of snail species, 24 mollusks with shells, and more than 100 species of fish, there is an explotion of birdlife here, with up to 200 different local and migrating species visiting this area.

In addition, mangroves are potential and important areas for tourism, scientific research, developing public awareness campaigns and environmental education. When you visit the far north coast of Peru, it is inevitable to relate this fertile land with its culinary delights. That's why almost immediately jumps black scallops ceviche, shrimp or a crab dish.

And it is precisely these products that are in this room and are handled by local people to meet their basic demands. Both the mangrove crab (Ucides occidentalis), shrimp (Penaeus spp.) and black shell (Anadara tuberculosa) find protection in the Mangroves of Tumbes National Sanctuary.

Tourist Routes: The area of tourism and recreational use of the sanctuary is covered by the Zarumilla estuary, off the Camarones estuary, following the stream to the Matapalo estuary to La Envidia estuary, at the height of the sector's El Palmal. It has a total area of 137.5 ha (4.61% area) and she can visit and walk along the mangrove channels in canoes and / or kayaking, bird watching and appreciate the aquatic resource extraction activities (experiential tourism). In the checkpoint "El Algarrobo", located in the buffer zone of the protected area, is the Interpretation Center, whose visit is mandatory. In the buffer zone there is also a pedestrian tourist trail 60 meters in length called "El Oscuro" which is implemented in the heart of the swamp with material from the region, and two circuits for small boats visit:

Port 25 - channel Zarumilla - pool El Toro - Zarumilla channel - channel Paracas - Port 25.

Port 25 - channel Paracas - Zarumilla channel - Punta Capones - Zarumilla channel - channel Paracas - Port 25.

Access and Services: From Tumbes, reached by air or through regulate the North Pan-American Highway. The sanctuary is located a few 24 km north of the city of Tumbes, taking the route to the border with Ecuador. Numerous boats guided tours. We recommend bringing insect repellent and sunscreen, and inquire about the hours of sea change, especially if you want to camp. Length of Stay: A full day. It's easy to visit again because of its proximity to the city of Tumbes. You can also visit Puerto Pizarro, located 15 km from Tumbes, which is the only fishing port in the mangrove forest in the country. Also houses the Tumbes crocodile breeding center.

Mangroves of Tumbes National Sanctuary

The Mangroves of Tumbes National Sanctuary that is composed of extensive aquatic forests that create a one of a kind environment between the river and the sea is home to black hawks, egrets, and other birds. Located on the far northwest Peruvian coast, covering an area of 2,972 hectares, the mangroves of Tumbes are the borderline for many species of flora and fauna associated with this kind of eco-system. The natural sanctuary protects the country's largest mangroves, and is a haven for the many varied animal species that feed off them. Particularly striking are the invertebrates, featuring an enormous variety of mollusks, including black scallops, 34 species of crustaceans, 33 types of snails and more than a hundred fish species. The sanctuary is also a key breeding ground for commercial marine species such as shrimp. Migratory and resident bird species, as well as the endangered black American alligator, a unique species, and the anteater, are just a few of the more interesting inhabitants of the area. (PromPeru).