# Northwest (Venezuela)

The Northwest is a region in Venezuela.

## Regions

* Zulia Zulia is all about oil. Oil was first discovered here in the early 20th century and still today around 1.5 million barrels a day is produced in the region. The state is also home to extensive farming and particularly cattle ranching.
* Falcón Known for its natural landscapes, like the Medanos de Coro and the National Parks Cueva de la Quebrada del Toro, Sierra de San Luis and Morrocoy.
* Yaracuy An agricultural state with a rich and diverse cultural heritage.
* Lara Home to 5 national parks.

## Cities
### Zulia

* 10.633333-71.6333331 Maracaibo — Venezuela's second city is famous for its typical music, big shopping malls and beautiful parks

### Falcón

* 11.395-69.6815832 Coro — the capital of Falcón state, Coro is one of the oldest Spanish settlements in South America. It has Venezuela's best example of beautiful, colonial architecture in the town center.
* 10.9343-68.27713 Chichiriviche — the gateway to Morrocoy National Park
* 11.716667-70.1833334 Punto Fijo — a Free Zone of Tourist Promotion, it is the main economic and population axis of Falcón.

### Lara

* 10.067778-69.3466945 Barquisimeto — a center of commerce and agriculture for western Venezuela and the country's fourth biggest municipality, known as the musical capital of Venezuela

## Other destinations
### Falcón

* 10.856-68.3061 Morrocoy National Park — A plethora of islets, coral reefs and sandy beaches make this one of the best beach and diving destinations in Venezuela. The islands are accessible by boat or lancha from either of Morrocoy's two gateways: Tucacas in the south or Chichiriviche in the north.
* Los Medanos de Coro — This substantial sandbar connecting the Paraguana Peninsula with mainland Venezuela has become its own spectacular 'desert' replete with xerophytic vegetation, and vast sand dunes that are great for freefall jumps and tumbles! Easily accessible from nearby Coro.
* Paraguaná Peninsula — More beaches on this windy peninsula, including some great spots for kite-surfing.
* Adicora — The Troja is located in Adícora, east of the Paraguana peninsula in Falcon State, which was born in the dunes of Coro National Park, a city declared World Cultural Heritage. Adicora, is a place of quiet beaches, surrounded by natural beauty esplendorosas, dunes, salt marshes and villages that look great example of Colonial architecture, famous also for the practice of windsurfing and skysurf. Paraguaná is free zone and free port zone, ideal for shopping white, lingerie, footwear, clothing and liquor. http://www.latrojaadicora.com $^{[deadlink]}$
* 11.606419-69.7376312 Médanos de Coro National Park – best known for its sand dunes

### Yaracuy

* Sorte - This mountain is home to the local cult of Maria Lionza, a historical native Indian princess. Followers come to the area regularly for rituals including spiritual cleansing and fortune telling by reading cigar ashes. There is a prominent statue of Maria Lionza in the middle of the main highway in Caracas, depicting her riding a tapir and holding up a pelvis bone toward the heavens.

## Get in

Planes arrive at:
* Maracaibo's La Chinita airport (MAR).
* José Leonardo Chirino Airport (CZE)
* Josefa Camejo International Airport (LSP)

## See

Some of Venezuela's best colonial architecture and cobbled streets are found in Coro, all around the historic town center of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Los Medanos are shifting sand dunes rising 30 m within within walking distance of central Coro. A mini-Sahara, the dunes are the only desert-like area in Venezuela.
Barquisimeto has one of the most modern and original cathedrals in Latin America. Its exterior shape is that of a flower upside down and it has a bell tower outside the building.
El Cabo de San Román is Venezuela's northernmost point. It is on the Paraguana Peninsula, 100 km north of Coro. The small town of Las Cumaraguas is close to the Cape and has some impressive salt flats you can visit.
Some of Venezuela's best colonial architecture and cobbled streets are found in Coro, all around the historic town center. Médanos de Coro National Park has shifting sand dunes rising 30 m within within walking distance of central Coro. A mini-Sahara, the dunes are the only desert-like area in Venezuela.

## Do

The Sierra de San Luis is a small range of mountains with a refreshingly cool climate, a great place for hiking and seeing nature.
Go Kitesurfing at Adicora, on the Paraguana Peninsula.
Yaracuy is home to several natural attractions, including the Yurubi National Park, known for its cloud and low-mountain forests and high levels of biodiversity.
At Morrocoy, coral reefs and tropical fish are abundant in the waters around the cayos. Dolphins, marine turtles and even some coastal caimans live in the remoter mangroves. Birds include pelicans, flamingoes, egrets and the odd scarlet ibis.

## Buy

The Paraguaná Peninsula in Falcon state is a free port, i.e. no sales tax or VAT is charged. This makes it a popular destination for Venezuelans to stock up on whisky or buy consumer goods such as televisions.