Location: Northwestern coast of Peru. Shares a border with Ecuador. Area: 4669 km2 / 1803 miles2

Capital: Tumbes (7 masl / 23 fasl) Altitude: Lowest point: 5 masl / 16 fasl (Caleta La Cruz)

Highest point: 1650 masl / 5412 fasl (Cordillera de los Amotapes - San Jacinto) Distances: From the city of Tumbes to the following cities: Zorritos (Province of Contralmirante Villar) 27 km (17 miles) / 25 minutes Zarumilla (Province of Zarumilla) 23 km (14 miles) / 25 minutes Access Routes: By land: Lima – Tumbes: 1270 km / 789 miles (18 hours by bus on the Pan-Americana Highway) By air: Daily flights to Tumbes from Lima (1 hour and 30 minutes)

In the pre-Hispanic times, different groups of people used to live from farming, hunting, and trade settled in the region. Among the most important were the Tumpis (fifteenth century) who were great sailors of the Peruvian coast and also skilled masters in woodcarving and work of the Spondylus shells (Spondyillus princeps – a greatly prized bivalve mollusk in the Andean region), pata de burro (Concholapas peruviana) and other seashells. According to legend, the Tumpis were annexed to the Tahuantinsuyo (Inca Empire) during the reign of Huayna Cápac.In 1532, when the Spanish Conquistadors commanded by Francisco Pizarro first landed at the port of La Leña – La Chepa estuary (today Playa Hermosa), they had to face strong resistance from the Tumpis in the Battle of the Mangroves. Before setting off, Francisco Pizarro erected a cross as the symbol of Christianity, which gave the name of the actual cove, La Cruz (the cross is still at the same place today).

The Department of Tumbes features a wide range of terrain. You can find five of the eleven existing Peruvian eco-regions: from the wide plains and soft rolling hills to the steep Amotapes Mountains, the ecosystems range from estuaries and mangroves, dry equatorial forests and Pacific tropical forest. More than 30% of the territory has been declared Natural Protected Areas (NPA). All along the coast, there are wide beaches of white sands and warm waters from the tropical seas that reach a temperature of 25°C (77°F). The sun shines all year round, and the variety of activities available there have turned the zone into an extremely frequented and popular area. The average annual maximum temperature is 26°C (79°F) and the minimum of 19°C (66°F). However, when the El Niño phenomenon occurs, the weather can change drastically, causing more rain and higher temperatures, sometimes over 40°C (104°F).

Province of Tumbes

Main Square, city of Tumbes

The 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). The weather is warm and it rains in summer (December – April). Saint Nicolas de Tolentino Church, Main church Main Square Built 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 worked in them, figures of the saints and the Virgin, and a remarkable sculpture of the Christ. Pedestrian Walkways There are many walkways 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 Area This 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. Puerto Pizarro Beach and Mangroves 13 km / 8 miles from Tumbes (15 minutes by car) The fishermen’s cove of Puerto Pizarro is the launching point for boat tours in the mangroves. This ecosystem is made up of estuaries or navigable canals, some of them up to six meters in height, and islands created from the accumulation of sediment and lime that are all part of the Tumbes River delta. Along the trip, you can disembark on the islands of Amor (love) and Hueso de Ballena (whale bone), whose beaches are the largest in the zone. The area is a refuge for a large variety of birds, and the Island of the Pajaros (birds) is an ideal spot for bird watching, especially at sunset when they fly to their nest for the night. It is famous for its black scallops and mollusks prized for their flavor and aphrodisiac properties; the mangroves are also well known for being the breeding grounds of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), a species unique to Peru but unfortunately endangered. The best time to visit the mangroves is between May and December. During the rainy season, (January – April), the tours are subject to 48-hour previous agreement.

