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A lot of people travel from Quito to the Indian market of Otavalo. Along the way, stop in Cayambe and buy some 'queso de hoja'. This is the best cheese I have ever eaten! It is farm fresh and wrapped in a leaf. You can get it from either steet vendors or in shops. Pick up some "bizcochos" (crunchy biscut-like food) too!
On the way from Quito to Ambato (where Cotapaxi is located), stop by Salcedo (a.k.a. San Miguel). They have some great ice cream! They put the fruity, milky ingredients in a cup, put a popcicle stick in, freeze it, and then pull it out of the cup. You can find these treats other places, but they are originally from here!
Heading south from Quito on the Panamerican you travel down a valley with parallel ranges of volcanoes on either side. Needless to say, there are many opportunities to visit the various parques nacionals such as: Sangay, Llanganates, & Cotopaxi and hike in reservas such as Los Ilinizas & Chimborazo. The two most popular volcanoes to climb are Cotopaxi (5897m) and Chimborazo (6310m). Iliniza Norte (5126m) and highly technical Iliniza Sur (5248m) are also climbed fairly often. Close to the Ilinizas and an easier climb is Volcan Corazon (4788m). Truly .... the hiking possibilities in this area could keep you busy for several weeks or even months.
Well you just have to check out the jungle if you're in Ecuador, if you're into ecotourism, bird watching or just a great walk in the forest. (a little different then your typical walk through the forest though)
Simply lying on the sand and watching at the sky with no cloud and you will find that everything goes so slowly and smoothly.As the beach is facing the Pacific Ocean, enjoying the wonderful sunset is the main activiy of the day.
La Selva -- a fascinating and exciting research outpost. Hard to reach, you need to take a plane to a remote northern town and then a boat into the headwaters of the Amazon and then walk a few miles to the main lodge. You can either stay the entire time at the main lodge -- doing day hikes -- or head straight out for a three-day walking safari, staying at various smaller huts along the way , searching for caymans at night on the water and visiting local Indian communities.
intag and apuela is out there- they have springs and its small. pretty but scary drive. the terminal's in otavaloJambeli is a beach in the south. its not spectacular by tropical standards but i liked it enough. nice mangroves and you boat out there. its clean and safe which many beaches are not down there. also not many foreigners if ya like that.Puyo i liked for no apparent reason-its a nice small town just as your getting into the amazon basin. i had a grand ol time at traveling carnival there. decent places to eat and drink also
From Banos you can take the road east to Puyo along the Pastaza river which is about a 70km drive to get a view of life in the upper-Amazon basin. Mountain bikes can be rented in Banos (around $5 per day - check the brakes and tires!) for the ride as well. We took a van all the way to Puyo and it was a 7-hour round trip with some stops along the way (the road is very high and narrow in parts). A shorter bike trip is to go 20km from Banos along the same road to the Rio Verde waterfall (pictured here) where you can walk down for a closer look. We saw a few mountain bikers looking very tired on their way back to Banos, so make sure you start early and bring water and food. The road is not paved on this section and the return trip is all uphill since you are coming from the lower elevations to the east.
TIPS FOR TRAVELLING TO ECUADORMONEY MATTERSFrom september 2000 the new currency system is the US Dollar, so you can find bills of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 and coins of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents.There is no restriction to bring any quantity of foreign money or traveler checks. There are still some small communities which still accept the Sucre, the old currency but the US dollar is recognized and used everywhere in the country.Local Taxes with each purchase, you pay a tax of 12% IVA. Sometimes it's included in the price so you don't think that there is a tax. For hotels and restaurants services you pay another 10% service tax, kind of as an automatic tip.TIPPING:The tips are completely to your discretion, but in restaurants and hotels there is a 10% service tax so most people don't feel the need to tip but if you are pleased with the service, feel free to leave a tip. BANKS AND BUSINESS...
TRAVELER TIPSWhen buying at indian markets or to street vendors don't doubt about barging. It is part of the game and you will be glad to buy something at a cheaper price. In the other hand on stores where the price is marked barging is not a good idea at all...Ask at your credit card office for a PIN number so you can use it to get money at ATM's from PLUS and CIRRUS networks...At some hotels and restaurants where a 10% for service is charged tipping is not a must.When taking outdoor pictures in Ecuador, because of its ecuatorial position, the best time is the early morning and late afternoon, when sun rays are not direct and don not create a contrasting dark shadow.Although it is not a requisite Malaria and Typhoid Fever shots can be taken before travelling.Never drink tap water since in Ecuador it is not always apt for human consume (especially in rural regions). Bottled water is...
Four Points by Sheraton Quito Quito
6 Reviews and 82 Opinions I knew this hotel as the Sheraton Quito, but I suppose that it was, at least at one time, a Four...
Hotel Victoria Cuenca
1 Review and 46 Opinions I arrived without a reservation at the end of a long and exhausting day (see my Alausi page). The...
Samari Spa Resort Baños
33 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Ecuador attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Ecuador sightseeing.
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Q: Hello I leave in Ecuador next month and i'm looking a spanish school, located in the Pacific Coast. I know there is a school in...
A: Hello Enrico You're right, Montanita is such a touristic place. I understand you want to avoid it. Last year, I have spent one month in a spanish school in Sua, near...
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