Category: Ecuador

A bustling market town and the capital of Cotopaxi province, Latacunga appears rather dull from the Panamericana. But once you cross the bridge over the swift Río Cutuchi and head toward the main plaza, the buildings get older, terra-cotta-tiled roofs appear, and old Latacunga starts to looks pretty damn cool. The town is famous for its Mamá Negra festivals and seems to have more barber shops per capita than any town in Ecuador. It’s a good base for transportation to Cotopaxi, it’s the starting point for the Quilotoa loop, and it’s the best point from which to visit the Thursday morning market in Saquisilí.

Tena has evolved as the ambassador of the jungle, a cheerful hodgepodge with two fat rivers intersecting at its heart. White-water paddlers get giddy in the rafting and kayaking capital of Ecuador; there are so many rafting options and a cold beer and toasty bed back in town. Even if the river’s not your cup of tea, this is a good place to kick back and visit nearby waterfalls and indigenous communities. Breezes off the Río Tena and Río Pano keep the climate comfortable.

From Saraguro, the road drops steadily to Loja, whose elevation and proximity to the Oriente gives the town a delightfully temperate climate. Despite Loja’s isolation (the nearest town of any importance is five hours to the north), Loja is one of the county’s most cultured cities. Founded in 1548, it’s one of the oldest towns in Ecuador and is home to a nationally renowned university, an important conservatory and a law school. The city is famous for its musicians (it seems like everyone in town plays something) and its award-winning parks. Despite all this, and the fact that it’s the provincial capital, it’s still a small town at heart – so much so that you’ll find a day or two here plenty of time. Loja is a good base for visiting nearby Parque Nacional Podocarpus and the main stop before heading south to Vilcabamba and (if you’re roaming that far) Peru.

Much like the revolutionary scientific idea it’s become synonymous with, the Galápagos Islands may inspire you to think differently about the world. Nowhere else can you engage in a staring contest with wild animals and lose. You can’t help thinking you’ve stumbled upon an alternate universe, some strange utopian colony organized by sea lions – the golden retrievers of the Galápagos – and arranged on principles of mutual cooperation. Don’t come expecting to see bizarre wildlife – there are no half-penguin, half-turtle ‘penurtles, ’ no large mammals with shark fins. What’s truly special is that the creatures that call the islands home act as if humans are nothing more than slightly annoying paparazzi.

Mission roots burrow back to 1563, but they are just a layer in the complex scaffolding of this old trading post at the tip of Shuar and Achuar territories. The provincial capital of Morona-Santiago, Macas is essentially a burgeoning modern town whose identity ebbs between colonial and indigenous. Its slow and steady pace and approachable locals make it a welcoming stop for the visitor and an excellent launch pad for adventures further afield.

You can’t help but feel the rub of the first world chafing against the ancient in the Oriente, Ecuador’s Amazon Basin. Consider the Tagaeri and Taromenani, who refuse all contact with the modern world but inhabit the same forest where oil exploitation grows day by day. These worlds will one day meet. The Oriente is an intense place with clenching stakes for everyone involved. Its earliest inhabitants lobbed heads for it, and politicians, colonists, environmentalists, indigenous groups and big industry continue the battle today.

Ambato takes a little warming up to. Compared with nearby Baños, it offers little for the traveler, except the chance to experience a totally nontouristy Ecuadorian city. And it’s actually an interesting place. The Monday market, which fills the streets downtown, is one of the biggest in Ecuador. Above town, there are fabulous views of the puffing Volcán Tungurahua (5016m), and Ambato’s parks and quintas (historic country homes converted into parks) are lovely. The ambateños (people from Ambato) themselves must be some of the best-dressed folks in Ecuador.

Bumping along the spectacular dirt roads of the Quilotoa loop and hiking between the area’s Andean villages is one of Ecuador’s most exhilarating adventures. Transportation is tricky but the rewards are abundant: highland markets, the breathtaking crater lake of Laguna Quilotoa, splendid hikes and traditional highland villages. Most of the villages along the loop have only basic accommodations, but you can base yourself in Chugchilán, which has good lodging options for all wallet sizes. (Tigua is another option.) One of the best parts of the loop is the fact that you’ll have many chances, especially in Quilotoa, to interact with indigenous folks. They can seem somewhat withdrawn at first, but are friendly and talkative once the ice is broken, especially if you speak some Spanish or – even better – Quichua.

Atacames’ rolling cobalt waves set the stage for Ecuador’s most popular beach, crowded with thatched bars and sarong shops. If you enjoy the accoutrements of urban beaches, this place is for you. The strip is the lively haunt of all-night revelers with blaring music and coconuts waiting to be split, spiked with rum and served up with a Chinese umbrella. Revelry thrives during high season (July to mid-September, Christmas through New Year, Carnaval and Easter) when serranos (highlanders) pour into town to party. In low season it drops dead and becomes a cloudy, brooding refuge.