Parque Vargas runs along the seafront at the eastern edge of the town centre, hemmed in by the old sea wall on one side and the city's grid of low buildings on the other. The planting is the point: tall royal palms, almond trees, and dense tropical foliage that genuinely shelters wildlife — sloths overhead, agoutis on the ground, and a constant turnover of birds.
A bandstand stands at the centre and a faded mural runs along one wall depicting scenes from the province's history. Take a slow circuit, then walk a block inland to the cathedral or south along the malecón. The park is at its best in the early morning and late afternoon; at midday the heat empties it of all but the most determined of locals.