Tumbes

Tumbes

Practical Guide for Travelers

Tumbes

Location

Northern coast of Peru, at the border with Ecuador

Capital

Tumbes (at 20 ft / 6 m)

Altitude

Min.: Max.:

16 ft (5 m) (Caleta La Cruz)

5,413 ft (1,650 m) (Cordillera de los AmotapesSan Jacinto)

Weather

Temperature

How to get here?

By land May-Jun Jul-Sept

Lima-Tumbes: 782 miles (1,259 km) / 22 h

Piura-Tumbes: 173 miles (278 km) / 5 h 30 min

Machala (Ecuador)-Tumbes: 319 miles (97.1 km) / 1 h 30

Regular flights Lima-Tumbes: 1 h 50 min

Charter flights Lima-Punta Sal: 1 h 50 min By air

Tumbes

Department capital

Province capital

District capital

Tourist attraction

International border

Provincial border

Main road

Paved road

Dirt road

Airport Port

Protected Natural Area

PACÍFICO

CONTRALMIRANTE

Playa Punta Capones

Santuario Nacional Los Manglares de Tumbes Puerto Pizarro

Aguas Verdes

TUMBES

Corrales

San Juan de La Virgen

Caleta La Cruz San Jacinto

Zorritos Zarumilla

ZARUMILLA

Pampas de Hospital Matapalo Papayal

TUMBES

Cañaveral

Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape

Reserva Nacional de Tumbes

ECUADOR

Distances

By private transportation, from the city of Tumbes

Puerto Pizarro (Tumbes Province) 8 miles (13 km) 15 min

La Cruz (Tumbes Province) 15 min 10 miles (16 km)

Zarumilla (Zarumilla Province) 14 miles (23 km) 25 min

Zorritos (Contralmirante Villar Province) 17 miles (27 km) 30 min

Aguas Verdes (Zarumilla Province) 17 miles (27 km) 30 min

Canoas de Punta Sal (Contralmirante 1 h

January 6-7

June 28-29

July 26

Agenda

August 10-12

Anniversary of the Independence of Tumbes

Feast of San Pedro y San Pablo, Contralmirante Villar

International Day for the Defense of the Mangrove Ecosystem, Tumbes

Feast of Santa Clarita, Contralmirante Villar

Cantata al Gran Chilimasa, Señor de los Tumpis, Tumbes 4th week of September

September 24-30

December 4-13

Mangrove Festival, Tumbes

Holiday feast on December 8, dedicated to Virgen Inmaculada Concepción, Tumbes

What to eat?

The cuisine of Tumbes stands out for the freshness of its ingredients, which are fish and seafood. The black shells, representative of the region, are the main ingredient of tasty ceviches and rice dishes. Traditional fish ceviche, caldo de bolas de plátano, parihuela, fish and mixed chicharrón, majarisco and causa de plátano are also offered. Drinks such as chinguirito (made with coconut water), macerado de grosella and cóctel de guayaba are prepared with the fruits of the area; as well as desserts, such as antecoco, dulce de guineo (made from the local silk bananas), and pechiche

What to buy?

In the fishermen's coves, artisans offer ornaments and jewelry made with seashells, spondylus, of diverse colors and types of corals. Also known are the works in pasalla, the fiber from the stem of the banana with which ornaments inspired by the fauna and typical characters of the area are made.

What to visit?

Tumbes Province

Plaza Mayor

Tumbes City Center

El Encuentro de Dos Mundos (“The meeting of two worlds”) is a remarkable mosaic that adorns the acoustic shell located at one end of this main square. There is also a sculpture of a horse, the work of the renowned Peruvian artist Víctor Delfín, and a representation of the cacique or curaca (local lord) of Chilimasa, who resisted the Spanish occupation.

Iglesia Matriz San Nicolás de Tolentino

Cl. Grau, cdra. 3, in front of Plaza de Armas of Tumbes

The main church San Nicolás de Tolentino is a Baroque temple dating back to the 17th century, with two domes covered with mosaics. Its main altar, carved in wood, also features mosaic applications.

