Cabimas

Introduction

Cabimas sits on the Costa Oriental del Lago de Maracaibo, the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo, in Zulia State in northwestern Venezuela. It is part of the country's western oil country, and the lake defines much of the city's setting and outlook.

When to go

Cabimas is hot and humid all year, so there is no cool season to plan around. What changes is the rain. Most of the year sees low precipitation, making this the drier stretch for exploring the city and its neighbourhoods. Even then, it stays hot and humid, and the greenhouse effect from the oil well flares can make it feel even hotter than the thermometer suggests.

The wet season brings heavy rain, with frequent downpours and very humid conditions. The heat remains intense throughout, and the oil well flares add to the oppressive feel. If you want to avoid the worst of the humidity and the heaviest downpours, aim for the drier months; if you visit during the wet season, plan around the rain and prepare for sticky, stifling conditions.

Three days in Cabimas

Day one: Start in Cabimas itself, on the Costa Oriental of Lake Maracaibo in Zulia State, Venezuela. Get your bearings in the city before heading out along the shore of the lake, where the water and the oil infrastructure define the view. If you want a bigger city for the evening, Maracaibo is the regional counterweight on the other side of the lake.

Day two: Give the day to the lake. The Lago is the reason Cabimas exists, and the Costa Oriental is best understood by moving along it rather than staying in one spot. Even a slow circuit of the waterfront shows you how the city and the water are tied together.

Day three: Use your last day to fill in what you missed in Cabimas, then decide whether to push on to Maracaibo or stay put in Zulia State. Most of what you will remember is the lake and the towns strung along its eastern shore.