ecuador-travel-info

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DESTINATION ECUADOR

& THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

The smallest country in the rugged Andean highlands, Ecuador is among the most rewarding

travel destinations in South America. With its array of vibrant indigenous cultures, well

preserved colonial architecture, otherworldly volcanic landscapes and dense rainforest, it

packs its perimeters with more points of interest than many countries twice its size. Touch

down in its picture-perfect capital, Quito, and you are no more than a day's drive from a

slog through all-swallowing Amazonian jungle, a snow swept ascent of an active volcano, a

sociable haggle with indigenous artesanos or a welcome wallow on a tropical beach. And all

that in a nation no bigger than the US state of Nevada.

Squint your eyes at a map of the region and Ecuador looks something like a grinning skull,

gazing across the Pacific at its lone 'overseas' holding, the blissfully distant Galapagos

Islands. Owned by Ecuador since 1832, the far-flung islands are lauded as one of the world's

greatest natural history treasures, their unique diversity of plant and animal life providing

a living textbook for ecologists and oglers alike. It'll cost you plenty to get out to see

them, but when you weigh that against the immense affordability of mainland adventuring and

the rarity of the experience, you'll be hard pressed to let your purse strings tie you down.

Map of Ecuador

Map of Galapagos Islands

History

The history of pre-Inca Ecuador is lost in a misty tangle of time and legend, and the

earliest historical details date back only as far as the 11th century AD. It is commonly

believed that Asian nomads reached the South American continent by about 12,000 BC and were

later joined by Polynesian colonizers. Centuries of tribal expansion, warfare and alliances

resulted in the relatively stable Duchicela lineage, which ruled more or less peacefully for

about 150 years until the arrival of the Incas around 1450 AD.

Despite fierce opposition, the conquering Incas soon held the region, helped by strong

leadership and policies of intermarriage. War over the inheritance of the new Inca kingdom

weakened and divided the region on the eve of the arrival of the Spanish invaders.

The first Spaniards landed in northern Ecuador in 1526. Pizarro reached the country in 1532

and spread terror among the Indians thanks to his conquistadors' horses, armor and weaponry.

The Inca leader, Atahualpa, was ambushed, held for ransom, 'tried' and executed, and the Inca

empire was effectively demolished. Quito held out for two years but was eventually razed by

Atahualpa's general, Ruminahui, rather than be lost intact to the invading Spaniards. Quito

was refounded in December 1534. Today, only one intact Inca site remains in Ecuador -

Ingapirca, to the north of Cuenca.

There were no major uprisings by the Ecuadorian Indians, though life was abysmal under

Spanish rule. Spain ruled the colony from Lima, Peru, until 1739, when it was transferred to

the viceroyalty of Colombia. It was largely rural and conservative, with large estates of

introduced cattle and bananas farmed by forced labor.

As a creole middle class began to emerge, there were several attempts to liberate Ecuador

from Spanish rule. Independence was finally achieved by Simon Bolivar in 1822. Full

constitutional sovereignty was gained in 1830. The country's internal history has since been

marked by fierce rivalry and occasional open warfare between the church-backed conservatives,

based in Quito, and the liberals and socialists of Guayaquil.

Over the last 100 years, assassinations and political instability have increasingly invoked

military intervention, and the 20th century has seen more periods of military rule than of

civilian. In 1941, neighboring Peru invaded Ecuador and seized much of the country's

Amazonian area. The 'new' border between the two countries - although formally agreed upon

and ratified by the 1942 Rio de Janeiro treaty - remains a matter of dispute, as a comparison

of Ecuadorian and non-Ecuadorian maps will show. Border region skirmishes have occasionally

flared up, usually around January, the month when the treaty was signed. The squabbling has

died down in recent years, as both countries work to impress potential foreign investors (who

tend to be scared off by territorial skirmishes), and a treaty is in the works that should

finally bring an end to the dispute.

Despite its history of internal rivalry and border conflicts, life in Ecuador has remained

peaceful in recent years, and it is at present one of the safest countries to visit in South

America.

