Ecuador

History, eco-tourism, nature (including the iconic Galápagos Islands), urban scenes in Quito and Guayaquil - and all a relative bargain!

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Paulakindsvater Founded in 1535, this country´s largest city (pop. 2.7 million) and business capital sits on the steamy Pacific coast, near where Guayas River drains into the ocean, and except for business travelers it´s not as popular a destination as, say the Galápagos, Quito, and Cuenca. But Guayaquil is still very much worth a visit, starting with this quintet of highlights: read post

Started by Tripatini

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Las Peñas, Guayaquil´s charming colonial core

Noradoa When it comes to Ecuador travel, most of the attention goes to the Galápagos and Quito - maybe with some to spare for quaint Cuenca up in the Andes. But the country’s largest city and business capital, Guayaquil down on the Pacific coast, is despite its big-city amenities still seen as rather grey and uninteresting to visitors - mostly a destination for business travellers.Even so, there’s one historic neighbourhood, tucked away at the end of Guayaquil’s reconstructed malecón (and these…

Started by Iberia Airlines

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Ecuador cited in 'South America's Iconic Vicuñas'

Visitors to part of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru (where it's the national animal and is even on the country's coat of arms) may come across this quintessential South American mammal, a camelid related to guanacos, llamas, and alpacas (which are descended from vicuñas) The smallest of the camelids, vicuñas stand about three feet tall at the shoulder; weigh between 70 and 150 pounds; and have long necks and legs as well as relatively small heads with long pointed ears.…

Started by Tripatini

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Cuenca, Ecuador's Colonial Charmer

Sherwood Up in the Andes mountains south of Ecuador's political capital Quito and east of its largest city and commercial capital Guayaquil, this city named for the the city in Spain that was the hometown of the Spanish viceroy at the time of its founding in 1557 (later than the above two) is so lovely and historic that it’s been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, and in addition to a growing tourism destination has also become a magnet for expatriates, especially from the USA. …

Started by David Paul Appell

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Comments

Joseba Basabe December 10, 2025 at 12:52pm

A nicely chosen list! https://travelnoire.com/cultural-experiences-ecuador

Cultural Experiences To Have Before Leaving Ecuador - Travel Noire
Maria de los Angeles December 9, 2025 at 4:14pm

Since the pandemic, short-term rentals have proliferated in the Galápagos. Are they contributing to overtourism and undermining a place the Ecuadoran government has long sought to protect from the ravages of mass tourism? https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/21/business/galapagos-airbnb.html?s...
Max Pesling December 23, 2024 at 2:12pm

Travel+Leisure takes a look at Quito: https://www.travelandleisure.com/how-to-plan-a-trip-to-quito-ecuado...
Helen Brown October 11, 2024 at 3:26pm

An interesting look at Esmeraldas and the Ecuadoran Pacific coast with its large percentage of African-descended people: https://travelnoire.com/inside-esmeraldas-the-land-of-afro-ecuadorians

Inside Esmeraldas: The Land Of Afro-Ecuadorians - Travel Noire
Jorge Carlos Tejada Sobrino January 17, 2024 at 3:26pm

So tragic the chaos that´s been unfolding this month in a country which has for years been safe and stable in spite of its many problems, and here´s a very good question: https://www.timeout.com/news/is-it-safe-to-travel-to-ecuador-right-...

Is it safe to travel to Ecuador right now? Latest travel advice

The country declared a state of emergency on Monday
Jordan Simon July 5, 2023 at 12:26pm

Here's a sobering look at how Ecuador's promotion of ecotourism in the Galápagos is actually helping to undermine its ecosystem: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/07/galapagos-islan...

The Galápagos Islands Are Marketing Themselves to Death - The Atlantic

Tourism campaigns tout the archipelago as a diorama of prehistory. But that narrative could help degrade the islands even further.
David Paul Appell June 27, 2023 at 10:43pm

When you think ecotourism and adventure in Ecuador, the Galápagos understandably pop to mind. But the country is also home to a smallish corner of the Amazon, and there's some absolutely great stuff to be had here, as well, a as a recent National Geographic advertorial shows us; https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/paid-content-adve...

Seven of the best adventures in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest

Natural beauty, rich culture and high adrenaline await.
José Balido September 20, 2022 at 8:27am

On their website HometoHavana.com, a U.S.-Cuban couple cover the world, and bring special expertise on Ecuador, where they met while living. And here they give recommendations on an aspect of the country that most people know less about: its Pacific-coast beaches. Check it out: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/10-must-visit-ecuador-be...
Paul Varmuza February 28, 2022 at 10:19am

When it comes to Ecuador, most of visitors' intentions tends to end up focused around Quito, the Galápagos, colonial Cuenca, and maybe adventure hub Tena. But there's a Pacific coast down here, too, and one of the cool things about it - besides great beaches - is that it's home to more than a million afro-Ecuadorians, descendants of slaves brought here from Africa in the 16th century. They're especially common in the country's largest city, Guayaquil, and in Esmeraldas province, and this video by a black U.S. travel vlogger (his channel is Ace Live) is about his visit to Esmeraldas city (pop. 162,000) - pretty cool! https://youtu.be/HFD6yBC-7IM

The Black People of Ecuador Esmeraldas Beach - Diaspora in South America

The Black People of Ecuador - Diaspora in South America. In Esmeraldas Ecuador beach. In this video, I visit Esmeraldas Ecuador, where there is a thr…
Tripatini February 1, 2012 at 12:11am

Anyone care to offer advice on photo equipment to a fellow Tripatini member headed to the Galapagos? If so, please reply at this link to our Ask A Travel Pro forum. Thanks!!