Paseo peatonal Los Libertadores

Jr. Bolivar, cdras. 1 and 2

Los Libertadores walkway concentrates the largest commercial activity in the city: banks, shops, and restaurants. To honor its name, it is adorned with full-length sculptures by the liberators José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar.

Paseo peatonal Concordia Peruana-Ecuatoriana

Av. San Martín, blocks 1 and 2

The Peru-Ecuador Reconciliation walkway has a length of two blocks, with sidewalks and stairways, where the statue of the “Goddess of Peace” stands out, made of bronze and whose hands hold a sword at rest and a crown of laurels. Also, you can visit “La Huacoteca.” On its ceiling you can see a beautiful work of art made of mosaics that symbolizes the Spanish incursion into the Inca Empire.

The waterfalls of Huarapal, Pozo Azul, and Pilares de Peña Blanca are part of the attractions of Cerros de Amotape National Park, an ideal place for camping, walking, and enjoying the flora and fauna of the place.

MártirJoséOlay a

Cl.LosÁngeles

Paseo Jerusalén

Av. San Martín, blocks 4 and 5

Pedestrian path with monuments that portray the life of Jesus Christ. The most emblematic is 49 ft (15 m) tall and represents the Ascension. One of its walls bears a shield gifted by the people of Jerusalem to the city of Tumbes.

Zona Arqueológica Monumental Cabeza de Vaca

Cabeza de Vaca hamlet, Corrales district, 4 miles (6 km) southwest of the city of Tumbes (10 min by car). Entrance fee charged.

The guided tour through the Cabeza de Vaca Monumental Archaeological Zone begins at the “Gran Chilimasa” site museum, whose rooms exhibit archaeological material and documents that link this area with the Qhapaq Ñan. A path connects the museum with the viewpoint, from where you can appreciate the pre-Hispanic buildings and the area that surrounds them. The walk continues to the Huaca del Sol, built of adobe and stone.

Playa Hermosa

8 miles (13 km) south of the city of Tumbes (20 min by car), via the detour to the La Jota settlement

To get to Hermosa beach, you must hire private transportation, as there are no tourist services. This is a wide beach with calm waters and fine sand. Due to its wealth of fish, it is an ideal place for underwater fishing and hunting, among other water sports.

Playa La Cruz

10 miles (16 km) south of the city of Tumbes (15 min by car)

A very popular beach among locals and tourists. It is shape like a half-moon and its waters are rich in fish, so it attracts fishing enthusiasts.

Manglares e islas de Puerto Pizarro

8 miles (13 km) north of the city of Tumbes (15 min by car)

The Puerto Pizarro mangroves and islands can be visited by boat trips along the estuaries of the Tumbes River Delta. The accumulation of sediment and silt has formed islands such as Amor and Hueso de Ballena, with fantastic beaches that can be visited. Another popular island is Los Pájaros, which at sunset receives large flocks of birds, most notably frigatebirds. The area is rich in mollusks, which are very present in regional cuisine. Another recommended visit is the hatchery of Tumbes crocodiles, a unique species in the country.

Casa del Manglar

Malecón Rivera del Mar Norte, next to the Puerto Pizarro captaincy

The interpretation center “La Casa del Manglar” (“Home of the Mangrove”) exposes visitors to the basic characteristics of mangroves, the relevant aspects of their biodiversity and the ancestral techniques of “concheros” (shell gatherers), crab gatherers and fishermen. In addition, some samples of flora, fauna and cultural manifestations are exhibited through photographic material, infographics, and collections of some species of fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.

Zarumilla Province

Aguas Verdes

17 miles (27 km) north of the city of Tumbes (30 min by car)

Due to its border location, it is an important commercial city. The International Bridge connects it with the Ecuador city of Huaquillas.

Santuario Nacional los Manglares de Tumbes

Aguas Verdes, 19 miles (30 km) north of the city of Tumbes (50 min by car).

Entrance fee charged.

The Los Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary is a forest formed by five species of mangroves (red, red, white, black and pineapple). This characteristic gives it a rich biodiversity, with more than 148 species of birds, 41 species of plants, 135 species of fish, 16 species of crustaceans (including black shells) and 74 species of mollusks. It is an ideal place for ecotourism, experience-based tourism, and adventure sports.

