 Land of Grace
SUCRE |
Macuro, was the first spot in the American continent visited by Christopher Colombus on his third trip in 1498. It is the most oriental state of the country and the second fishing state. It tourism potential is based on the natural beauties that originate from the extreme aridity In the Araya Peninsula all the way to the tropical forest in the Paria Peninsula. Home of the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho, Antonio Jose de Sucre, it possesses beautiful beaches such as: Arapo, Arapito, Colorada Beach, Santa Fe and the beaches of Cumana, its capital, are an extreme tourist destination.
There are three national parks: Mochima, filled with islets with dreamlike beaches, Paria Peninsula and Turuepano. Cumana was founded in 1521 and its name means "River and Marine coast". In Araya one can visit "Las Salinas" (The salt mines) in Manicuare. Home of poet Cruz Salmeron Acosta whose history says that in his death, he would searched for the rain because there was a heavy drought in the land of Araya and so he did. The poet was buried under the rain and the entire town accompanied him, blending their tears with the water the poet had given them.
"One of the many islets, scattered along Sucre's coasts"
In the beginning of the San Antonio Gulf the thermal waters can be found coming in from the sea. In Carupano Bolivar liberty was proclaimed for the slaves in 1816, and was also the first city in Venezuela that had a underwater phone cable so it could communicate directly with Paris more than 100 years ago. Near the Pilar population there is a geological failure that originate from the thermal waters all long the riverbed.
 Surroundings |
Cumana, the capital of the state of Sucre, in the northern coast of Venezuela is well known as the most hospitable and friendly city.
This fame was won for its exuberant beauty, tropical dry weather, well kept colonial architecture, its legends about the natives, treasures and adventures; for being the first city to be built by the Spaniards on American land. Cumana is the entrance door to ecotouristic Venezuela where Mochima National Park, the Araya and Paria peninsulas are a must to visit. The inhabitants of Cumana are friendly and outspoken.
"Founder of Sucre, Antonio Jose De Sucre"
| Sucre-Land of Grace |
When Venezuela stretches out into coasts and cliffs, it reaches the limits of its splendid in Sucre State. There, where the Turimiquire converses with the icy winds of its heights and bestows Neveri's first drops, history founds western civilization on the new continent in bleached-white Cumana, constantly renewing itself at the edge of the Manzanares River, surrouned by the heraldry of its castle, churches and poets. Along its beaches, earth gives way to a serene sea that softly laps at the sands of San Luis, where pelicans ride the soft swells of the Cariaco Gulf and foam twinkles jewel-like in the wake of fishing vessels that slip through azure waters. In the distance, the low-lying profile of Araya reflects arid spaces of rock and salt under the brilliant blue sky.
A sunny and shady land, joyful at midday and content when enshrouded in mist, Sucre delights in a life that slips between the clear marine light of its lengthy and precipitant coast and the soft, leaf touched luminescence of its humid forest.
As we become familiar with this constant encounter between sheer and shadowed loveliness, Sucre's landscape welcomes us with the rhythms of its villages and coastal cities, freely offering the fantasy of its exultant and melancholic music, the culinary imagination of its traditional dishes, the hedonistic aroma of its tobacco and the warm flame of its rum. Roble - the state tree-, palm and ceiba, mangrove and sandbox defend a land that speaks of sunsets, so to speak of the palm's thin trace of shadow over he sand and the forest covering fallen leaves where a half-lights plays over. Through them, we glimpse laughing beaches and vast, somnolent jungles, the pure whiteness of the Araya Peninsula and the verdure of wilderness areas on the slopes of the Paria Peninsula. You sense the agitated beat of the waves and galeron, and feel the enthusiasm of the trade winds in the soft, pulsating rhythm of a malagueña. Sucre's four national parks offer the friendliness of sea and islands, coves, lagoons, moon rivers and deep caves inviting visitors to delight in shining foliage.
