Médanos de Coro — Wildlife & Side Quests

Reddish egret — coastal lagoon visits, the dunes' edge has flooded zones with shorebirds
Flamingo (small numbers seasonally at the lagoons just south of the dunes)
Iguanas — large green iguanas live around the entrance
Lizards — many species adapted to desert sand
Wild goats (cabras) — feral populations roam the park edges
Hawks and crested caracara — soaring above the dunes
Migrating sandpipers October-April
Desert-adapted plants — cardón cactus, salt-tolerant grasses, ground-hugging succulents
Snakes (low concentrations, mostly non-venomous) — be aware near rocky outcrops
Scorpions are present — shake out shoes if camping (camping is not permitted in the park proper)

Sandboarding the largest dune face (rental: $5-10/board)
Coro UNESCO historic center — Plaza Bolívar, San Francisco church, painted colonial houses
Cueva del Indio (Indian Cave) — pre-Hispanic petroglyphs 30 min from Coro
Adícora — Venezuela's kitesurfing capital, 45 min east, world-class side-onshore wind
Cuare Wildlife Refuge — flamingos and waterbirds 1.5 hours east of Coro
Cerro Santa Ana — climb the 815m hill on the Paraguaná Peninsula for panoramic views
Punto Fijo refinery panoramic — industrial sublime, the largest petroleum refining complex in Venezuela
Visit a salt flat — the Las Cumaraguas salinas south of Coro produce sea salt traditionally
Sunset photography from the highest dune — golden hour drama is the reason photographers come