Playa Punta Capones

5 miles (8.5 km) (4 h by rowboat / 1 h by motorboat) from the entrance to the sanctuary (Puesto 25 Surveillance and Control Post)

Punta Capones is a virgin beach with warm waters. Between January and April, red crabs populate its shores: a natural show for visitors.

Reserva Nacional de Tumbes

32 miles (51 km) northeast of the city of Tumbes (3 h by pickup)

The Tumbes National Reserve is a habitat of the coastal fox, the Andean condor, the Amazonian jaguar, and endangered species, such as the red howler monkey and the white-faced capuchin monkey (the only two species of monkey on the Peruvian coast), crocodiles and otters. Trees such as the angolo, the ceibo and the carob tree can be found here. It is recommended to visit the reserve between the months of May and November, when there is no rain.

Contralmirante Villar Province

Baños termales de Hervideros

Approximately 25 miles (40 km) from the city of Tumbes (45 min by car). South of Zorritos, taking a detour to Bocapán. Visits by appointment

The Hervideros thermal springs are small brackish and thermal water pools with different properties that are constantly boiling and are located in the middle of an area of equatorial dry forest. The temperature of its waters is approximately 86 °F (30 °C).

Beaches

The beaches of Tumbes are characterized by their calm and warm waters. Ideal for water sports, walking along their shores and enjoying delicious dishes made with top quality fish and seafood.

South of Tumbes Distance

Caleta Grau

Los Pinos

Bocapán

Bonanza

Acapulco

Distance by car or van

14 miles (23 km) 20 min

19 miles (30 km) 34 min

22 miles (35 km) 40 min

25 miles (40 km) 45 min

28 miles (45 km)

Peña Redonda 37 miles (60 km) 1 h

Seaside towns

Ideal destinations for surfing, motorboating and fishing enthusiasts. Zorritos offers a wide range of tourist services, hotels, and restaurants. From July to October, Punta Sal offers its visitors excursions to watch dolphins, humpback whales and whale sharks.

South of Tumbes Distance

Distance by car or van Zorritos

Punta Sal

17 miles (27 km) 30 min

50 miles (80 km)

Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape

1 h 30 min en bus

22 miles (36 km) from the city of Tumbes (1 h 5 min by car), on the Tumbes-Rica Playa route. Visit after coordination with the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP)

This park is located between the regions of Tumbes and Piura; it can be reached by the sectors of Caucho, Angostura, Rica Playa, Casitas, Matapalo or Fernández. It comprises a vast terrain that starts at an altitude of 394 ft (120 m) (Rica Playa) to 5,046 ft (1,538 m) (Cerro Campana). During walks through the area, you can find typical trees, such as carobs, hualtacos, zapotes and guayacanes; tropical forest animals, such as the oncilla, collared peccary and the red-headed parrot; animals from arid areas, such as the northern anteater; and Andean animals, such as the condor. It is recommended to visit between May and November when there is no rain.

18Área de Conservación Privada Bosque Seco Amotape

17 miles (27 km) from the city of Tumbes (25 min by bus)

The important Amotape Dry Forest Private Conservation Area covers an area of 123.3 hectares with a privileged beachfront location, giving visitors the opportunity to transit in minutes from a dry forest ecosystem to the warm beaches of Zorritos. The area is home to representative species of the equatorial dry forest ecoregion and is home to 106 species of wild flora and fauna (22 species of trees and shrubs, 75 species of birds, 5 species of reptiles and 4 species of larger mammals).