In Mochima, dolphins rise from the water to salute us as we swim above purple coral surrounded by marine prairies of undulating Thalassia grass. In Turuepano, the cycle of moon and tide forms mangroves forests that become a haven for the Capped Heron, bird of dreams, or the Sunbittern, of silken, black and white feathers that pick its way above the mire in search of the strange, scurrying fish that dare to disdain water. The gulf sea of the Paria Peninsula traces the curve of a seagull's wing until it comes to the hanging forest gardens that surround Macuro. This Land of Grace dazzled Columbus on his third voyage. This is paradise, he swore to Spain's rulers, because he had drank seawater and it tasted like honey, and felt a premonition of a continent of water spilling over a biblical estuary. He would never know it was Orinoco, "the water of all waters", as it was called by the Indians who were accustomed to its immensity.
| Landscape |
Sucre's variety is a characteristic of its people and its land and sea resources. Located at the eastern end of Venezuela's Caribbean coast, its scenery covers some 4,600 sq. miles of contrasting surroundings that vary from Araya's arid coasts to the cloud forests of the eastern range, from sun parched islands in front of the coast to fertile lands of Campoma, or intricate bayous close to Irapa. Four national parks -Mochima, Peninsula of Paria, Turuepano and a small corner of El Guacharo- protect some of the most valuable ecosystems of Venezuela's eastern region: coral reefs, cloud forest, dry forest and mangroves.
"The coast of Mochima is home to some of the worlds most incredible sunsets"
Two peninsulas reflect the contrast that harmonize in Sucre. Paria stretches out toward the east and Araya points to the west. The green mountains of Paria -"mountain range" in the Carib's tongue-rise to 4,113 feet on El Humo peak, and have exuberant vegetation and wildlife; so much so that when Columbus arrived to these coasts, believed he had found a terrestrial paradise. Araya - "thorn" in the Indian language- seems an inhabited desert, gray with the shades of its dry vegetation, and rust-colored from the variety of hues of naked earth. On the gulf side of Paria, amid an environment dominated by swamps, Sucre opens its coasts to waters that slip through the northern fingers of the Orinoco's delta.
A spectacular mountain rises out of the extreme southern part of the state. It is the sierra of Turimique, whose crest ascends to Turimiquire peak, 7,788 feet high. Air, charged with humidity that rises from the sea, forms dense clouds that unite to discharge their burden over the forested slopes, producing fresh water that is a prime resource for developing the northeastern region. The slopes' tropical forest and the cloud forest of the peaks are rich environs for wildlife and make a mountain chain that continues down to the edge of El Guacharo National Park that Sucre shares with Monagas State.
| History |
During his third voyage to America, Columbus's expedition landed on Sucre's southern gulf coast. The Spanish found the land populated by native tribes -Cumanagotos, Chaimas, and Guaiqueries- that grew manioc and corn, and produced high quality ceramic pieces. The environment was different from others they had known and their descriptions were rife with superlatives.
During the discovery and conquest, various expeditions set forth from this region to explore the continent's hinterland in search of gold. Many took part in the conquest of tribes established there; some with violence, spurred by disproportionate ambition because of recently discovered continental riches, and others, like the Dominican priest, padre De Las Casas, used pacific methods to colonize and evangelize. It was De Las Casas who laid the foundations of what would later be the city of Cumana, on the banks of the Manzanares River.
The new territories also stirred curiosity on European naturalists. The Province of Cumana, also known as Nueva Andalucia, became the starting point for several scientific expeditions, like the one led by Pehr Loefling, a disciple of Linneo, in 1755, and another carried out by Baron Alexander von Humboldt and Aime Bonpland between 1799 and 1800.
During the independence period in the early 19th century, the Province of Cumana included all the land down to the banks of the Orinoco River and became one of the major areas of resistance to Spanish domination. It was not casual circumstance that this land gave birth to two important patriots: Antonio Jose De Sucre, the faithful champion of Simon Bolivar' ideals, who freed Ecuador and Peru by winning the battles of Junin and Ayacucho; and Jose Francisco Bermudez, the libertador of eastern Venezuela in 1813 and of Caracas in 1821.