Facts at a Glance

Full country name: Republic of Ecuador

Area: 283,520 sq km (175,780 sq mi)

Population: 11,700,000 (growth rate: 2%)

Capital city: Quito (pop 1.2 million)

People: 40% mestizo, 40% Indian, 15% Spanish descent, 5% African descent

Language: Spanish, Quechua, Quichua, other indigenous languages

Religion: Over 90% Roman Catholic, small minority of other Christian denominations

Government: Democracy

President: Jamil Mahuad

Environment

Ecuador - as the name implies - lies draped across the equator in the northwestern corner of

South America. It shares a long-contested border with Peru to the south and east, and is

bounded by Colombia to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Quito, the national

capital, sits centered at the northern end of the country in an Andean valley only 22km

(14mi) south of the equator. Guayaquil, Ecuador's other main city (and its only major port),

basks on the sweltering southern coast just north of the Peruvian border.

The country can be divided into four regions: the western coastal lowlands, the central

Andean highlands, the eastern jungles of the Amazon basin and - some 1000km (620mi) west of

the mainland - the Galapagos Islands. The western lowlands - once thick with forests - are

today blanketed by banana, palm and cacao farms and have little to interest most travelers.

Only a few protected pockets, such as the Maquipucuna biological reserve, still provide

glimpses of Ecuador's once spectacular forestlands. The Andean highlands - the country's

backbone - are composed of two volcanic ranges separated by a central valley in which the

bulk of the population lives. The highlands also contain the nation's highest mountain,

Chimborazo, whose 6310m (20,700ft) peak stands out - thanks to Earth's equatorial bulge - as

the farthest point from the center of the planet.

The Amazon basin lowlands east of the Andes are an almost impenetrable tangle of rainforest

known to Ecuadorians as the Oriente (the East). Although the Amazon itself does not flow

through Ecuador, all rivers east of the Andes eventually empty into it. The world famous

Galapagos Islands were Ecuador's first national park and are celebrated for their unique and

fearless wildlife.

Thanks to its agreeable climate and patchwork of habitats (alpine grasslands, coastal swamps,

tropical rainforest), Ecuador is one of the most species-rich nations on earth. Dubbed by

ecologists a 'megadiversity hotspot,' it boasts 300 species of mammal alone, including

monkeys, sloths, llamas and alpacas. Birdwatchers come from all over to gawk at the famous

Andean condor, but there are plenty of other bird species, and about half of the 58 species

found on the Galapagos Islands are endemic. Ecuador's freshwater fish are equally exotic,

though most visitors prefer to experience from a distance the amazing qualities of electric

eels, stingrays, piranhas and the tiny candiru catfish - a little charmer who swims up the

human urethra and lodges itself in place with the help of its sharp spines.

Reality Check

The only thing predictable about Ecuador's weather is its unpredictability, and it's not

uncommon to run the gamut of 'seasons' in the course of a single day. Generally speaking,

Ecuador has two seasons, wet and dry, but local weather patterns vary greatly depending on

geography. The mainland coastal areas and the Galapagos Islands are both influenced by ocean

currents and are hot and rainy between January and April, an unpleasant time visit.

If you hit the beaches between May and December, it rarely rains and the temperature is a few

degrees cooler. In the highlands, the dry season is between June and September and around

Christmas, but even the mountains' wet season isn't particularly wet. The central valley is

generally springlike all year, with temperatures no higher than 24DEGC (66DEGF). The Oriente

experiences rain year round; July and August are the wettest months, September through

December the driest. It's usually as hot here as it is on the coast.

Economic Profile

GDP: US$44.6 billion

GDP per head: US$4100

Inflation: 25%

Major industries: Oil, bananas, shrimp, fish, coffee

Major trading partners: US, Latin America, Caribbean, EU

Culture

Ecuador's pre-Columbian peoples excelled in pottery, painting, sculpture, and gold and silver

work. The Spaniards trained indigenous artists to produce colonial religious art, which can

be seen in many churches and museums. The Quito School of the 17th and 18th centuries

combined these two influences but was replaced by formalism after independence, which favored

subjects such as heroes of the revolution and members of high society.

Ecuador's colonial religious architecture is predominantly baroque, although domestic

architecture tends to be simple and elegant, comprising whitewashed verandahed houses built

around a central courtyard. Traditional Andean music has a distinctive haunting quality based

on an unusual pentatonic scale. Wind and percussion instruments, including bamboo panpipes

and flutes, are staples of the sound. Local crafts include fine examples of basketry, leather

work, woodcarving, weaving, ceramics and jewelry.