Tumbes

City Center

Urban area

Iglesia Matriz San Nicolás de Tolentino

Antiguo Cabildo

Paseo de la Concordia Peruano-Ecuatoriana

Paseo peatonal Los Libertadores

Paseo Jerusalén

Malecón Tercer Milenio

IPERÚ Police

Post

Cl.Zarumilla

Cl.Las Delicias

Cl.Tarata Av.Arica

Cl.AbadPuell

Av.Tarapacá

Av.Tacna

Cuartel Coloma

Cuartel Chamochumbi

Puente Tumbes

Consulado de Ecuador

Plaza

Mayor

Cl.Simón Bolívar

Jr . Francisco Bolognesi

Cl.Grau

Cl.Los Andes

ODE (Oficina de Relaciones Exteriores)

Cl.Ayacucho

Pje.Hoyle

Cl.Simón Bolívar(Los Libertadores)

Av.Tumbes (Panamericana Norte)

Cl.PaulaVigil

Cl.Pasamayito

Cl.Francisco Navarrete

Cl.24deJulio

Av . Mariscal Castilla Cl.Miraflores

MaríaParadodeBellido

Pje.Caramelo

Cl.HipólitoUnanue

Cl.AndrésAraujo

Cl.IncaGarcilasodelaVega

C.C. Costa Mar Plaza

Plazuela Bolognesi

Cl.Huáscar

Pje.AbadPuell

Cl.FranciscoFeijoo

Mercado Modelo Estadio Centenario Paseodela Concordia

Pje.Luis Negreiros Vega

Cl.Italia

Cl.AndrésAraujo

Cl.Salaverry

Cl.GeneralMorzán

Pje. Francisco Ibáñez

Cl. Hilario Carrasco

Cl.Loren

Cl. General Morzán

Cl. Petroperú

MalecónTercerMilenio

Cl.Filipinas

to Migrations to the airport to Zarumilla to Aguas Verdes to the CEBAF* to Ecuador to Zorritos to Punta Sal to Máncora to Piura

INDECOPI

Cl.AlfonsoUgarte

Pje.Paita

Cl.GeneralManuelVivanco

Plazuela

El Beso

Cuartel Mayor Bodero

Cl.FranciscoIbáñez

Plazuela

Alipio Rosales

Av.M. Ramón Castilla

Jr . ElPuente

Río Tumbes

Elevation: 20 ft (6

Cl.FranciscoIbáñez

Av . Mariscal Castilla deLuque

Cl.Jaén

Cl.Maynas

Cl.7 de Enero

Cl.JoséJiménez

Cl.Áncash

Cl.CristóbalColón

Cl.Hernando

Pje. Huaylas

Cl. Manuel Izquierdo

Cl.TúpacYupanqui

Av.Piura

Cl.DiegodeAlmagro Pr . Piura(Cali)

Cl.JuandeDiosGarcía

Cl.Áncash

Cl.MariscalÓscarR.Benavides

Pje. Abraham Carrasco

Cl.EloyUreta

Cl.JorgeMuñiz

Pje.Núñez

Pje.LosCocos

Cl.Lima

Pr . ElEjército

Cl.SinchiRoca

Jr.

ElProgreso

Cl.Los Almendros

Av . Circunvalación

Cl. T úpac Amaru

Jr Cahuide

to San Juan de la Virgen to Pampas de Hospital

Pje.JoséPardo

Av.Universitaria

Cl. Pachacútec

Pje. Piura

Cl.Lambayeque

Pje.Las Mercedes

Cl.Huascarán

Cl. Huiracocha

Cl.Atahualpa

Jr. Manco Cápac

TUMBES Tumbes

City Center (+51) 989-049-740 / (+51-1) 616-7300

Extensions: 1864, 1865

Jr. Bolognesi 194, Tumbes Provincial Town Hall - Centro Cívico iperutumbes@promperu.gob.pe

iperu@promperu.gob.pe

The information contained in this brochure has been updated in September 2023. To prepare it, PROMPERÚ has used official information sources, as well as the Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (DIRCETUR) of Tumbes.

The opening hours and telephone numbers are subject to vary at each tourist attraction. Confirm the hours and telephone numbers with IPERÚ.

Published by PROMPERÚ - Peru for Exports and Tourism Promotion Agency Calle Uno Oeste 50, 14th Floor, Urb. Córpac, San Isidro, Lima, Perú Tel. +511 616-7300 www.promperu.gob.pe © PROMPERÚ. All rights reserved

Legal Deposit in Biblioteca Nacional del Perú No. 2023-10888

Printed by WORK UP E. I. R. L. (Calle Albert Einstein 165, Ate, Lima) Lima, October 2023