El Bendito Rural Community El Bendito is a rural community, located on the southwestern edge of the Mangrove Sanctuary, 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. Cabeza de Vaca Archeological Remains 5 km / 3 miles from Tumbes (10 minutes by car) 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 spondylus 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). Province of Zarumilla Tumbes National Mangrove Sanctuary 30 km / 19 miles from Tumbes (50 minutes by car) 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, as well as 100 species of birds, 14 mammal species, 34 crustaceans, dozens of snail species, 24 mollusks with shells, and more than 100 species of fish. In order to enter the sanctuary, an authorization from the National Institute for Natural Resources (INRENA) is required. Tumbes Reserved Zone 51 km / 32 miles northeast of Tumbes (3 hours in a 4x4 vehicle) The Tumbes Reserved Zone is spread over 75.102 hectares and is home to species characteristic to the Amazonian jungle, the highlands, and the coast such as the jaguar, the Andean condor, and the coastal fox. It is also an important refuge for endemic endangered species of birds, animals, and plants like the American crocodile, the northwest nutria, the mantled howler monkey and the white-fronted capuchin – the only two primates of the Peruvian coast – and the rubber tree. There are many different wildlife species such as the yellow-faced parakeet, the gray-cheeked parakeet, the anteater, the gray-backed hawk, the jay, the ovenbird, and a great variety of flora like ceibo trees, carob trees, angolo trees, quipo trees, palo santo trees and guayacán trees. The place is a representative example of the Pacific tropical forest ecosystem, unique to Peru, and has been included to the Northwest Peruvian Biosphere Reserve for its value. This is a fragile ecosystem that preserves areas with little human incursion. The zone can be visited throughout the entire year, but it is difficult to get there during the rainy season (January – March) or when El Niño phenomenon occurs. Province of Contralmirante Villar Cerros de Amotape National Park 36 km / 22 miles from Tumbes (1 hour and 20 minutes by car). Telephone: (072) 52-6489. Visiting hours: It is necessary to acquire the permission. This park is spread out over 91.300 hectares and is located at the border of the Departments of Tumbes and Piura. The altitude varies from 120 masl / 394 fasl (Rica Playa) to 1538 masl / 5045 fasl (Cerro Campana), and its diverse geography combines dry, tropical forests with the mountains of the North Peruvian Cordillera or the Amotapes Mountains. These mountains gather a large amount of biodiversity. Carob trees, spruce trees, charan trees, sapote trees, pasallo trees and guayacán trees grow there. The wildlife is very diverse and includes species representative of tropical forests, arid zones, and the Andean mountain ranges such as the Andean condor, the little spotted cat, the red deer, the percari, the northern anteater, the spectacled bear, the gray deer, the Guayaquil squirrel, and the scarlet macaw. The ecological importance of the area has allowed it to be considered as part of the Northwest Peruvian Biosphere Reserve. There are many different circuits you can take to hike around the mountains and gorges allowing you to observe the equatorial dry forest flora and fauna and to navigate through the Tumbes River canyon, an impressive site on the Peruvian coast. The zone can be visited all year round, but it is difficult to get there during the rainy season (January – March) or when El Niño phenomenon strikes. Zorritos Beach Resort 28 km / 17 miles from Tumbes (30 minutes by car) This beach is made of fine, white sand and is stroked by continuous waves. The waters are warm (on average 26°C / 79°F) and the area offers lodging, restaurants, shops, Internet access, small markets, and public phones. Zorritos is an ideal place for sports such as jet ski, surf, and fishing. Punta Sal Beach 80 km / 50 miles from Tumbes (1 hour and 15 minutes by bus) It is one of the most beautiful and longest beaches of the north coast of the country characterized by its warm, tranquil waters (average temperature 24°C / 75°F). The beach is divided in two, the Big and Small Punta Sal beach resorts. The latter is an isolated, half-moon beach with white sands and protected by two small headlands. Hervideros Hot Springs 40 km / 25 miles from 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.

The cultural manifestations of the region are varied and take place all around the year. However, the most popular ones are the cumananas, or quartets of poetry inspired by love, death, and the divine that are accompanied by singing and guitar playing.

In the fishermen’s coves of Puerto Pizarro, Punta Mero, Punta Sal y Cancas, people sell items made of seashells such as earrings, necklaces, and seashell curtains. There are also shops selling decorations and figurines of people and animals typical to the area made from pasalla tree and banana plant fibers.

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.

Tumbes Tourism Week – variable date Province of Tumbes, District of Tumbes Many different cultural and tourism promotional activities take place during this week.

AIRPORT Pedro Canga Rodríguez Airport Kilometer marker 1276 of the Pan-American Highway North Telephone: (072) 52-5102 OVERLAND TRANSPORT There is no bus terminal but almost all the bus companies are found between the first and eleventh blocks of Avenida Tumbes. HEALTH CENTERS - JAMO Support Hospital Calle 24 de Julio 565 and Avenida Tumbes. Telephone: (072) 52-4775 / 52-2222. Attention: 24 hours - Puerto Pizarro Health Center Calle José Olaya. Attention: Mon. – Sat. 8:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. - Zorritos Medical Outpost Prolongación Grau 350. Telephone: (072) 54-4158. Attention: Mon. – Sat. 8:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. LOCAL POLICE - Regional Headquarters of the National Police of Peru Avenida Tumbes Norte s/n. Telephone: (072) 52-2615. Attention: 24 hours - San Jose Neighborhood Police Station Intersection of Avenida Mayor Novoa and Calle Zarumilla. Telephone: (072) 52-2525. Attention: 24 hours - El Tablazo Police Station Calle Hilario Carrasco 515. Telephone: (072) 52-4823. Attention: 24 hours POSTAL SERVICES Calle San Martín 208 / 210 Telephone: (072) 52-3868 / 52-3866. Attention: Mon. – Sat. 8:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M. REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OF TUMBES www.regiontumbes.gob.pe TOURIST INFORMATION Regional Administration of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Tumbes Calle Bolognesi 194-Civic Center, 2nd floor Telephone: (072) 52-4940 / 52-3699. Attention: Mon. - Fri. 7:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. and 2:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. At the Tourist Information and Assistance Service, iperu, you can ask for objective and impartial tourism information, as well as help assistance case the tourist services you received were not provided according to the contract signed.

Contact the service nationwide, 24 hours a day: Telephone: (01) 574-8000 Email: iperu@promperu.gob.pe MORE INFORMATION: www.peru.info/eng/tumbes The information contained in this document is a list of attractions and services at the disposal of the traveler in the entire region. In order to update it, PromPerú has been assisted by official information sources like: National Institute for Natural Resources (INRENA), National Culture Institute (INC), National Institute of Geography (IGN), National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru (SENAMHI), and the Regional Administration of Foreign Trade and Tourism.