The predominant religion is Roman Catholic, but there is a scattering of other Christian

faiths. Indigenous Ecuadorians, while outwardly Catholic, tend to blend Catholicism with

their traditional beliefs. Spanish is the main language, although most highland Indians are

bilingual, with Quechua being their preferred language and Spanish their second tongue.

Several small lowland groups speak their own languages. English is understood in the best

hotels and in airline offices and travel agencies, but it's of little use elsewhere.

Ecuadorian food consists mainly of soup and stews, corn pancakes, rice, eggs and vegetables.

Seafood is particularly good, even in the highlands. Local specialties include caldo de

pates, a soup made from cattle hooves; cuy, whole roasted guinea pig; and lechon, suckling

pig.

Events

Being a Roman Catholic country, many of the country's festivals are oriented to the

liturgical calendar and are celebrated with a combination of great pageantry and elements of

traditional Indian fiestas. Rural areas in particular lend a real party atmosphere to their

celebrations. All Soul's Day on 2 November is especially colorful, when flower-laying

ceremonies brighten the country's cemeteries and the ambiance is more celebratory than

somber. Other holidays of historical interest are Simon Bolivar's Birthday on 24 July and

Columbus Day on 12 October, though the latter is hardly universal in its appeal.

The pre-Easter Carnival features water fights and fruit and flower festivals. Corpus Christi

is a movable feast in June and combines with traditional harvest fiestas in many highland

towns. The larger cities' founding and independence days virtually bring them to a partying

standstill. Some of the biggies are found in Guayaquil, Otavalo, Cuenca and Quito, though

most towns and villages also have their special days. Shops, offices and services are closed

during holidays and festivals, and accommodation and transportation options are often packed

- book well in advance if possible.

Facts for the Traveler

Visas: Citizens of most countries can stay a maximum of 90 days per annum without needing a

visa.

Health risks: Dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria, typhoid, and a minor risk of cholera, rabies

and diphtheria. Get a yellow fever vaccination if you plan to visit the rainforests of the

Oriente.

Time: GMT/UTC minus 5 hours

Electricity: 110V, 60Hz

Weights & measures: Metric (see the conversion table.)

Money & Costs

Currency: sucre

Relative costs:

* Budget room: US$2-15

* Mid-range hotel: US$15-70

* Top-end hotel: US$70 and upwards

* Budget meal: US$1-5

* Mid-range restaurant meal: US$5-30

* Top-end restaurant meal: US$30-50

Costs in Ecuador are among the lowest in Latin America. From year to year, prices for travel

basics like transportation, meals and lodging may vary up or down by as much as 50%, but they

remain cheap by Western standards. Prices tend to fluctuate more in terms of sucres than US

dollars.

The country has a two-tier pricing system in effect, and foreigners pay a lot more for

certain services (mainly transportation and top-end hotels) than locals do. It's colloquially

known as the 'gringo tax' and is avoidable by staying in budget to mid-range hotels and by

taking buses rather than trains or planes. Doing so, travelers on a budget should be able to

get by on as little as US$10 per day, including the periodic indulgence. A less frugal

approach to visiting Ecuador might set you back US$50 to US$80 per day, allowing more comfort

in travel and sleeping arrangements and a more interesting diet. Living like visiting royalty

is also an option, and you can play the part for a modest outlay of around US$150 per day.

Banks and casas de cambio are your best bets for changing money, and their rates don't vary

too much whether you're changing cash or travelers' checks. Major credit cards are widely

accepted in tourist areas and big hotels, though merchants will often add a surcharge of 6%

to 8% to cover the transaction fee. Credit cards are also increasingly accepted at Ecuadorian

ATMs and for cash advances at banks, though not all branches provide this service. Cheaper

hotels, restaurants and stores typically don't accept credit cards.

Tipping is expected by tour guides, porters and other tourist industry workers, though not by

taxi drivers. Quality restaurants add 10% tax and a 10% service charge to their bills;

cheaper restaurants usually don't. If you want to tip your server, give the money to them

directly - don't just leave it on the table. Bargaining is accepted and expected at craft

markets. Elsewhere, if you're not sure, try asking for a descuento (discount) - these are

often available in touristed places.

