Bahía de Asunción y Reserva…: things to see in Paraguay

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Asunción, the capital Asunción

Bahía de Asunción y Reserva Ecológica Banco San Miguel

Reserve

The bay where Asunción was born is now a sanctuary for shorebirds that fly in from the Arctic.

in Asunción

2–3 hoursDuration

₲₲₲Budget or free

DirectionsSee on map

What it is

Facing the city, a narrow peninsula of lowlands, Banco San Miguel, separates the bay from the main channel of the Paraguay River: on one side, the Atlantic Forest; on the other, the Lower Chaco. This mosaic of shallow water, sandbanks and grasslands draws hundreds of bird species, from herons and cormorants to shorebirds that travel thousands of kilometers from North America. From the Costanera and its birdwatching lookout, binoculars in hand, you can spot them without leaving the city, with the historic center as a backdrop.

What to see and do

The birdwatching lookout on the Costanera
Migratory shorebirds: Buff-breasted Sandpiper, American Golden-Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper
Views of the historic center from the east side of the bay
A bike ride along the Costanera bike path

Did you know…?

In just 522 hectares, 269 bird species have been recorded, including at least 25 shorebird species.

More than 3% of the world population of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper uses the bay during migration, according to monitoring by Guyra Paraguay.

It is an Important Bird Area (IBA) and a site in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

History

It was on this bay that Juan de Salazar de Espinosa founded, in 1537, the fort that gave rise to Asunción, and here Paraguayan ships anchored during the War of the Triple Alliance and the Chaco War. In 2005, Law 2,715 created the Banco San Miguel and Bay of Asunción Ecological Reserve, jointly managed by the City and the national environmental authority.

Tips

Bring binoculars and go early in the morning, with the light behind you.
Watch from the Costanera or join guided outings run by specialized organizations; Banco San Miguel has informal settlements and isn't a good place to explore on your own.
Water levels depend on the river: in autumn and winter the bay often floods, leaving fewer exposed sandbanks.

Free birdwatching from the Costanera.

Best time: Spring (September to November), when the Nearctic shorebirds arrive; always early in the morning.

Activities

Birdwatching Photography Cycling Wild nature Rivers & lakes History & missions

Festivals and events here

Apr

International Jazz Day in Asunción

Jazz concerts at cultural centers and stages around the capital to celebrate the genre’s world day.

MusicAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)May→ Jun

Asunción International Book Fair (FIL)

Ten days of books, authors and language: the country’s great literary festival, with free entry and a guest country.

CulturalAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Featured May

Independence Days (May 14 and 15)

Two public holidays for the 1811 independence: flags, ceremonies, sopa paraguaya and chipa guasu all over the country.

CulturalAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Aug

August 1: National Carrulim Day

On the first day of August people drink carrulim—cane liquor, rue and lemon—to ward off the ills of the most dreaded month.

TraditionAsunción y todo el país, Varios Aug

August 15: Founding of Asunción and Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption

The birthday of the Mother of Cities coincides with the feast of its patron saint: Mass at the Cathedral, a public holiday and cultural events.

ReligiousAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Featured