Ecuador travel tips - Popular attractions

CITIES

Depending on which activity you intend to persue, such city of glamour or culture are available to your choice.

• Quito - Capital. Colonial City.
• Baños- In this city you can find an active volcano having small eruptions of ash and lava. Volcano Tungurahua. There are also many hot spring mineral baths as its name would imply.
• Cuenca- The third largest city in Ecuador. Cuenca was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site.
• Guayaquil - Largest city in the country and largest port city.
• Otavalo - Small town only two hours north of Quito famous for its indigenous craft market.
• Riobamba -- Starting point of the famous train ride down the Nariz del Diablo and gateway to Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest peak, whose summit is the furthest point on Earth from its centre.
• Esmeraldas - One of the most popular beaches in Ecuador.
• Bahía de Caraquez - Another popular beach.
• Loja - the oldest colonial city.
• Sucumbios or Nueva Loja - a jungle centered city.
• Manta - the most important seaport of the country.

OTHER DESTINATIONS

• Agua Blanca
• Babahoyo
• Canoa
• Cotopaxi
• Galapagos Islands
• Guaranda
• Mindo
• Montañita
• Papallacta
• Piedra Blanca
• Puerto López
• Puyo
• Quilotoa Loop
• San Miguel
• Tena
• Vilcabamba

Popular destinations in Ecuador

QUITO

San Francisco de Quito

Quito, officially San Francisco de Quito, is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in northern Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of the Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains. With an estimated population of about 1.5 million people as of 2005, Quito is the second most populous city in Ecuador, after Guayaquil. It is also the seat of the Quito Metropolitan District, home to 2 million residents, and the capital of the Pichincha province. As the headquarters of the newly-formed Union of South American Nations, Quito is also the de facto capital of South American integration.

Quito is located about 15 miles (25 km) south of the equator. A monument and museum marking the general location of the equator is known locally as la mitad del mundo (the middle of the world).

GUAYAQUIL

Guayaquil

Santiago de Guayaquil, or justGuayaquil, is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador, as well as that nation's main port. Guayaquil is on the west margin of the Guayas River, which flows into the Gulf of Guayaquil in the Pacific Ocean. Guayaquil is at 2.21°S 79.90°W, about 250 km south-southwest of the capital of Ecuador, Quito. According to the most recent census (2001), its population was 2,189,865. However, the estimated metropolitan population was 2,908,338.

Guayaquil is the capital of the Ecuadorian province of Guayas and the seat of the namesake canton. (In Ecuador, a cantón (canton) is a second-order subnational entity below a first-order province.)

CUENCA

El Parque Calderón

Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador, capital of the Azuay province. It is located in the Sierra, the highlands of Ecuador at about 2500m (8200 ft) above sea level. Its full name is Santa Ana de los cuatro ríos de Cuenca. The city's cobblestone streets, towering cathedrals, and marble and whitewashed buildings give it a colonial air. Cuencanos, known for their traditional demeanor and conservative cultural values, match their 18th century surroundings. The city's history is well preserved , earning Cuenca the honor of being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are a small archipelago of islands belonging to Ecuador in the western Pacific Ocean. The islands are quite remote and isolated, lying some 1000 km (620 miles) west of the South American continent. The Galapagos archipelago consists of 13 main islands and 6 smaller isles, which together embrace some 50,000 sq km (19,500 sq miles) of ocean.

BANOS

Baños is a small city in de Andean highlands in Ecuador under the smoke of volcano Tungurahua. It's equally popular with foreigners as Ecuadorians. The streets are lined with hotels, restaurants, souvernirshops and touragents. Although it seems a bit touristy and artificial lots of people love it and it's definitely worth a visit. It's an important hub for outdoor sports and jungle tours.