When to Go

Travelers can visit Ecuador year round; certain areas are better at certain times of the

year, but there are no absolutes. In terms of the weather, El Nino hits hard about one winter

every decade, playing havoc with road and rail connections and making communication spotty in

some outlying areas. If you're visiting the Galapagos, you'll find the warm rainy season from

January to April is the best time for snorkeling; the rest of the year the water is cooler,

typically around 20DEGC (68DEGF). The mainland coast has similar weather patterns, and its

beaches fill up from January to May during coastal Ecuador's school holidays. June through

August sees gringo vacationers descend, though the weather's generally gone chilly by then.

The highlands' dry season (the best time for hiking and climbing) is June to August, which

coincides with the wettest months in the Oriente. Trekking in the Oriente is best done in the

dry season, from late August through February. As for crowds and costs, the high season both

on the mainland and in the Galapagos tends to be mid-December through January and June to

August, when most of the vacationing foreign visitors arrive.

Attractions

Quito

The capital of Ecuador is arguably the most beautiful city in South America. Located 2850m

(9350ft) above sea level and just 22km (14mi) south of the equator, it boasts a wonderful

springlike climate in a spectacular setting. Vistas in Quito are dominated by mountains, with

several snowcapped volcanoes standing sentinel in the distance; the city itself sits at the

foot of 4700m (15,400ft) Rucu Pachincha. Architecturally, Quito has plenty of colonial

treasures, and modern building has been strictly controlled in the old town since 1978, when

it was declared by UNESCO a world cultural heritage site. The old center is full of

whitewashed houses, red tiled roofs and colonial churches, with no flashing neon to disrupt

the ambiance of the past. The northern part of the city is the new town, containing modern

offices, embassies, shopping centers and airline offices.

Major sights around town include the 16th century Monastery of San Francisco, Ecuador's

oldest church; the stark 16th century cathedral; the beautifully preserved colonial-era alley

of La Ronda; and El Panecillo (the little bread loaf), a hill with fabulous views of the old

town and an enormous statue of the Virgin of Quito. There are a number of decent museums,

colonial churches and impressive plazas, as well as an open-air Indian market at the foot of

El Panecillo.

Bustling Avenida Amazonas, the showpiece street of modern Quito, is a good place to stop in a

sidewalk cafe and watch life go by. Of special interest to those whose fancies tend towards

all things slick and slithery, the Vivarium on Reina Victoria in new town is a museum

dedicated to the appreciation and study of Ecuador's reptiles and amphibians. To the delight

of herpetologists, it houses a number of live specimens, including iguanas, tortoises,

turtles, frogs, boa constrictors and the infamous fer-de-lance, one of South America's most

poisonous snakes.

Budget hotels can be found in the Santo Domingo area and on La Ronda. The best mid-range

hotels and eateries are found in new town.

Off the record

Otavalo

The small town of Otavalo is famous for its Saturday Indian market, which dates back to

pre-Inca times. The market is a colorful, festive affair, and the Otavelenos who host it do

so in their traditional dress. Remarkably, this is not some sham fancy-dress affair put on

for the sake of the visiting gawkers. Otaveleno men sport calf-length white trousers, rope

sandals and reversible blue/gray ponchos and wear their hair in long ponytails. The women

wear colorfully embroidered blouses, long black shirts and shawls, and necklaces and

bracelets of blown-glass beads. Though only one-third of the region's inhabitants are white

or mestizo, most of the Indians live in villages outside of Otavalo and come to town only for

market day.

Otavelenos use traditional backstrap looms to create their clothes and tapestries. Their work

is so much in demand these days that the Indians have opened shops across Ecuador and now

sell directly to galleries and stores in the US and Europe. There are three main plazas in

which to see the market in full swing. Poncho Plaza is the main one for crafts, and you'll

find a good variety of wool blankets, scarves, ponchos and tapestries. Bargaining at the

market is elevated to something of an art.

Otavalo is two to three hours north of Quito by bus. Taxis are the only other way to get to

Otavalo from Quito.

Avenue of Volcanoes

The long valley south of Quito, leading to Cuenca, is flanked by two parallel mountain ranges

containing some of the country's wildest scenery and nine of its 10 highest peaks. Half of

Ecuador's population lives in this valley, tilling its rich volcanic soil. The area is

peppered with isolated Indian villages, where lifestyles seem to have changed little over the

centuries, and each community displays distinct styles of traditional dress.

