In addition to its attraction to tourists, Puerto la Cruz is a major center of commerce for Eastern Venezuela. It is the hub of the thriving oil industry and the port where oil from the interior is refined and from which it is exported. As a result of this commercial activity, a thriving service sector has emerged with four and five star hotel and resort accommodations, restaurants and shops.

Puerto la Cruz is located in the northeastern region of Venezuela known as El Oriente.

It is an area rich in historic sites and a primary site for ecotourism. Fed by many rivers, and receiving steady, moisture- carrying trade winds, this is one of the few areas along Venezuela's coast that is lush and green all year long. The region is home to an enormous variety of animals and plants, and is one of the most biodiverse in the world.

The northeast is a place of outdoor activity. This is the region for diving, sailing, walking, and exploring. Puerto la Cruz is Venezuela's major water sports center and is lined with marinas and yacht clubs, sailing and diving schools, Near Puerto la Cruz is the Mochima National Park which contains beaches for swimming and contains coral reefs for scuba diving and snorkeling.

Venezuela has a variety of traditional dishes which are found in nearly all local restaurants. Most are served with fried maize or wheat flour -based pancakes or breads. The most popular dishes are fried and grilled fish and meats usually served with rice. The wide variety of fish includes trout, red snapper, dorado, parrot fish, catfish and the baby shark (cazon). Oysters, clams and other shellfish are also widely enjoyed.

Coffee is domestically produced in Venezuela and is the usual hot beverage. It is always offered to visitors as a welcome drink.

An interesting orientation to the city is to take a half-day walking and bus tour beginning with the mile long main street called Paseo Colón. This street passes along the beach where at outdoor stalls jewelry, leather goods and craft items are displayed. Turning south, walk along Calle Sucre to the lovely square known as Plaza Bolívar. Take the Avenida Intercommunal bus and get off at the Avenida Principal de Lecherías. There you will see five 20 story residential towers. Adjoining them is El Morro, a large, modern residential/tourist complex on the waterfront with shops and restaurants. The area is criss crossed by a group of canals, on the banks of which residences and vacation cottages are being built, most with direct access to the waterfront with their own piers and slipways.

From Puerto la Cruz it is a short boat ride to the incomparable beaches where swimming, diving, shelling, and deep sea fishing are superb. From Mochima National Park and the beaches, travelers can take a tour along the "Route of the Sun" to South America's oldest city, Cumaná. This is one of the most scenic roads in Venezuela. The steep, winding highway is cut into the sides and base of steep mountains that seem to plunge into the sea. The rugged coast is pounded by waves, and the beaches are ringed by palm trees. The full length of the route is dotted with sweeps of white sand and breathtaking views of mountains and valleys.

Near Cumaná is the much visited and fascinating Cueva del Guácharo, an enormous cave named for the fruit eating, nocturnal birds that inhabit it. Swimming areas with hot springs and a colonial fort are other featured attractions. The ferry can be taken from Cumaná for a visit to the sun-kissed Island of Margarita. On the island is the lively and sophisticated city of Porlamar, which has grown from a fishing village to its present population of 150,000 residents. A ferry ride will return visitors to Puerta la Cruz.

For active water sports, a vibrant nightlife, unforgettable sunrises and sunsets, ample opportunities for island exploration, bird watching, or pure relaxation, there is no vacation destination offering more variety or more natural beauty than Puerto la Cruz.