| EXPLORING SUCRE… |
| Land of infinite beaches and bays |
If you enter Sucre State from the west, you have the opportunity to drive along the most picturesque coastal highway of Venezuela -highway N° 9 -known as the Sunshine Route (Ruta del Sol). This road takes you by a series of golden sand beaches, some of them boxed in by craggy cliffs. All are noted for their calm waters with multiple aquamarine tones through which you can glimpse coral bottoms. Some beaches have tourist services for parking, food and restaurants sales, tent and seat rentals and offer the opportunity to take boat rides to nearby islands and beaches. The best known are Arapo, Arapito, Vallecito, Playa Colorada, and Los Hicacos. Other enjoyable stops along this route are points where local people sell handicrafts. In the Barbacoas sector, many women offer hand sewn stuffed dolls that emblematic of this stretch of the highway.
| Mochima: a paradise of islands and coves |
As you drive eastward along the coast, you cannot fail to notice the varied tones that accompany the landscape and beaches of Mochima National Park, a site of increasing tourist interest. The marine area of the park extends from the waters in front of the Morro de Barcelona to the limits of Cumana, including the northern islets. This park also includes the heights of Turimiquire's massif, toward the south, and runs to the Neveri riverbanks that mark its limits. As you ascend from the sea level to mountain heights, the vegetation shifts from mangroves to dry forest and, at the highest points, to tropical rain forest.
The village of Mochima, located just twenty minutes west of Cumana, has traditionally been a fishermen's settlement. Today, tourism is booming, so the village's residents offer an interesting choice of restaurants and simple posadas. At the main quay, local fisherman offer transport and provisions for visitors who wish to go to distant beaches. Some of the beaches that can be visited from the villages, like Playa Blanca and Las Maritas, have food services, bathrooms, and tent and chair rentals, but it is always wise to take sufficient water and snacks with you and a cover to shelter from sunrays during your stay. Other beaches, like Manare, are far out and offer no services at all; however their beauty is worth a bit of inconvenience.
| America's first city |
The Church of Santa Ines"
A visit to the city of Cumana, the first settlement founded on the American continent (1521) and capital of Sucre State, is a memorable highlight along the Sunshine route. At one of the city's entrances, Redoma del Indio welcomes visitors since 1956. Important historical sites are found throughout the downtown area, like the Castle of San Antonio de la Eminencia, built in 1686 on the city's only important elevation. Nearby, the modern Museum of Contemporary Art contrast with the castle's ancient, imposing presence. At the foot of this hill, the old neighborhood of Santa Ines harbors colonial buildings like the Church of Santa Ines, an architectural gem built at the end of the 18th century to honor the city's patron saint. Alongside the church, the Fort of Santa Maria de la Cabeza was the city's first fortified stronghold , that later was turned into colonial Governor's residence while it gave refuge to the population when pirates attacked. A few blocks to the south at the Manzanares' riverside, you will find a pale, stoically plain wall that is the only remains of the formerly rich Convent of San Francisco, where America's first educational institution operated. In the city's historic quarters stands Cumana's Cathedral, built in 1945, rising majestically in front of Andres Eloy Blanco square.
Near there, you should visit the Birthplace of Andres Eloy Blanco, Venezuela's most beloved poet, and author of the well-known poem Angelitos Negros, who died in 1955. Today, his home runs a museum where you can learn about his times, his life and his works. Bordering the Mazanares River, along Humboldt Street, you will find large, fresh and very popular Ayacucho Park. Tall trees give shades to the old Town Hall that has been transformed into the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Museum, honoring General Jose Antonio de Sucre, and the Sucre State Art Gallery.
Alongside the Avenida Perimetral, on the city's northern edge, you will find the Monumeno de la Fundacion that has delighted view of the Cariaco Gulf and the Araya Peninsula. Beneath the monument, there is an exhibition room with regular displays of art and natural history. Close to the city, you can enjoy the walk built along the peaceful beaches of San Luis. In the sector known as Puerto Sucre, at the Manzanares river mouth, you will find the port and Ferry Terminal docks, where large ferryboats take trips back and forth between mainland and Margarita Island, while smaller ferryboat and shuttles depart to the nearby Araya peninsula. Close to, it is the Cumanagoto Public Marina, a modern installation that meets the needs of sportsmen and sailors of the Caribbean, operating since 1990.
