Sandboarding in Medanos de Coro National Park

For this adventure we are going to drive 8 hours from Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, to the northeast of the country. All the way to the Falcon State, to get to our destination: Parque Nacional Los Médanos de Coro (Coro Dunes National Park), in the city of Santa Ana de Coro.

Coro city was funded in 1527 and is very rich in colonial Spanish and German architecture, with well-preserved facades throughout the historic town that have been awarded in 1993 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Therefore, a stop to walk around the colonial district is a must!

You can find many catholic churches and a cathedral basilica, built in the 15th century, a famous house with 100 windows, museums, monuments like the Federation Arch, and historical places known for being the headquarters of the leaders during the independence war.

The port of Coro, called ‘La Vela de Coro’, was built with the influence of Dutch construction techniques from the 16th century, and it is mostly visited because of its catholic traditions and celebrations. A fascinating place to visit if you are interested in colonial history.

The gastronomy in the Falcon state is majorly known for basing their meals with goat meat, from soups to stews. To have a proper experience in Coro, the delicious Talkari of Goat is not to be missed.

Médanos de Coro National Park

After visiting the historical places, the next destination is going to require using sand-proof sunglasses, as we are going to Venezuela’s “little Sahara” for a sandboarding experience. Medanos de Coro National Park is a 30km long desert with dunes that can reach up to 130ft in height. The winds are extremely strong, so it changes the ecosystem daily.

The first time I went, I was a little kid, so when I first saw the dunes from the highway, I could not contain my excitement. Almost 10 years later, I felt the same. Reviving all my memories was very special for me, and this time I had a new challenge as I was going with a team of sandboarders. The dunes can make everyone feel so free and liberated. I was barefoot and the sand felt so fresh, so I would recommend everyone going very early in the morning, or when is about to get dark, so the sand is not hot enough to burn you.

The crew prepared all the equipment and we walk up to a not so high dune where the experience commences. The first rule they give you is to not open your mouth, so of course the first thing I did was scream when going down. I ate so much sand because of it, but I could not help it, I was too nervous and excited. A great thing about the sand in Medanos de Coro is that it is clean and dry, which makes it easier to slide in.

It was such a fun experience and it does not require being an expert or following certain age or weight parameters, sandboarding in Coro is for everybody. There are many sandboard teams that rent the equipment or go with you and teach you how to, so there is not an excuse for not doing this outdoor activity. Or there is always the option to take your own equipment, like sleds, surfboards or even a skateboard deck.

We enjoyed our whole day ride after ride in the dunes, until the sun came down. The sunset was magical and dreamy. I loved every successful slide I had, and every fall, no matter how much sand I ate. I got back to the hotel finding sand in places I could not even imagine, but it only made me happier because it meant I really made the most of my day.

To enjoy the trip to the fullest, we also traveled the next day to the Paraguana Peninsula, two-hours away from Coro city, to the coast of Falcon. Also rich in colonial architecture, there is the small village of Adicora. This town is famous for its watersports given the high-speed winds conditions that it offers to the adventurous, such as kitesurfing and windsurf.

Paraguana Peninsula also has one of the most beautiful landscapes you can find in Venezuela, in Las Cumaraguas Salt Flats. They are special because of its pink color, caused by the amount of Tannin in the ground. This is also a place for watersports, so imagine how surreal it would be not only to practice kitesurf, but to do so, in salty pink waters. An outstanding experience, one that I promised myself to do very soon. In the meantime, I will share a video here about the experience of Ricardo Campello, a Brazilian-born professional windsurfer.

Falcon State, as little as it is, has a lot of landscapes to offer, from sand dunes to salt flats, and from mountains to beaches. Unique gastronomy, a valuable historical meaning and colonial architecture. It is in the top places not to miss if you are traveling to Venezuela.

Check out the gallery by clicking on the right side arrow.

Video by Ricardo Campello. Kitesurf at Venezuelan Las Cumaraguas Salt Flats.

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About my trip:

I did this trip back in April of 2016 thanks to the event organized by the crew of @IG.FALCON in which they invited all the photographers and instagrammers of the country to gather around and visit the beautiful capital of the Falcon state.

My video of the Instameet in Coro: