15

As others mentioned, Northern Ecuador is great for hiking and other outdoor activities. El Angel Nature Rerve in Carchi is really stunning (but you may have seen similar areas in Colombia already), as is Lake Cuicocha and Mojanda, mountains like Cotacachi and Imbabura...Otavalo and Ibarra make good bases to explore those areas...also Cotacachi town is quite pretty...there are a few indigenous villages in the area that offer family homestays, very interesting experience in my eyes

One of my favourite areas in the whole of Ecuador is Intag Valley...it´s similar to Baños and Mindo, but not as touristy ...it´s about 2 hours northwest of Otavalo, there are daily buses...there is buses out of the valley via Chontal and Nanegalito to Quito, but not so sure about road conditions now that rainy season has started...

Also quite interesting is Valle de Chota and the town Salinas for their Afro-Ecuadorian culture, but not many places to stay there...

There is a new (well: re-opened) railway line now between Ibarra and Salinas, stunning scenery, highly recommended if you like trains.

16

Ah Chota - it was rather like being in a dusty little town in Africa only they speak Spanish... The children are absolutely delightful and love to practice their English and are all soccer/futbal fanatics and are really skilful with the ball. We had a lovely time there but we didn't stay overnight instead we drove on to Chachimbiro and stayed one night there......

17

Esmeraldas is a top place!

18

Ibarras beautiful, not much for excitment though, ,, Santa Domigos is not on the way from Colombia to Quito. I didnot feel safe in Santa Domigo ,its a Hub town ,lots of wrift wraft.

19

thanks redbikegirl, any other suggestion for the coast, I know already Muisne, any other places nearby the border?

20

Sua, Same, Atacames and other little beaches - not far from Esmeraldas town/city....

21

thanks JGCP, if anybody has suggestions for hostels in that area please tell.

22

We statyed at the Bouganvillia Hotel in Sua which is near Atacames but not a real party town. There weren't many other tourists there so it was lovely and we got up early in the morning to watch the fishing boats come in and unload their catch onto trucks headed for Quito etc. We ate lunch and dinner a lovely little restaurant off the main street which was almost opposite a park with a church behind it but I can't remember what it was called . We ate breakfast at some of the restaurants facing the beach. We stayed a couple of days wandering around and never felt unsafe walking around at night or anywhere there.

We stayed at Atacames in 1999 but can't remember the place we stayed in but there are plenty there to choose from. However with all the beach bars competing for custom alll with different music playing til all hours it is very noisy and probably better to stay in a place which is back from the beach. Same I think from memory is a bit more expensive to stay at.

I enjoyed Muisne when we were there for a few days back in 1996/7

23

thanks Jgcp for the practical info! How about prices now in Sua and surroundings?

24

Only stayed at the Bouganvillea place but quiet at night and we were lulled to sleep at night by the sound of the waves crashing gently on the shore - hey that sounds so poetic doesn't it - but it was true.....