"Amapola's Punto Fijo Pagina" Punto Fijo by amapola66

Punto Fijo Travel Guide: 9 reviews and 12 photos

About Punto Fijo

We have just returned from a trip to Paraguana, Falcón state northwest Venezuela, in which lies a city called Punto Fijo . It lies at the southwestern tip of the bulge of the Paraguaná Peninsula, which is a tax free region on the shores of the Gulf of Venezuela, 20 miles or so south of the island of Aruba (a 15-20 min plane ride).

The city emerged during the 1960s as the peninsula's major urban centre. There are two small ports ; Punta Cardón and Amuay, and the airport airport of Las Piedras. (There was supposed to be a ferry service starting from Aruba to Punto Fijo spring 2005, but so far, it hasn't materialised). There are some beautiful beaches within the region.

My Dad (an opera singer and retired professor) lives around half an hours drive from there , on the beach at Los Taques

The Paraguana Peninsula

The 'Head' of Paraguana

The peninsula is a desert surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. Apparently, it used be be an island, but is now joined to the mainland by the 'neck', (Paraguana being the 'head'). This area has been declared a national monument and is home to varied fauna including goats,mountain cats and numerous bird species and you can explore the sand dunes of nearby Coro.

The Oil Refineries

Punto Fijo Oil Refinieries

Oil refineries blot the landscape in Punto Fijo. They can look pretty spooky at night with the flames burning high in the sky.

This is one of the the largest oil refineries in the world. I believe there are a Dutch company and a North American company there.
My brother told me that the workers there usually don't live as long as they should, terrible.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Family live there, Dry heat, Lovely people, Hardly any Mosquitos, Cheap Shopping, Non-Corporate
Cons:Oil refineries blot the landscape, Caution needed in some areas, Very hot, arid and windy, Smell of Gas in many parts, poverty
In a nutshell:Bustling Desert town, Interesting to visit, but wouldn't want to live there

Last visit to Punto Fijo: Jan 2008
Intro Updated Jan 13, 2008
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Reviews (9)

The Venezuelan Goat and a Sense of... Local Customs (1)

"The goat population in Venezuela has been estimated in a million and a half heads". Hmm I think most of these goats... more travel advice

Mis Zapatos Nuevos ! Shopping (1)

Being a big shoe fan, It is impossible for me to leave Venezuela without a pair of their stylish reasonably priced... more travel advice

Charcuteria Things to Do (3)

We have visited this place in Punto Fijo many times, for bread, snacks, pizza etc and is a local meeting place to have a... more travel advice

Los Medanos de Coro Things to Do (3)

One of the most spectacular places of interest near to Punto Fijo, is the 'Los Medanos de Coro.' This is the largest of... more travel advice

Transportation (3)
See All Sol America

Warnings and Dangers (1)
Venezuelan Sun Tiger Tarantula !

Comments (2)

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DJS200 Jan 15, 2007 at 9:49 AM

Hi. Have you heard of Hotel Los Balcones in Punto Fijo?
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amapola66 Mar 9, 2005 at 2:06 AM

well, maybe they were just drinking coca cola and i was mistaken ; )