Best places in Ecuador

grantmasterflash · Trainee Pilot Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 204 237 ants

I'm potentially headed for Ecuador in December. I'll be there for three weeks so I'm wondering where I should go and what I should see.

Also is there a cheap way of getting to Cuzco from Quito? After seeing Mexico's plane ticket prices I'm afraid to look at Ecuador/Perus.

Gratn

grantmasterflash · Trainee Pilot Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 204 237 ants

Nobody goes to Ecuador?

Grant

mikeman · Pilot Joined: 04 Oct 2002 Posts: 623 529 ants

Otavalo Market and surrounding valley
The beaches at Salinas
The bus-on-rails ride from Quito down to the coast
Amazonas..

It has never been easy to travel between Peru and Equador. There are few connections by air. Just capital to capital as I recall.

grantmasterflash · Trainee Pilot Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 204 237 ants

It looks like the flight to Cuzco will take about 12 hrs! I probably could fly back to Miami and down to Cuzco in that amount of time. The flight from Cuzco back is only 7hrs but the layover in Lima is much smaller. It looks like LAN will charge me about $600 for a round tripper but about 20% less for kids which is a break I never get going to Europe.

I checked out that bus/train to the coast. Is the coast there nice? I had planned on going to Salina for the beach. I don't really know anything about either.

So far here's the list of places that I'm thinking about.

Quito
Otovalo
Tena?
Banos
Guayaquil
Salina
Cuzco
Galapagos

If there are any others let me know. Has anyone been to the Galapagos Islands?

Grant

mikeman · Pilot Joined: 04 Oct 2002 Posts: 623 529 ants

grantmasterflash · Trainee Pilot Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 204 237 ants

What would you choose as a beach destination? We'd like to see the different aspects of Ecuador...

Grant

mikeman · Pilot Joined: 04 Oct 2002 Posts: 623 529 ants

Within Equador, my first choice for beaching would certainly be Salinas.

I have very happy memories of my time there. I befriended a penguin who hung out with me on the beach and came swimming. He (she?) was waiting for me every morning and we spent several days together. There were lots of tropical fish in water and exotic birds in the trees. It felt as if we were almost getting a taste of the Galapagos.

It makes an easy combination if you take the bus/train from Quito down to Guyaquil and a bus from there up to Salinas. Take a day to explore Guayaquil, it is an interesting and distinctive old city.

jose_rojo · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:38 am Post subject: I know the skinny

I've lived in Ecuador for 2 years now. Salinas is usually very crowded and not that great. I'd recommend montanita or canoa for a calm peaceful visit to the pacific. Guayaquil is the pits. There's nothing to see. Cuenca is nice. Loja in the south is beautiful if you can make it that far down. Papallacta offers some relaxing hot spring water and the ride from Quito is remarkable. Otavalo is okay but you can get the same stuff in Quito at the same price more or less minus 4 hours in a bus. Quito Quito Quito you can spend several days here. There a good list of must sees at Quito Ecuador Knowledge base Hope that helps...
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grantmasterflash · Trainee Pilot Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 204 237 ants

Thanks for the suggestions. I don't know if I will be able to go that far south. I'd love to spend more time in Ecuador and this may be the first of many trips. In Mexico I met a man that was going back for his 12th time! Anyway what's the deal with the popularity of Otavalo? It's in all the guidebooks as a "have to see".

So Montanita is near Salinas? Is there anything in the northwest to see around San Lorenzo?

What do you think about Baeza or Tena? We want to get a taste of that side of the mountains too.

Grant

mikebmikeb · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:04 pm Post subject:

I have been in Ecuador for 6 months and there are plenty nice things to do an see. Quito is interesting, the amazone basin, Cotopaxi and the coast.
For me the best beaches are around Puerto Lopez. And one of the best value Hostels is <link removed>

paul · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject:

Please read the rules on advertising, Mike.

Paul
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Anna4444 · Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:02 am Post subject: Ecuador

Hitchhike from Quito to the Colombian border on pickup trucks. Is very beautiful to ride through the Andes on backs of pickup trucks. When I was there in 1998 the mountains were full of Indians. Dressed like 200 years ago. Chewing on sugar canes. Beautiful little villages. Storybook.
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wlady · Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:50 pm Post subject:

movingecuador · Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:16 pm Post subject:

I am a big fan of the small community-based tourism projects that are abundant in Ecuador. It seems I am not allowed to promote or mention good websites on this forum, but if you are interested in community based tourism, just send me an email. It is mentioned in my profile.
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bristol_joe · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:27 pm Post subject:

Quito
Otavalo
Papallacta
Cotopaxi
Mindo
Quilotoa
Banos
Cuenca
Montanita
Galapagos
Amazon
Riobamba / Devil's Nose

The list goes on. Ecuador is a country with an extraodinary wealth of beauty and places to see and go to. One piece of advice is to avoid Guayaquil. Apart from the Malecon, there's nothing to see there. It's dangerous and seedy.

Safe travels! Joe
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