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Other
sites of interest
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Handicrafts:
Caripe has a rich variety
of handicrafts prepared using
modern, ancient and native
techniques. In the main villages
and city streets, this art is
displayed in the form of
carvings, naive paintings, hats
and hooks made out of corn
leaves, musical instruments,
etc., using materials such as
clay, ceramics, wood and metals.
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Cultural
Centers:
Casa de la Cultura (House of
Culture): Corner of Calle Las
Orquídeas and Avenida Guzmán
Blanco, having an auditorium,
exhibition rooms, recreation
areas, toilets and parking area.
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Sweets
and liqueur stores:
In addition to its handicrafts,
Caripe offers typical sweets and
liqueur made from ingredients
produced in the region, such as
coffee, cocoa, rose petals,
etc., and which are famous in
the rest of the country for
their flavor and quality. In Teresén,
Campo Claro, La
Guanota and other sectors of
the zone, there are stores
selling these products.
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In
the local dialect, Caripe means “River of
Squirrels”. Nearby is the famous Cueva
del Guácharo (Guacharos’ Cave), with an
abundant and characteristic variety of flora
and fauna which makes the town more beautiful.
With its mountain climate and fresh aroma, it
is rightly called the “Garden of the East”.
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Tourist attractions |
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 Biological
Stations:
Agrotourist farms Campo
Claro, La Coradeña and La
Cuchilla: In these farms, the
visitor feels a sense of the region’s
environment, with horseback riding, hiking,
farming activities, swimming pools and plenty
of rest. In addition, agrotourist activities
can be seen in all their stages.
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 Churches:
Chapel of San Agustín: It is
characterized by being covered with ivy.
Church of Santo Ángel Custodio: With a
Californian architectonic style altar dating
from the 18th
Century. Parish Church: Is of modern style.
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 Lakes:
Laguna Grande:
Is surrounded by beautiful vegetation and is
used for all kinds of nautical sports and
fishing. Salto de Aparicio (Aparicio
Falls).
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 Natural
Monuments:
Alejandro de Humboldt:
Located in the Cueva de Guácharo
National Park. It was the first National
Monument to be declared in the country. Quite
rightly, this immense natural cavern, the
biggest in Venezuela and among the most
important in the world, is named after the
great German scientist, Alejandro de Humboldt,
who announced his discovery to all humanity in
his writings of 1816. The cave extends for a
distance of 10,2 km. The only known entrance
is at 1.065m above sea level, and it has a
broad mouth 23m high by 28m wide. For tourist
purposes, one can enter up to about 1.500m if
accompanied by an expert guide. Inside the
cave, there are stalactites and stalagmites
formed over thousands of years and the guácharos,
the only nocturnal birds that feed on fruit.
It is impressive to see them leaving the cave
in the twilight and return in the dawn hours
making a deafening noise.
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 Museums:
Alejandro Humboldt Speleological
Museum: This is of immense scientific and
cultural value and forms part of the Cueva
del Guácharo National Park. It provides a
permanent exhibition of stalactite and
stalagmite pieces and life forms from the
Cave.
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 Parks:
Cueva del Guácharo
National park: Situated in the northeast
region of the State, close to Caripe, it
occupies an area of 15.500 hectares and was
established in 1975. It is an important source
of water, from which rivers such as the Cariaco,
the Guarapiche, the Caripe
originate, as well as the stream Cerro
Negro, supplying water not only to Monagas,
but also the Island of Margarita. The
highest parts are Cerro Negro and Cerro
de la Cueva with altitudes of 2.430m and
1.680m, respectively. Perhaps the greatest
attraction is the Guácharo Cave, home
of the nocturnal birds with their amazing
songs. Visiting hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and
you can only enter up to 1.500m into the cave.
To go further than this, explorer and research
groups must obtain permits from INPARQUES
(0212-284.30.22/10.90/ 24.98). In addition,
the park has several paths suitable for walks,
leading to places such as La Paila Falls,
a slow-flowing waterfall that runs diagonally
to the Guácharo Cave, or Chorrerón
Falls, about 50 m high and situated in the
neighborhood of Sabana de Piedra.
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