The sights of Ecuador are colonial, natural and ethnographic.
Guayaquil is the capital of the province of Guayas, one of the largest and most populous cities in Ecuador. This is a modern city, but it has preserved a small colonial part of the old Guayaquil – the Las Peñas area with wooden buildings and narrow cobbled streets. The most famous sights are Centenario Square, the Cathedral, the Centro de Artes Theater, the Cerro Blanco Natural Park. In addition, it will be interesting to visit the Anthropological Museum, the Nakhim Issias Museum, the Municipal Museum. The sights of the city include the recently completed embankment with magnificent parks, shopping and entertainment centers, small cozy restaurants. Near Guayaquil are the Botanical Gardens, where about 350 species of plants, 73 species of birds and 60 species of butterflies are represented.
Salinas is one of the best beach resorts in Ecuador, located on the Pacific coast, 2.5 hours drive from Guayaquil (144 km). The most favorable time for a holiday in the resort is from January to April: at this time, the weather is sunny and dry. The main beach of Salinas pleases with a developed infrastructure: almost all water sports are represented here. This beach gradually turns into Chipipe beach, already located in the residential and commercial area of the city. There are stronger waves suitable for bodyboarding, there is also a yacht club. Various ecological excursions are held in the vicinity of Salinas: cocoa plantations, local haciendas, thermal mud baths (San Vicente baths are located 25 minutes drive from the resort).
Otavalo or “city of weavers” is a small town located between Quito and the Colombian border. It is there that the most famous and richest Indian market of woolen products and souvenirs in Ecuador is located. The locals inherited from the Kara Indians the secrets of making fabrics using dyes, which make it possible to achieve any shade of color. On the way to Otavalo, tourists often visit the town of Calderon, famous for its unique figures made from bread dough, as well as Cayambe, where delicious biscuits are prepared.
Ecuador is the right place for fans of active sports. There are all conditions for mountaineering and hiking, kayaking and diving, surfing and paragliding. For lovers of exotic adventures along the tributaries of the Amazon, tours are organized to the very heart of the selva on traditional boats and boats.
7 things to do in Ecuador
- Visit the Sunday Art Market at El Ejido Park in Quito.
- Look into the cultural and entertainment complex “Ciudad Mitad del Mundo” (“Middle of the World”), which is located 15 minutes north of Quito.
- Take a ride on the Ibarro-San Lorenzo railway in an unusual train on a chassis.
- Pick up local produce and exotic goods at Otavalo’s world-famous Saturday Market in De Ponchos Square.
- Go scuba diving in La Corona del Diablo, in the Galapagos.
- Watch whales in the dilapidated port of Puerto Lopez (better – from June to September).
- In the last ten days of September, look at the annual World Banana Fair in the “banana capital of the world” Machala.
Climbing and trekking
The most popular places for difficult ascents are located in the Cotopaxi National Park (Cotopaxi Volcano, 5897 m) and Chimborazo Volcano (6310 m). There are many slopes for easier routes in Banos. Las Cajas Nature Reserve has excellent hiking trails. And jungle trips, which have always been among the most extreme adventures, usually start from Misahuali, Coca, Baños, Dureno, Tena and Quito.
Events in Ecuador
The main holiday of the country is the Independence Day of Ecuador, which is celebrated on a grand scale throughout the country. At the same time, each city celebrates its own Independence Day: Quito on December 6, Guayaquil on October 9, Cuenca on April 11, etc. In addition, many cities celebrate the day of the city, for example, the Founding of Quito in December is a great national holiday with festivals, fairs and bullfights.
In September, there is the Jamor festival in Otavalo, the bullfights in Sangolqui, the celebration of the Virgin of Mercedes in Latacunga and Quito, the Fiesta de la Mama Negra (the festival of the “Black Mother”, the patroness of the region), as well as the Festival of the Lakes in Ibarra, accompanied by car races in the Yahuarcocha lagoon, beauty contests and numerous fairs.
In January, New Year and Epiphany are celebrated noisily and colorfully in the central part of the Sierra and on the coast. February is marked by the Day of the Amazon and the Galapagos, the Festival of Fruits and Flowers, the National Day of Unity, as well as the Water Carnival (late February – early March). In March, the Peach Festival in Gualaseo, the Fruit Festival in Saraguro and the theatrical performance “The Way of the Cross to Calvary” in Atuntaki are held. In April, the Folklore Festival in Riobamba and the Latin American Craft Fair in Ibarra.
Climate of Ecuador
In the mountains, the climate is favorable all year round – about +23 ° C, but there are sharp differences between night and day temperatures. From December to April, it is slightly cooler, with a chance of rain in the afternoon. See Citypopulationreview for weather information.
The coast is more characterized by a pronounced tropical climate with an average annual temperature of +28 °C. The rainy season in these areas is from December to May, but it is he who is the most favorable period for visiting. During the dry season (June to November) it is too hot.
The jungle region of the Amazon is always hot, humid and rainy. The dry (conditionally) season is the period from January to April, and the rainy season is from May to January. The average annual air temperature in these areas is +28 °C.
Actual information: weather forecast for the main resorts of Ecuador for the coming days.
