Sights in Pacific Coast & Lowlands
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Palacio Municipal
Across the street from the clock tower is the Palacio Municipal, an ornate, gray building that is separated from the simple and solid Palacio de Gobierno by a small but pleasant pedestrian mall. The building dates from the 1920s.
reviewed
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B
Tarqui Beach & Boatyard
Early in the morning, the east end of Tarqui beach is a hive of activity. Vendors' carts tail the morning crowd, selling rows upon rows of shark, tuna, swordfish, dorado and others (whose size decrease with each passing year). Nearby is Manta's boatyard, where giant wooden fishing boats are built by hand on the edge of the sand. The whole scene merits an early wake-up call.
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Lighthouse
You can climb the lighthouse for spectacular 360-degree views of the city and its rivers.
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Fishing-Boat Harbor
The fishing-boat harbor, between Manta and Tarqui, is busy and picturesque at high tide and dead in the mud at low tide.
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C
9 de Octubre
The main thoroughfare of the Downtown area, 9 de Octubre, is definitely worth a stroll, even if you're not shopping, if only to experience the commercial vibrancy of the city.
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Museo del Banco Central
The Museo del Banco Central reopened in its new location in 2009, and showcases valuable artifacts from pre-Columbian Manta culture, as well as quirky fishing memorabilia.
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Museo Naval
The little-visited Museo Naval, entered through the door on the Malecón side, has four large galleries with maps, documents, models and other curio of the seafaring history of the country.
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Museo Nahim Isaias
A few blocks away in the Plaza de Administración building is the Museo Nahim Isaias, which exhibits an excellent collection of sculptures, paintings and artifacts of the colonial period.
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Manabí Fisherman Statue
You know you’re in Tarqui when you stumble upon the enormous Manabí fisherman statue.Beyond it is Tarqui beach, whose east end is a hive of activity early in the mornings.
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Church of La Merced
The Church of La Merced dates from 1938 and has a richly decorated golden altar; the original wooden church built in 1787, like most of Guayaquil’s colonial buildings, was destroyed by fire.
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Palacio Municipal
Across the street from the clock tower is the Palacio Municipal, an ornate, gray building that is separated from the simple and solid Palacio de Gobierno by a small but pleasant pedestrian mall. The building dates from the 1920s.
reviewed
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City Cemetery
Incorporated into the city landscape a short ride from the center is this cemetery containing hundreds of above-ground tombs stacked atop one another so that it resembles a mini apartment complex rather than a final resting place.
reviewed
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J
Clock Tower
Where 10 de Agosto hits the malecón you’ll see the famous Moorish-style clock tower, which originally dates from 1770 but has been replaced several times. The 23m-high tower is open to visitors to climb the narrow spiral staircase inside.
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Museo Bahía de Caráquez
A good introduction to the area’s indigenous history is the Museo Bahía de Caráquez. The modern museum, which opened in 2004, has hundreds of pieces of pre-Columbian pottery, as well as local crafts for sale. A guided tour in Spanish is included with admission.
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K
Mercado Sur
Built in 1907, the handsome, steel Mercado Sur is a Belgian-designed covered market and was once the biggest marketplace in Guayaquil. Sometimes called the Crystal Palace, it has been restored with giant glass walls and is periodically filled with art and commercial exhibitions.
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Centro Cultural Esmeraldas
The Centro Cultural Esmeraldas houses a museum, a library and a bookstore. Material ranges from recent local history to fine ceramics and gold work from the ancient Tolita culture. Some exhibit signs and documentary videos are in English, and the staff is very obliging.
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L
City Cemetery
Incorporated into the city landscape, this cemetery contains hundreds of above-ground tombs stacked atop one another (resembling a pint-sized apartment complex more than a final resting place). A walkway leads to several monuments and huge mausoleums, including the eerily impressive grave of President Vicente Pocafuerte.
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M
Parque del Centenario
This plaza, found along 9 de Octubre, is the largest in Guayaquil and marks the midway point between the Río Guayas and the Estero Salado. It's four square city blocks of manicured gardens, benches and monuments, the most important of which is the central Liberty column surrounded by the founding fathers of the country.
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Museo Presley Norton
A few blocks south of the Plaza Rodolfo Baquerizo Moreno is the Museo Presley Norton, an impressive collection of archaeological artifacts, including pottery and figurines made by the original settlers of Ecuador, housed in a beautifully restored ornate mansion. It occasionally hosts film screenings and live music.
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Reserva Ecolólogica Mache Chindul
Created in 1996, this reserve covers 70,000ha (172,974 acres) of tropical wet forest, one of the last to be found on the Ecuadorian coast. Set amongst rivers, waterfalls and swimming holes upon two small mountain ranges, it's heaven for green thumbs and tree huggers alike - see ancient species that are new to science, like Cinnamomum and Matayba.
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Cathedral
On the west side of Parque Bolívar is the cathedral. The original building on this site dates from 1547, but - as is common with most of Guayaquil's original wooden buildings - it burnt down. The present structure was completed in 1948 and renovated in 1978. The front entrance is extremely ornate, but inside it is simple, high-vaulted and modern.
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O
Playa Murciélago
In Manta, Playa Murciélago is a less protected beach than Tarqui and has bigger waves (although they're not very big, there's a powerful undertow). It is a couple of kilometers northwest of downtown and is the town's most popular beach, backed by snack bars and restaurants and umbrella rental spots. Further northwest, Playa Barbasquillo is a more tranquil resort area.
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Tarqui Beach & Boatyard
Early in the morning, the east end of Tarqui beach is a hive of activity. Vendors' carts tail the morning crowd, selling rows upon rows of shark, tuna, swordfish, dorado and others (whose size decrease with each passing year). Nearby is Manta's boatyard, where giant wooden fishing boats are built by hand on the edge of the sand. The whole scene merits an early wake-up call.
reviewed
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Museo Antropológico y de Arte Contemporáneo
Marking the end of riverfront is the modern Museo Antropológico y de Arte Contemporáneo, a museum of anthropology, archaeology and (most importantly for the average visitor) a superb and well-curated collection of contemporary Ecuadorian art. MAAC also has a modern 400-seat theater (230-9400; www.maaccine.com; admission $2) for plays, concerts and films.
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Q
Olmedo monument
Just north of the Mercado Sur is the Olmedo monument honoring José Joaquín de Olmedo (1780-1847) an Ecuadorian poet and the president of the first Ecuadorian territory independent of Spanish rule. Just to the north, outside the Malecón's blue fence, is the sprawling street market known as La Bahía where you can pick up everything from underwear to DVDs of the Latin Grammy awards.
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