Adventure Ecuador -

A travel guide

Introduction!Culture!Food!Top places to visit in the highlands!! Quito!! Cotopaxi!! Otavalo!! Nariz del Diablo!! Baños!! Ecuadorian Amazon!Top places at the coast!! Montañita!! Los Frailes!! Puerto Lopez!! Canoa!! Mompiche!! Samé!General travel tips!! Safety!! Money!! Taxis!! Personal belongings!! Language!! Public Transportation!Conclusion

Adventure Ecuador

Table of Content

“All journeys have secure destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” !

-Martin Buber !!Like other journeys, a trip to the small coastal country Ecuador, puts you in uncomfortable positions, gives you emotional highs as well as experiences that you won’t forget for your rest of your life. Ecuador is special. Although, not bigger than the state of Nevada, the small country offers a fascinating variety of culture, climate zones, food and things to see. Especially if you grow up or are used to the Western standard of living. !Ecuador is going to give you an excellent culture shock - in a positive way. The country is one of seventeen mega-diverse countries in the world according to Conservation International and it has the most biodiversity per square kilometre of any nation. !Still not convinced? With four different climate zones squeezed into the Northern corner of South America, Ecuador offers endless possibilities to learn, explore, enjoy and discover. Ecuador splits in to four zones; consisting of highlands, the tropical amazon, the coast and the Galapagos islands. !Although, Ecuador maybe the smallest Andean nation in Latin America, the change of scenery and cultural backgrounds is astonishing. Within a 90-minute car ride you’ll be able to cross from a dry and sunny environment into a humid and tropical fauna. !We put together the most important places to visit while traveling through the country as well as show you how diverse the Ecuadorian culture and cuisine is. !

Culture !This is a hard one. There is no such thing as an Ecuadorian culture, instead its a bunch of cultures mingled together. From indigoes groups to South American Indians, Afro-Ecuadorians, Mestizos and new-age immigrants. !The official language is Spanish but Quichua is also spoken by the Indian population. Besides 10 other native language English is the most spoken foreign language. Unlike in other South American countries, the chance to find someone who speaks English in a little mountain village is quite good in Ecuador. Many Ecuadorians have strong connections to North America as it is a popular destination to study, travel or live. !

The country has a long immigration history with cultures immigrating from all over the world. The Ecuadorian mainstream culture is defined by a large group of hispanics. Although, Ecuador also possesses a large population of Africans who escaped the slavery in the 17th century and settled in the northern coast of Ecuador where they, up till today, maintain their original culture as free men. Over

the years and especially after the second world war many Europeans and North Americans migrated to the warm equator country. !!

!Food !The variety of Ecuadorian dishes is almost endless. From potato dishes to deep-fried empanadas and fresh seafood. Ecuador has it all! Good food can be found at almost every single street corner. Unlik,e as may expected the Ecuadorian cuisine is not a big fan of spices. The closest you will get to tabasco is Aji. A sauce made of a domestic Ecuadorian pepper. Besides that, the food is not spiced heavily.

!The Ecuadorian cuisine varies according to climate zones. Typical dishes from the coast usually include a type of fish, beans and plantains, while people from the highlands prepare dishes which are based on potatoes, rice and mote as well as meat. !!!!

!!A food of the mountainous parts of Ecuador is cuy (guinea pig). It is considered as a delicates. The most famous dish from the coast would be ceviche, which is the Ecuadorian answer for stew. Depending on the area, ceviche is prepared in many different ways but almost always contains a type of seafood, lime juice, yuca bread, plantain and onions. !The most famous alcoholic drink is Aguardiente which is a clear type of liquor made from sugarcane. Unlike in other Latin countries, the Ecuadorian version is left largely unflavoured. People usually take them straight as shots. Another popular drink (which is also served on the famous Chivas) Canelazo. A hot fruit juice based cocktail which also includes Aguardiente. !!Top places to visit in the highlands !!When crossing the highlands, there are several must-see spots you should not miss out on. We put together the top 5 must-sees when traveling through the highlands: !Quito !The city of Quito and its surrounding can alone keep you busy for a couple of days. The colonial core of Quito, beautiful churches, extraordinary food and activities such as walking on the equator is tons of fun. The city is also home to a large number of museums that cover a wide spectrum of interests such as history, archeology and science. Besides the sightseeing, the city is the perfect place for foodies. Quito is a must-see when traveling to Ecuador!