Larger towns - such as Saquisili, Pujilli, Zumbagua, Sigchos and San Miguel de Salcedo -

swell with villagers on market days. The peaceful community of Salinas is known for its

homemade dairy products, salamis and woolen handicrafts. Many of these villages are only

accessible on foot. The Panamerican Highway, which runs the length of the valley, provides

spectacular views along the way.

Cuenca

Founded by the Spanish in 1557, Cuenca is the third-largest city in Ecuador and one of the

prettiest. The old center has scads of churches and homes dating from the 16th and 17th

centuries lining its ankle-bending cobblestoned streets. The majority of the hotels are found

near the old center, which makes Cuenca a great place to spend a few days relaxing in the

colonial atmosphere. Note that Cuencans are more conservative even than the people of Quito -

you'll find you attract attention if you don't dress and act accordingly. When you've had

enough of the quaint and colonial, take the 50km (31mi) trip north to the Inca fortress of

Ingapirca, Ecuador's best preserved precolonial ruin.

Cuenca is about 11 hours south of Quito by bus. The local airport has daily flights to the

capital and to Guayaquil. The highways accessing the town are not in particularly good shape,

and the railway station has been closed for some time.

Oriente Province

This large region in the lowlands of the Amazon basin has huge areas of rainforest and lures

visitors interested in natural history, ecology, tropical habitats, indigenous tribes,

birdwatching and jungle treks. Sadly, unscrupulous tour guides also lead excursions into

'primitive' Indian communities, most of which involve insensitive tourists gawking at 'real'

Indians. Avoid these. The main service towns in the region are Macas, Puyo, Tena, Coca and

Lago Agrio. The village of Mishahuall&iacute, near Tena, is a good place to organize jungle

tours. The Oriente is divided into northern and southern halves by the Rio Pastaza.

Almost all roads in the southern Oriente are unpaved and subject to landslides and other

delays during the rainy season - June to August are the worst months. Don't plan too tight a

schedule if you visit during the rains. Late August and December through February are the

best times to visit. The northern Oriente's road system and its connections to the capital

are much more user friendly. There are two roads to Quito, several buses, a system of

motorized canoes and six times as many flights as there are to the south.

Off the Beaten Track

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos archipelago is renowned for its unique and fearless wildlife and has become a

mecca for natural-history enthusiasts. Here, you can swim with sea lions, float eye-to-eye

with penguins and stand beside a blue-footed booby and ogle as it feeds its young. The

archipelago spreads out over 50,000 sq km (19,500 sq mi) of the Pacific Ocean some 1000km

(620mi) west of Ecuador and is comprised of 13 main islands and six smaller ones. The

landscape is barren and volcanic but has a unique haunting beauty. The highest point in the

chain is the 1707m (5600ft) Volcan Wolf on Isla Isabela. The islands' renowned bird and

marine life includes albatrosses, penguins, boobies, turtles, giant tortoises, iguanas, sea

lions, whales and dolphins.

Ecuador claimed the Galapagos Islands in 1832, just three years before their most famous

visitor, Charles Darwin, dropped anchor on the Beagle and stepped ashore and into history.

For the next century, the islands were inhabited by a few settlers and were used as a penal

colony, the last of which closed in 1959. The archipelago became a national park in 1959.

Today, the park is protected from haphazard tourism by strict limits on where visitors are

allowed to go, and all visitors are obliged to be accompanied by a certified naturalist tour

guide trained by the national park service. The islands currently receive an average of

60,000 visitors per year.

A visit to the islands is expensive; a high season flight from Ecuador and a week cruising

the islands will set you back at least a four-figure sum. Boat trips to the Galapagos can be

arranged from Guayaquil, but it's a hassle and will seldom save you any money. Flights to the

islands are much easier to arrange and leave daily from Quito and Guayaquil for the Isla

Baltra airport, which is about two hours by public transport from Puerto Ayora, the

archipelago's main town, on the central island of Santa Cruz.

Ibarra-San Lorenzo Railway

For an unforgettable trip, take a ride on the Ibarra-San Lorenzo railway, linking the

highlands near Quito with the coast near the Colombian border. The 'train' is a converted

school bus mounted onto a railway chassis, and the spectacular scenery it passes presents a

good cross section of landscapes. The views are especially good from the rooftop - hang on

tight!

