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Isla Lobos
A half-hour northeast of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno by boat is the tiny, rocky Isla Lobos, the main sea-lion and blue-footed booby colonies for visitors to San Cristóbal, with a 300m-long trail where lava lizards are often seen. Both the boat crossing and the trail tend to be rough, a
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Casa Museo María Augusta Urrutía
Of Quito’s house museums, this is the one not to miss: it’s a splendidly preserved, 19th-century home – once the abode of the city’s best-loved philanthropist, María Augusta Urrutía – and is sprinkled with period furnishings, stained-glass windows, European artwork and a lush court
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Parque Cóndor
Get an up-close view of Andean condors, as well as eagles, owls, falcons and hawks at this Dutch-owned foundation, which rehabilitates these and other birds of prey. Don’t miss the free flight demonstrations at 11:30am and 3:30pm. Primarily Spanish spoken. The center is perched on
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Parque La Merced
Also known as Peñaherrera, the city’s main plaza was built at the beginning of the 19th century. The main feature of the Iglesia de la Merced is a gold-leaf-covered altar for the Virgen de la Merced, patron saint of the armed forces. The church holds a special mass in remembrance o
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Mercado Sur
At the southern end of the malecón stands a handsome steel structure, sometimes called the Crystal Palace. When this Belgian-designed covered market was built in 1907, it was the biggest marketplace in Guayaquil. It has now been restored, with giant glass walls, and is periodically
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El Arca Rescue Center
Outside of the town of Cotundo , the El Arca Rescue Center houses a myriad rehabilitated animals in well-kept cages. Walk with a guide on the winding pathway to see hawks, parrots, anacondas, turtles, caiman and monkeys. For $1 more, swim in the tiny blue pool by the river. Travele
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Museo de las Culturas
Located in the neoclassical, former municipal palace, several small galleries present the ethnohistory of the region, from 8500 BC through colonial and republican periods. Its worth visiting for the indigenous religious festival costumes and photos – the man of the mountains for Sa
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Parque Calderón
On one side of this park/plaza stands the whitewashed ‘old cathedral,’ also known as El Sagrario . Construction began in 1557, the year Cuenca was founded, and in 1739 La Condamine’s expedition used its towers as a triangulation point to measure the shape of the earth. It is now de
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Mirador Teléferico
Lojas best viewpoint is at the top of the new cable car from Parque Pucará 1km south of Plaza de la Independencia up Olmedo. Walk or get a taxi ($0.50) to the cable car base from where youre whisked up through woods to a nearby hill summit. Tourist robberies have happened on the tr
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Volcán Alcedo
The summit of this volcano (1097m) is famous for its 7km-wide caldera and steaming fumaroles. Hundreds of giant tortoises can be seen here, especially from June to December, and juvenile hawks soar on thermal updrafts. The view is fantastic. Permits are required to hike this long,
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Reserva Ecológica Manglares Churute
This 50,000-hectare national reserve protects an area of mangroves southeast of Guayaquil. Much of the coast used to be mangrove forest – an important and unique habitat. This is one of Ecuador’s few remaining mangrove coastlands; the rest have been destroyed by the shrimp industry
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Museo en Miniatura Guayaquil en la Historia
This whimsical museum takes visitors on breezy journey through Guayaquils history, with elaborate miniature sets that relate key events over the past 500 years (including pirate attacks, devastating fires, revolutionary fervor and a more recent equally bold revitalization project).
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Isla Genovesa
Lovers of the goofy red-footed booby wont want to miss this northeasternmost point of the Galápagos. Watch your feet - its easy to miss a fluffy little baby booby or a camouflaged iguana while scanning the horizon for sperm whale or the elusive Galápagos owl. The island covers only
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Parque Amazónico
Take that snazzy new footbridge part-way across the river to this 27-hectare island. There’s a self-guided trail whisking you passed labeled local plants and animal enclosures, including those of tapirs and monkeys. It’s no substitute for the real thing, though! Its worth the clamb
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Cerro Brujo
Possibly one of the nicest beaches in the Galápagos, Cerro Brujo is a huge white expanse found on the west side of the island. The sand here feels like powdered sugar. A colony of sea lions and blue-footed boobies call Cerro Brujo home, and behind the beach is a lagoon where you’ll
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Parque El Ejido
Northeast of La Alameda, the pleasant, tree-filled Parque El Ejido is a popular spot for impromptu games of soccer and volleyball. The north end of the park teems with activity on weekends, when open-air art shows are held along Avenida Patria. Just inside the north end of the park
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Plaza de San Sebastián
Marking the western edge of the historical center, the quiet Plaza de San Sebastián is anchored by the 19th-century Church of San Sebastián . In 1739, when this plaza was still used for bullfights, it was a mob of cuencanos (folks from Cuenca) – not the bull – who mauled a member o
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Rancho Primicias
Next to El Chato is this private ranch, owned by the Devine family. There are dozens of giant tortoises, and you can wander around at will. The entrance is beyond Santa Rosa, off the main road – ask locals for directions. Remember to close any gates that you go through. There is a
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Our Lady of Macas Cathedral
The cathedral announces itself with a Technicolor virgin, looming over a plaza resembling an elaborate skate park. Inside, a tranquil, column-free space with stained glass telling episodes from the towns past ushers you up to the tiled altar depicting Macas in front of a bellowing
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Museo del Banco Central
One of the country’s most important museums, the Museo del Banco Central is located across from Parque El Ejido. This circular, glass-plated, landmark building also houses a movie theater and an auditorium. It showcases the country’s largest collection of Ecuadorian art, from beaut
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