From Cumana, the Sunshine Route continues eastward along the Cariaco Gulf, offering visitors breathtaking views of an exceptionally sheltered and tranquil inland sea. You can enjoy swimming in numerous beach facilities along this coast; one of them, Cachamaure, located close to San Antonio del Golfo, features a hot spring bubbling up from the sea just a few meters away from shore. A bit more along the highway you arrive at Cariaco, a small town founded in 1605 and later, in 1917, a historic site because it was the place where first Congress in Venezuela's history was held. From Cariaco there is a road leading westward to the Araya Peninsula and passing through arid terrain spotted with fishing villages and beautiful, lonely beaches. About halfway along the Araya road you will find the lagoon and Morro of Chacopata; this morro is the closest point between "tierra firme" and the islands of Coche, and Margarita. The lagoon is a refuge for numerous flocks of flamingos that feed in its shallow waters, decorating the greenery of mangroves with their bright color.
|
| CUMANA |
| Brief Historical description of Cumana |
On November of 1515 the Franciscan monks with a criteria of Evangelization found the city of Cumana. It is Diego Fernandez de Serpa who leaves his name to the river that has always crossed north to south. Before known as "Cumana" river is now the Manzanares River. It was its first inhabitants the Cumanagotos Indians then christen and grew in the catholic religion who proclaimed since 1472 the virgin Saint Ines the guardian of the city.
| The Indian Rotunda |
This monument was sculpted by Jose Pizzo. Its construction began in the year 1945 and finished between the years 1956 and 1957. In the moment of its culmination it was given the name of "Bienvenida" (welcome), because the way the Indian is portrayed handing the fish was the way that in the colonial times the Spaniards were greeted.
| San Francisco Convent |
This building is a mute witness of the Cumana culture. This convent operated the first University of Cumana and Latin-America, created by the Provincial Legislation Assembly in 1812, after the independence as national School of Cumana were theology, Civil rights and medical classes were given.
| Ruins of the Santa Maria de la Cabeza Fort |
It is located in the middle of the city of Cumana, on the western side of the Santa Ines Church. It was the second defense building of the providence of Nueva Andalucia. It was the residence of the Spanish Governors in the colony.
| Ramos Sucre House |
Today it has become an active center in the divulgation of our culture. It is located on Sucre Street and in its rooms we can find ornaments with the J.A.R Presence and his creations of a unique and renovate value. There is a permanent labor directed to the literature regional enhancement.
| Santa Ines Church |
Colonial Architectural relic we the image of Santa Ines Romana remains, guardian of the city. On July 3rd 1951, she is named lawyer and guardian of Cumana, by King Phillip II. On November 1862 the building of the present Santa Ines Temple took place in there place were the Carmen School was and the Santo Domingo temple, it was officially inaugurated in the year 1866.
| San Antonio Castle |
Strategic military fort that served as defense for the English, French and German pirates who attacked the Cumana providence; here General Jose Antonio Paez was imprison for his attack against the government of Jose Tadeo Monagas. It is located in Pan de Azucar hill, adjacent of the Quetepe hill. It is the highest zone of the area.
| More Sucre |
| Araya…sea and thorns |
At the extreme western edge of the peninsula, in front of Cumana, the coast of Punta Araya is dominated by the ruins of an old fortress that kept foreign invaders from seizing the salt beds that were the source of the region's wealth. When salt's economic importance diminished the Spaniards demolished the castle, but its ruins reveal its massive structure.
In the surroundings, you find pale, enormous mountains of salt that has been extracted from the pink toned saline lagoons.
The constant winds off the Araya coast make this a perfect spot for windsurfing that has stimulated the establishment of posadas dedicated to this sport's enthusiasts. Visitors to Araya can also enjoy beaches like El Castillo, Punta Arena, Los Muertos, Punta Colorada, and Punta Araya, among others. Services are scarce, but there are some excellent restaurants in the area.
| In the heat of Sucre |
Another road leaves from Cariaco and goes northwest through fertile lands that were inhabited in pre-Columbian times by skillful potters. Relics of their craft have been found in the excavations of Compoma Lagoon. Between Cariaco and Casanay there are hot springs that have been conditioned for public recreation. Two of these, Poza Azul and Poza Cristal, have parking areas, restaurants and changing rooms, and are very popular especially on weekends and holidays.
