Médanos de Coro National Park, Desert national park near Coro, Venezuela
Médanos de Coro National Park is a desert and dune area near Coro in Venezuela, covering three different ecological zones including mangrove swamps and sandy expanses. The tallest dunes rise about 40 meters and form a landscape that recalls North Africa while remaining part of the Caribbean coast.
The Venezuelan government created this protected area in February 1974 to preserve the natural dune formations and coastal habitats. Since then, legal measures have prevented sand extraction and other activities that could disturb the ecological balance.
The name Médanos comes from Spanish and means dune, a term locals use for the wandering sand hills. Visitors often see small groups settling in the hollows between dunes to escape the wind and enjoy the silence of the desert.
Buses and taxis run regularly from the city of Coro to the park entrance, where visitors can book sand boarding, quad biking, or horseback rides. The wind is usually calmer in the morning, making it the best time to walk through the dunes.
Four temporary lagoons formed among the sand dunes during the heavy floods of December 1999. These bodies of water created an unusual desert oasis that remained visible for several months after the rains.
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