Puyo
Less than 1km north of the city center, this ethnobotanical park offers one- to two-hour guided tours (included in admission fee) of rainforest plants,…
Must-see attractions in Ecuador
Monasterio Museo del Carmen Alto
Quito
The Monasterio Museo del Carmen Alto, built in 1653 and still home to an order of 20 Carmelite nuns, now houses an interesting museum. Exhibits explore…
Tahuantinsuyo Weaving Workshop
Northern Highlands
Jose Rafael Maldonado, Miguel Andrango's son-in-law, now runs the day-to-day operations of this internationally famous weaving family business, in its…
North Coast & Lowlands
The Tsáchila people number about 3000; their eight communities spread across a 10500-sq-km reserve around Santo Domingo. A community tour is available…
Guayaquil
One of Guayaquil's most charming and upscale settings for a bite or a drink is Plaza Lagos, a handsomely designed complex of restaurants, designer…
The Oriente
Near Limón Indanza, 112km southwest of Macas, a trail leads to the extensive Coangos cave system, where there are multiple caverns spiked with stalactites…
Guayaquil
Colonial history meets the animal kingdom at this large site across the Puente Rafael Mendoza Aviles Bridge, east of Río Daule. The park is divided into…
Ruta Spondylus
A fascinating collection of more than 245 ceramics pieces is exhibited here. Objects date from 3000 BC to 1500 AD and account the settlements of the…
Reserva Ecológico de Manglares Cayapas-Mataje
North Coast & Lowlands
Millions of migratory birds pass through this coastal paradise in June and July, creating a cacophonous and memorable spectacle. The 513 sq km reserve…
Reserva Ecológica Manglares Churute
South Coast
This 50,000 hectare national reserve protects an area of mangroves that serve as an important and unique habitat for many species. Visitors can hire a…
Mindo
This unique, small motor-powered (2002 Nissan!) cable car takes you soaring across a lush river basin over thick cloud forest to the Bosque Protector…
Guayaquil
This historic street, named after the well-known guayaquileño poet (1832–1907), begins at the northern end of the malecón, to the right of the stairs that…
Otavalo
While this tree outside Otavalo is famous for its magical healing powers, it's much more reliable as a great picnic spot, romantic or otherwise, and for…
Northern Highlands
Most visitors head out this way to see the Cascadas de Peguche, a series of falls sacred to locals – visitors are still welcome, however, during Inti…
Ecuador
A few hundred meters north of the entrance to the main Mitad del Mundo complex, this amusing museum has meandering outdoor exhibits of astronomical…
South Coast
Run by the Fundación Jocotoco, this 27-sq-km cloud-forest reserve is a fantastic spot for bird-watching. There are a number of short trails, simple wooden…
Otavalo
Each Monday and Thursday morning, groups of Otavaleños summit the Calle de las Almas (Street of Souls) to this hillside cemetery, sharing meals, songs,…
Central Highlands
On the northwest side of Parque Juan Montalvo is this museum in Montalvo’s pied-à-terre; the grand mausoleum in which the writer is interred is on the…
Vilcabamba
The small Tapichalaca Reserve, 75km south of Vilcabamba, protects one of Ecuador’s most rare and endangered birds, the jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria…
Mindo
Mindo's best butterfly garden is like walking through a paint factory with the fans set to slow – a stunning kaleidoscope. Visit in the warmest part of…
The Oriente
A couple of kilometers downriver from town is this Shiripuno community, most often visited on tours with Teorumi tour agency. The community tourism…
Baños
Perched on a hilltop behind Baños, just beyond the village of Runtún, this grassy viewpoint is a photographer's dream. As well as a pretty tree house,…
Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)
Southwest of town, a road leads 2.5km (about a 30-minute walk) to La Lobería, a rocky beach with a lazy sea-lion colony. It’s good for year-round surfing,…
Museo Historico de Montecristi
North Coast & Lowlands
Revolutionary and two-time president Eloy Alfaro was born in Montecristi, and here is an amazing tribute to the man: a hilltop museum with a panoramic…
The Oriente
Misahuallí’s most enjoyable sight is some way outside the town, but it’s well worth spending a few hours to do the return riverside walk, which takes you…
The Quilotoa Loop
The Thursday morning market in Saquisilí is one of the best in the central highlands. It’s a mostly authentic and fascinating place to observe the array…
North Coast & Lowlands
We're hoping this reserve, 26 km south of Perdanales and 3km off the main highway, opens to tourism soon. Last we heard, Third Millenium Alliance (www…
Central Highlands
This 2710-sq-km national park contains three of Ecuador’s most magnificent volcanoes – the mightily active Sangay, the remittently active Tungurahua and…
Ecuador
The crater of extinct Volcán Pululahua can be entered on foot via a steep trail from the Mirador de Ventanillas viewpoint just inside the Reserva…
South Coast
Located a couple of blocks from the main road, on the west side of Santa Elena, this museum sits on an ancient cemetery of the indigenous Sumpa people…
The Oriente
About 4km north of Archidona, you’ll find Cuevas de Jumandí. This cave system, the best known in the area, has three main branches that remain partly…
The Galápagos Islands
From the village of Puerto Velasco Ibarra, a road runs inland uphill for 7km to this official visitor site. A chiva (truck with bench seats) goes up twice…
Isla Santa Cruz (Indefatigable)
A path north from Bellavista leads toward Cerro Crocker (864m) and other hills and extinct volcanoes. This is a good chance to see the vegetation of the…
Southern Highlands
The Jorupe Reserve is run by Fundación Jocotoco outside of Macará. Primarily a bird-watching reserve, Jorupe is home to the white-tailed jay, blue-crowned…
Quito
Parque La Carolina’s most popular attraction is this peacefully set botanical garden with native habitats covering páramo (high-altitude Andean grasslands…
Playa de Oro Reserva de Tigrillos
North Coast & Lowlands
Half an hour upstream from Playa de Oro, this 100-sq-km reserve is owned and operated by the community of Playa de Oro. It borders the Reserva Ecológica…
Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)
Around 10km east of El Progreso along the main road, you'll find El Junco Lagoon – a freshwater lake some 700m above sea level. It’s one of the few…
North Coast & Lowlands
The east end of this stretch of sand is a hive of activity early in the mornings, as vendors sell row upon row of shark, tuna, swordfish, dorado and other…
Mindo
Popular with local families on weekends, this series of cascades is the easiest to access in the area. However, it still entails either a trip on the…
Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)
At the northern end of San Cristóbal is Los Galápagos, where you can often see giant Galápagos tortoises in the wild, although it does takes some effort…
