Main Attractions:
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, figures of the saints and the Virgin, and a remarkable sculpture of the Christ.
Pedestrian Esplanades
There 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 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 atruncated 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).
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
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