Cotopaxi !Not far from Quito you’ll find the Cotopaxi volcano. It is the second highest summit in the country (5,897m) and it is often referred to as the world’s highest active stratovolcano. Cotopaxi is located approximately and hour south of Quito. Many tour operators offer day trips from Quito to the volcano often including horseback riding through the national park, climbing up the summit or

downhill mountain biking. !Otavalo !Otavalo is a fairly large indigenous town located approximately 1.5h north of Quito. The town is famous for its famous handicrafts market where indigenous and mestizo people from Otavalo and surrounding communities try to sell all kinds of handmade goods such as llama wool, paintings, jewelry, panama hats etc. A great spot to dive into the Andean culture of Ecuador. !Nariz del Diablo !Nariz del diablo (the devil’s nose) is a famous railway which supposed to connect the coastal city of Guayaquil with Quito, Ecuador’s capital. The track is considered to be “the most difficult railway in the world” as at one point the train climbs 800m at a gradient of 1-in-18 along a near-vertical wall of rock. A perfect way to enjoy fascinating views over the Andes. !!!!

Baños !

As mentioned before, Ecuador r e p r e s e n t s t h e p e r f e c t playground for adventure and outdoor activities. Especially the city of Baños is known for its many opportunities to get you p u m p e d o n a d r e n a l i n e . Paragliding, bungee jumping, canyoning or mountain biking, you name it - Baños has it. With only two hours south of Quito,

Baños is perfect for a one or two day getaway. At night the city offers many options to dine out, party or enjoy local alcoholic beverages in one of the many authentic bars. !Ecuadorian Amazon !Many people don’t know that Ecuador possesses a large part of the Amazon forest. Also known as “el Oriente” the region comprising the eastern slopes of the Andes and the lowland areas of rainforest in the Amazon basin. Tourism is one of the biggest income sources for people living in this area. !There are several Eco-lodges deep inside the jungle that offers accommodation, educational tourism and different types of tours. The lodges are often so remote, you need to take a boat to get there as there are no roads or any type of modern infrastructure around. !!!!

!Top places at the coast !Ecuador’s coastline stretches for about 2,300km. Plenty of room for beautiful beaches, sleepy fishing villages and a fascinating scenery such as “la Ruta del sol” (the sunshine road) which takes you from the coastal metropolis Guayaquil all the way up north, always the sea in sight. !The coast is an important area for the countries tourism, therefore, the National Parks are well maintained and the infrastructure such as highways are well-developed. Although, you can expect an authentic experience when traveling to the coast as the country still is in quite rural condition. In some parts of the coast, the donkey stills remains to be the number one option for transportation. !!

As mentioned before, Ecuador is full of beautiful beaches, has almost perfect conditions all-year-round for many activities such as surfing, scuba diving, paragliding and so on as well as beautiful National Parks that make you feel like you don’t want to leave Ecuador at all anymore. !

In fact, when driving along the sunshine road you’ll encounter lots of international urbanizations with expats living there from all over the world (Europeans, Americans and Canadians represent the majority). !Here the top 6 beaches along the coastline of Ecuador:

!Montañita !

The small town of Montañita is a stronghold for people who are looking for party, surfing and party again. Just recently Montañita is starting to develop into THE party town of Ecuador. It al l started with the discovery of a l m o s t p e r f e c t s u r f conditions along the town’s beaches. Montañita gives

you a feeling of “everything is possible”, although drugs are all over the place and you definitely feel the hippie-wipe, Montañita is considered to be one of the safer towns along the south coast. !Los Frailes !The beach of Los Frailes is part of the Machalilla National Park. Its a long broad white beach with decent surf conditions. As the beach is quite remote and there is no bigger town close by, it is rarely crowded. !Puerto Lopez !The city of Puerto Lopez once was a sleepy fishing town just like others along the coast but in recent years it started to develop and attract more and more tourists. It represents the hub spot for several scuba diving tours and is popular for tourists who are not much into surfing but enjoy a milder current. !!

Canoa !Canoa is the smaller and more tranquil version of Montañita. The small town has also great surfing conditions, a clean beach and the restaurants in town offer great local cuisine. Canoa is also a great spot to take a paragliding tour and enjoy the view of the coastline from above. !Mompiche !

The Mompiche beach is located in the province of Esmeraldas and truly is a tropical paradise, filled with exotic birds and other wildlife. The combination of a wide, broad beach and a tropical forest right next to it makes it one of the m o s t u n i q u e a n d beautiful areas along the c o a s t a l r e g i o n o f Ecuador. !

The beach offers great surf conditions all-year-round as the headland provides good protection from the south westerly winds. Besides warm water and surfing the are around Mompiche has lots to offer. The national reserve Mache Chindule is right around the corner, which is a mangrove region and dry forest area. Within the reserve you are very likely to encounter a wide range of trees including the precious ebony, balsa and types of ark as well as a variety of wildlife such as birds, monkeys and aardvarks. !!

