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Playa Murciélago
This beach is less protected than most beaches in the area and has bigger waves (although they’re not very big, there’s a powerful undertow). It’s a couple of kilometers northwest of downtown and is the town’s most popular beach, backed by snack bars, restaurants and umbrella-renta
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Plaza San Francisco
Walking from the old town’s narrow colonial streets into this open plaza reveals one of the finest sights in all of Ecuador: a sweeping cobblestone plaza backed by the mountainous backdrop of Volcán Pichincha, and the long, whitewashed walls and twin bell towers of Ecuador’s oldest
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Playa de Oro Reserva de Tigrillos
Half an hour upstream from Playa de Oro, the Playa de Oro Reserva de Tigrillos is a 10,000-hectare reserve owned and operated by the community of Playa de Oro. The reserve borders the Reserva Ecológica Cotacachi-Cayapas and protects native jungle cats – but youll need to work hard
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Casa de la Cultura
This cultural center is built on the site of a former Jesuit watermill known as Molinos de Monserrat and houses a small ethnography and art museum. The stone steps above the river are a nice retreat from Latacunga’s busy sidewalks. Check out its schedule for free dance and theater
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Mindalae – Museo Etnográfico de Artesanía de Ecuador
Just north of the Mariscal, this small but worthwhile museum exhibits the artwork, clothing and utensils of Ecuador’s indigenous people, with special emphasis on the peoples of the Oriente. It’s run by the outstanding Fundación Sinchi Sacha, and theres a nice outdoor cafe on-site (
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Basilica
Parque La Libertad (Primera Constituyente at Alvarado) is anchored by its neoclassical basilica, famous for being the only round church in Ecuador. It was designed, built and decorated mainly by locals, making it a great source of civic pride. Its often closed; try Sundays and even
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Jardín Botáncio las Orquídeas
Visitors rave about this privately run botanical garden, located 15 minutes south from Puyo on the road to Macas. Enthusiastic owner Omar Taeyu guides visitors through hills of lush foliage and fish ponds to see gorgeous plants and countless rare orchids. Call ahead to let them kno
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Museo de Arte Colonial
This museum, in a handsomely restored 17th-century building, houses an excellent collection of colonial art. On display are famous sculptures and paintings of the Quito School, including the works of Miguel de Santiago, Manuel Chili (the indigenous artist known as Caspicara) and Be
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Teatro Sucre
Built in 1878, this stately building anchoring one side of the lively Plaza del Teatro hosts Quito’s best theater, dance and music performances; there’s also a top-notch restaurant on the 2nd floor. Prostitution, pushed out of other parts of Old Town, seems to have taken root in th
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Archaeological Park
Walk through the extensive ruins of buildings believed to be part the old Incan city of Tomebamba. Thanks to the Spanish conquistadors who carted off most of the stone to build Cuenca, there’s not much left – but the park is good for a gander and a stroll with perhaps a stop at the
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La Mitad del Mundo
At the center of La Mitad del Mundo stands the centerpiece of the park: a 30m-high, stone trapezoidal monument topped by a brass globe containing a viewing platform and an ethnographic museum, which provides a fine introduction to the indigenous groups of Ecuador through dioramas,
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Zoologico el Patanal
Located north of the city on the way to Daule, this is a rescue and rehabilitation center for injured and abandoned wildlife, as well as being a zoo with monkeys, crocodiles and some large cats. A taxi from downtown is $15; otherwise, get on a Nobol-bound bus ($1, 40 minutes) from
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Museo de Ciencias Naturales
Although a bit dusty, this natural-history museum in the Colegio Bolívar houses Ecuador’s most thorough collection of stuffed birds, mammals and reptiles. The historical photograph collage and a gruesome display of farm freaks, such as two-headed calves and six-legged lambs, make g
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Museo Amazónico
Above Abya Yala bookstore, this fairly neglected museum houses a small display of indigenous artifacts, including Quito’s only exhibit of tzantzas (shrunken heads), plus feather headdresses, a rough-hewn dugout canoe, stuffed wildlife (condor, sloth) and disturbing photos of petroc
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Bosque Protectora La Perla
The road rumbles northwest of Santo Domingo to Esmeraldas, almost 200km away. Amid African oil palm and banana groves you’ll find Bosque Protectora La Perla , a 250-hectare reserve ideal for bird-watching and guided walks. You can even stake a tent on the grounds. Obtain exact dire
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Punta Pitt
The northeasternmost point of the island is Punta Pitt, where volcanic tuff formations are of interest to geologists (and attractive in their own right), but the unique feature of the site is that it’s the only one where you can see all of the Galápagos booby species nesting. The w
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Parque del Centenario
This plaza, along Avenida 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 surrounde
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Iglesia Cristo Salvador
Looming above the central square, this church boasts uniquely Galapagos iconography. Note the stained-glass windows of native wildlife (marine iguana, seahorse, penguin, flamingo), while the mural beside the altar shows Jesus ascending above Puerto Villamil while frigate birds, a m
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Vivarium
Provide fodder for your jungle fears with a visit to the Vivarium , home to 87 live reptiles and amphibians including poisonous snakes, boa constrictors, iguanas, turtles, frogs and tortoises. It’s a herpetological research and education center, and the staff periodically gives clo
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Ochoa Beach
On the western side of the island you’ll find this horseshoe-shaped cove with a white sandy beach and shallow water that’s good for snorkeling. Sea lions, frigate birds, pelicans and blue-footed boobies can be found frolicking here; however, it’s only accessible by boat and usually
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