Highway N°9 continues eastward along the coast toward Carupano. Founded in 1760, this town became renowned in the middle of the 19th century as the main port for exporting cacao and coffee harvested in the area. Many of Carupano's business were French immigrants from Corsica, and thanks to their direct relationship with Europe, the city became the point of contact for the first telegraph submarine cable linking Venezuela and France. The Cable House, site of the installation and administration of the cable works, is found in front of Plaza Santa Rosa and frequently hosts public art exhibitions. Close by, the Carupano Museum Offers exhibits of pre-Columbian, colonial and republican objects that speak of its anthropological heritage.
In Carupano, the tourist offices and custom agencies are found in old-time houses. Around them streets echo with hubbub generated by the usual activities of a port city. Some plazas and avenues, like Plaza Santa Rosa and Bermudez Avenue invite strollers, and beaches at each side of the city are a prime option for visitors who want to relax and cool themselves off. The best-known beaches are Playa Patilla, Playa Guiria, Playa Grande, and El Yunque, and all have basic services. Carupano is also famous for its colorful and rhythmic carnival celebration, considered to be among the best in Venezuela.
| Paria, kingdom of mountains |
Beyond Rio Caribe, the land seems to detach from the continental mass to form a long tongue stretching out into the sea. This is the Paria Peninsula, with mountainous elevations covered by dense forest that opens now and then to surprise the visitor with breathtaking beaches like Medina, Pui-puy, Caracolito, and Querepare. Along the coast, you can find small villages like San Juan de Unare and San Juan de las Galdonas, whose inhabitants are devoted to traditional means of subsistence, like fishing and cultivating conucos.
In the last few years many local people have opened posadas and handcraft shops in this region. Visitors can enjoy comfortable lodgings as well as tasting delicious local and national cuisine.
On the south coast of the peninsula, facing the Gulf of Paria, is the town of Guiria at a site found in old maps and reports of 16th century soldiers and explorers. It was known as a good starting point for expeditions that went out into the unknown continent. Centuries later, the town played an important role in supplying the patriotic troops during the campaigns led by Santiago Mariño in 1813. During the 19th century, the port of Guiria was used as a transfer point for a variety of imports and exports of this part of the country. Today, the port works to support to Guiria's big fishing industries.
As you continue your panoramic trip, the coast becomes more rugged. Soon the highway passes through the villages of Puerto Santo and El Morro that have colorful fishing fleets. After a 15 minute drive you get to Rio Caribe, an eye-catching town where old colonial houses reveal their distinguished past by the well-preserved family monograms that crown the iron bars protecting the lofty, shuttered windows. Noted for its hospitality, the town enjoys a dynamic tourist activity due to the quality of its many posadas, restaurants, and other services.
From Rio Caribe you can visit some attractive corners within the state, such as hot springs that rise through the geologic fault of El Pilar. There are establishments in this area offering facilities for enjoying baths, massages, and therapeutic mud applications. Hato Rio de Agua and Finca Vuelta Larga are dedicated to raising water buffaloes and ecoourism. Their effort have helped publicize the highlights of the extraordinary natural environs in this area that harmoniously combine the terrestrial with the aquatic. At these hatos, visitors enjoy simple and comfortable accommodations and guided excursions to surrounding areas. From both Carupano and Rio Caribe, tourist excursions take you these natural canals that are bordered by extensive mangrove forest and packed with surprising types of wildlife, such as the Anableps - a kind of fish that crawls out of the water -and crabs that climb to the highest branches of the trees.
Driving south from Carupano, the road takes you to the villages of Gariquen, close to a bayou from which it takes its name, and Guanono. The bed of the Asphalt Lake of Guanoco, the only of its kind in Venezuela, was industrially developed in 1883, during Guzman Blanco's period, and was the first oil concession granted by Venezuela. At that time, when oil was not pumped from wells, cities like Philadelphia, Boston and New York paved their streets with asphalt from this remote corner of Sucre State.
| Parks of jungles and water |
Many of the mountains that make the Paria Peninsula, as well as their forest and wildlife, are protected by the Peninsula de Paria National Park that stretches from the heights of Tres Puntas Cape to the headlands of Paria at the eastern extreme of the peninsula facing Trinidad. Its 37,500 hectares protect both sides of the mountain range rising up to 4,100 feet above sea level. This area's warm and rainy climate is perfect for vegetation formed by native species found only in Paria, an other varieties that experts say are brought from Guyana and the llanos by the Orinoco's flood waters.