Samé !Like Mompiche, Samé is also located in the province of Esmeraldas. Something that distinguishes the two beaches from the rest is weather. Esmeraldas in general is a bit more humid and warmer throughout the year, which makes it an attractive spot to spend the winter vacation and escape the cold. Samé is one of the more exclusive and safer beaches along the coast and very popular for people from Quito (as it is only a 4 hour car ride to the beach). The beach is more exposed to the wind as Mompiche which makes it a great spot for sailing activities from July thru December. !Surfing is also possible. There is a small point break at the north end of the beach. Best surfing hours are in the morning. Samé is a quiet and relaxing beach not far away from the buzzing city of Atacambe. Although, Atacambe has many hotels, Samé is the preferred and safer option for many tourists. !If you want to know more about the beaches in Ecuador, check out our other freebie here !!General travel tips !Safety !If you concerned about your safety while traveling, Ecuador is a good choice as it is considered much safer as its neighbours Colombia and Peru. This is thanks to the government’s agenda to improve infrastructure, safety, wealth and social services as well as the development of the tourist industry in the country. Another aspect is the economical situation in Ecuador. Compared to other Latin American countries people doing well here. Poverty is going down as well as inflation rate and unemployment. The upper-class is growing and minimal wage went up in recent years.

!Money !Ecuador is one of the cheapest places to travel in Latin America. Transportation is extremely cheap as well as gas. !Hop on a bus and discover the big cities of Ecuador. In Guayaquil and Quito a bus ride does not cost more than 25 cents. Taxi rates usually start with 35 cents. !Intercity buses charge around $ 1-2 per hour. !A gallon of Diesel costs you around $1.05 and rental cars start with $25 per day. !Eating out in Ecuador is the best part. Great lunches including a salad and a fresh pressed juice usually are around $1.75 to $3. !A night at a hostel start with around $8 and hotel rooms with $20. !!!Cash !Carry small bills! Even in big cities such as Quito and Guayaquil it can be difficult to break a $20 bill. Even stores and shops inside malls usually have troubles with $20 bills. Don’t even bother with $50 or $100. Try to carry $5 and $1 bills with you, as well as coins...lots of coins! !!!!!

!Taxis !Getting around is very cheap. The minimum fare for a taxi is $1. Most trips inside Guayaquil and Quito shouldn’t cost you more than $3-4. Unlike stated in many blog posts and travel websites taxi drivers are not “the friendliest people I’ve met in Ecuador”. On the other hand, there is no need to be afraid of them either. Just always remember that you are in Latin America and don’t ever put your guards down (just like in any other country). !Improvements in public safety were made recently as the government passed a new law and forced all taxis and buses to have cameras and emergency buttons. When taking a taxi make sure it has a orange license plate and a government badge on the window (4-digit number). This means, it is a registered taxi. If you feel comfortable enough you can also take the other non-official yellow cabs. Just stay away from the cars which use cardboards on their dashboards stating “Taxi”. !Personal Belongings !The is just one rule. Know your environment...oh and don’t wear your Rolex. You may read things like; “in general, Ecuador is considered to be safe”. Well, this is not a very objective statement. One thing is for sure, Ecuador not Canada! You most likely travel safe by not showing much valuable items though. !Within big cities, avoid using your phone in touristic places and public transit. For example, when riding the Ecovia (the local bus) in Quito, have a look around you and keep one hand on your wallet. !When using intercity buses you can be a bit more relaxed, those are considered to be a bit safer regarding theft.

!!Learn Spanish !Let’s be honest, Spanish is quite useful here. Many upper-class Ecuadorians speak English but do not expect that the guy who is selling you a juice in the park greets you with” Howdy partner!”. !Having a basic level of Spanish will help you a lot d u r i n g y o u r t r a v e l s . Fortunately, the country's version is one of the purest and easiest to understand in the Spanish-speaking world. A great tool to get started is the free mobile app Duolingo (which is available for android and iOS) or as Ecuadorians say: Get a latin girlfriend (/boyfriend). !Transportation !Buses will stop for almost anyone who flags them down. Most drivers are accompanied by another guy who’s job is to stand inside the open door calling out the destination where the bus is heading. !In the city of Baños you can find a priest who blesses your car - its probably not a bad idea as the Ecuadorian driving style can be quite suicidal; Buses pass other buses which already passing two cars on a small curvy mountain road in the middle of the night.

Unlike stopping at a pedestrian crossing, honking and tailgating are well implemented in the Ecuadorian driving style. Until a few years ago, vehicles legally had the right of way over pedestrians, and that still is the case even though the law doesn’t technically exist anymore. !Conclusion !As you can see, Ecuador has lots to offer. We hope to gave you a good overview of that to expect when traveling to Ecuador. If you are interested in knowing more about the coast, check out our other freebie which is focusing on the coastline, the culture, the food and beaches / activities.

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The Rampiral, located between the small fishing villages of Sua and Muisne, the hotel not only lets you enjoy beautiful beaches, unforgettable sunsets and excellent service.   Built in 1984 and renovated in 2012 the Rampiral sets new standards for luxury vacations along the coast line of Ecuador. With the access to some of the best beaches in the country as well as a safe and quiet environment, the Rampiral is the perfect place to sit down, relax and enjoy a fresh breeze from the Pacific Ocean.  !

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