National Parks & Reserves

Stretching about 70km (43mi) southeast of Banos (about 170km/105mi south of Quito), Parque

Nacional Sangay encompasses 272,000ha (671,840ac) of the country's most remote and

inaccessible wilderness and protects an incredible abundance of rare animals. For floral

variety and a different range of habitats, visit the Pasochoa Forest Reserve, 30km (19mi)

southeast of Quito, or Parque Nacional Podocarpus, at the southernmost tip of Ecuador between

Loja and Zamora. For a close look at some of Ecuador's most unusual wildlife, you can't beat

a trip to the Reserva Produccion Faunista Cuyabeno at the northeastern tip Ecuador's Oriente.

And for coastal scenery, try Parque Nacional Machalilla, north of Guayaquil on the central

coast.

Activities

Some of the country's finest climbing and trekking is found about 60km (37mi) south of Quito

in Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, whose cone-shaped centerpiece, 5900m (19,350ft) Volcan Cotopaxi,

is the world's tallest active volcano. Don't attempt to climb higher than the Jose Ribas

refuge (at 4800m/15,750ft) without a guide, proper equipment and a good deal of previous snow

and ice climbing experience. Further south, the town of Banos makes a good base for short

walks and ambitious climbs, and it has the added bonus of having toasty thermal springs

nearby.

Near Cuenca in the southern highlands, the Area Nacional de Recreacion Las Cajas offers

rugged hiking in bleak terrain scattered with beautiful lakes. Ecuador's highest peak, the

6310m (20,700ft) Chimborazo, is not for daytrippers - if you're not an experienced climber,

stick to the area around the mountain, which is great for less strenuous treks.

Ecuador has warm coastal water year round. There are decent swimming beaches at Atacames, San

Vicente, Bahia de Caraquez, Bahia de Manta, Salinas and Playas. Beware of the strong undertow

at Atacames, which claims victims every year.

Scuba diving is possible in the Galapagos Islands, but you must have your own equipment and

book a tour in advance. Snorkeling in the archipelago is less of a hassle - you may even find

baby sea lions approaching to stare at you through your mask. Again, bring your own gear and

book ahead.

Jungle excursions in the Oriente can be arranged at Misahuali, Coca, Banos, Dureno, Tena and

Quito. Excursions often include walks, swims and dugout-canoe trips. Birdwatching is best on

jungle tours or while visiting Area Nacional de Recreacion Las Cajas, Parque Nacional

Cotopaxi or the Galapagos Islands.

Getting There & Away

Traveling by air is the most common way to get to Ecuador. Quito and Guayaquil both have

international airports with frequent direct connections to Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and

New York. Nearly all flights from Europe and Australasia go via these US cities or through

the Caribbean. Some airlines also fly direct from a handful of Central and South American

countries. The region's main international hub is Lima, and you may find it cheaper to fly to

Peru and continue overland to Ecuador (a 24-hour bus trip).

You can also get to Ecuador by land or by sea, but as air travel is much more convenient and

roughly equivalent in price, few travelers opt to do so. Overland travel on public buses from

both Colombia and Peru presents no problems. Occasionally, cargo ships use Guayaquil as port

of call, but as the days of steamer hopping are long-since over, it's a rare traveler who

secures this type of passage.

Getting Around

Ecuador has a more efficient air transportation system than most other Andean countries. It

also has the virtue of being a small country, and relatively cheap, which allows even budget

travelers the option of an occasional internal flight. Quito's international airport is about

10km (6mi) north of the city center. The nation's other major airport is in Guayaquil, about

5km (3mi) north of the city center. Both are regularly serviced by buses and taxis. The main

domestic airlines are TAME and SAN, though there are other small airlines and charter planes

available. Almost all flights begin or end in Quito or Guayaquil. There are flights to

several of the Galapagos Islands, but these are expensive. It's also possible to make the

trip by boat, but it works out no cheaper.

Most travelers use buses to get around. Busetas (22 seat small buses) cover long distances

quickly; larger autobuses are slower but tend to be more social and fun. Keep your passport

with you when traveling by bus, as there are frequent, usually cursory, transit police checks

on the outskirts of towns. Avoid taking night buses through Guayas Province, as the routes

are favored by highwaymen. Pickups (camionetas), trucks (rancheras) and taxis can be hired

for long journeys - negotiate a price before you ride. Rental cars are available in a few

major towns, with prices comparable to those in the US or Europe. If you love train journeys,

the dramatic ascent from Alausi to Guayaquil is one of the most spectacular in the world.