Special conditions combined in this area allow the presence of animal species that are only found on Paria Peninsula. Like the enchanting scissor-tailed hummingbird. Among mammals, you can find white-tailed deer, crab eating fox, red-howler monkeys, and collared peccaries.
In the southwestern corner of the state, 72,600 hectares of land crossed by the caños Ajies and Guariquen are protected by Turuepano National Park. Its warm climate plus an extended rainy season cause flooding that covers areas not reclaimed by the sea, and favors the development of impressive plant growth in mangroves and swamp vegetation.
"The streets of many of the towns have picturesque markets lining the streets"
The mix of saline and fresh water environments, and areas of firm land with swamps and bayous, is an unique characteristic of this park. Its importance is enhanced by the existence of endangered species like manatee, jaguar, flamingos, scarlet ibises and muscovy ducks that depend on the park for their survival, while adding color and beauty to the surroundings.
Boats cover the sea route from Guiria to the little town of Macuro, set on the eastern edge of the southern coast of Paria Peninsula. It was here where Christopher Columbus, Admiral of the Ocean Seas, has his first contact with continental America.
| Sucre's traditions and culture |
Sucre's native population, a mix of Indian, Spanish and African cultures, has also received the influence of French Corsican immigrants and in more recent times, immigration from the Antilles, especially Trinidad, with its highlights of Black, English, Chinese and Hindu culture and customs. Today's Sucrenses are amiable, extrovert and cheerful, and have a penchant for all artistic manifestation, especially music and dance, that they have made a natural part of their lives. As a community, they are very pleasant to deal with and they enjoy entertaining visitors. They are also noted for their rapid and idiomatic way of speaking, plenty of colorful phrasing and localisms.
Sucre is renowned in all Venezuela for its music and dances, among which the best known are the joropo oriental, galerones, and jotas. The rich, resonant cuatros of Cumana -small four-string guitars -owe their reputation to a meticulous, handmade elaboration inherited as a tradition among the families who ply their trade as craftsmen.
The state's calendar is full of religious celebrations and popular festivities. The feast of the Virgen del Valle, with its nautical parade, takes place on September 8th. Between December 16th and 24th, many of the towns organize Diversionea Orientales, bands of revelers led by musicians and singers that tell the story of a particular event. The 21st of January, Cumana celebrates with joy the Dia de Santa Ines, her patron saint, and during Holy Week the Passion is commonly reenacted.
Among the typical dishes are talkari de chivo (a zesty goat stew), sancocho de pescado (fish soup with native vegetables and roots), cuajado de raya (stingray omelet), cachapa (cornmeal pancake), empanada de cazon (shredded shark in cornmeal mass) and, casabe (casaba bread). A well-set oriental table will never lack ajicero, a spicy sauce made of hot and sweet peppers that gives zest to many recipes.
| General information |
Climate
Along the coast, temperatures are high and sunshine is very bright and powerful during the day, but nights can be cooler. The climate of the Paria Peninsula is generally hot and humid. Around Turimiquire, temperatures run from low to medium as you ascend the mountains, and dense mists are common in the evening. The rainy season runs from May to October - being July to September the months with the heaviest and most frequent rainfalls.
Lodging
Accomodations for visitors are concentrated in cities like Cumana and Carupano. Cumana has very good hotels like the Cumanagoto Hesperia, Nueva Toledo, and Los Bordones. In Cumana, Carupano and Rio Caribe you can find tourist class hotels, while in Mochima, Santa Fe and along the Cariaco Gulf coast you can find posadas of different qualities and prices. In Paria, besides a number of posadas, you can find famous hotels like Playa Medina and Pui-puy.
Other Services
We suggest you do your banking operations or change money in Cumana or Carupano. The main airports are also in these cities, as well as ports and bus terminals. These is a ferryboat with a rather erratic schedule that goes between Guiria and Trinidad. |
