Ecuador Travel - Sample Coast itinerary: Five days | costa

Pacific Coast

Sample Coast itinerary: Five days

Malecón 2000, Guayaquil.

1st day: Tour of Guayaquil

Visit to the city of Guayaquil, one of the most important ports of the Southern Pacific in South America. Walk along the new and renovated riverfront promenade “Malecón 2000”, with a beautiful view of the Guayas River. Along the promenade, there are stores, restaurants, museums and an IMAX theater. Climb up the stairs leading to the top of Santa Ana Hill through the old and traditional neighborhood of Las Peñas. From the Faro (lighthouse) at the top, you can enjoy a great view of the city. In the afternoon, visit the Historical Park, the Botanic Garden, or the Cerro Blanco Nature Reserve. In the evening, enjoy a boat trip along Guayas River and admire the colors of the city.

Yacht Club, Salinas.

2nd day: Guayaquil – Cocoa plantations – Salinas

Early morning departure for the Ruta del Cacao (Cocoa Route) in the southwest for a visit to one of the cocoa-producing haciendas, where you will learn about the production process and try delicious Ecuadorian chocolate. Later on, travel to Salinas, a prosperous and modern city with an ideal beach for practicing water sports, such as jet skiing, windsurfing, diving, and sport fishing.

Sunset on the Route of the Sun.

3rd day: Salinas – Machalilla National Park

In the morning, travel along the coastal road via the beaches of the “Ruta del Sol.” Here, you will pass through impressive coastal landscapes and see fishing villages and places such as Punta Carnero, ideal for amateur fishing, and Montañita, internationally renowned for surfing. Visit the Salango Museum, where the remains of pre-Colombian cultures are on display. Arrival in Puerto López, where you can stay in one of the beachfront lodges or hotels at the entrance of Machalilla National Park.

Kite-surfing, Manta.

4th day: Isla de la Plata – Machalilla National Park

Visit Isla de La Plata, where you will see species of bird and fauna that are very similar to the ones found on the Galapagos Islands. Due to this, the island is known as the “mini Galapagos” and is also an ideal place for scuba diving and snorkeling. Between June and October, you can see the humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) that arrive each year to mate. In the afternoon, swim in the emerald-colored waters of los Frailes beach before returning to your hotel.

Bahía de Caráquez.

5th day: Machalilla National Park – Manta – Guayaquil / Quito / Bahía

Discover Montecristi, where Panama hats are made. Then visit the beach in Manta, where you can stay in a good beachfront hotel before catching a flight the next day to Quito or returning to Guayaquil. From Manta, visitors can also extend their stay on the coast and head north to the city of Bahía de Caráquez, the ecological city of the Ecuadorian coast.

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Summary

Blue footed boobie nesting.

Nature at its purest Galapagos is one of the most important national parks in the world. It has 13 main islands and dozens of islets and minor volcanic islands. This archipelago, 97% of which is protected by the government, is located almost 620 miles from the Ecuadorian coast and is characterized by its white-sand beaches, cactus forests, giant turtles, and colored birds – such as the blue-footed, redfooted and masked boobies, flamingos, and penguins. The Islands...

The city of Guayaquil seen from Santa Ana hill.

Where the green beaches meet the sea Beautiful beaches are found from north to south on the Ecuadorian Pacific coast. Alongside ports, fishing villages, and modern cities, dense protected forests grow with their gigantic and moist terracotta roots. The tallest mangroves in the world (64 meters / 194 feet) are found in the Majagual forest in the Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve. In Machalilla National Park,...

Antisana volcano.

Avenue of the volcanoes In the mythical Andes mountains, there are volcanoes that are more than 16,400 feet/5,000 meters high and are permanently covered with snow and glaciers dating back to ancient times. The tallest active volcano in the world, Cotopaxi (19,350 feet/5,897 meters above sea level), is the perfect setting for charming villages and fertile valleys. Chimborazo (20,702 feet/6,310 meters above sea level) has five summits on flanks of rocks and an extensive Andean plateau. Cayambe...

Yasuni National Park.

From the Andean peaks to the Amazon Rainforest Visitors will find that Ecuador offers the easiest access to the Amazon. In just a few hours, visitors can travel from the Andean peaks to the jungle. Volcanoes such as El Sangay and El Altar, with their numerous and sharp peaks, can be seen from the exuberant and dense vegetation of the Amazon. Reserves and national parks are home to hundreds of bird and fish species. They are also home to tapirs, anacondas, boa constrictors, turtles,...