Ecuador is a small country of 273 000 km2 with a population of 7 million inhabitants, it is characterized by its unique topography, diversity of climate zones and its huge population of plants, birds and animals. The traveler can quickly go from tropical forest to the heights of the Andes, down to the Pacific coast and up to several islands.

Photography by jmrufo

Ecuador is famous for the Galapagos Islands World Heritage Site, but apart from these, offers tourists a variety of climates, landscapes and beautiful products of great variety.

Spondylus Route:

Ecuador offers several routes to tourists. One is that of Spondylus, red shell, which is abundant on the beach in Salinas. One of the tours offered by the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador told reporters Vision is Spondylus Route and then the Sun.

Puerto Morro:

We arrived at Puerto El Morro, distant an hour’s journey, is our next destination. El Morro is a busy port, there are plenty of fishing and cargo transport.
 
They started boarding wet to Isla de la Plata. The journey takes one hour and twenty minutes and it will observe the sporadic, but frequent appearances of the Humpback Whale, which has come from the Antarctic to breed in warmer waters.

Isla de la Plata:

10 km long, 5 km long and 2.5 km wide, you walk up 200 steps and observe birds similar to the Galapagos. It is Drake Bay, named in honor of Francis Drake who visited during the sixteenth century. Its color is similar to that of silver, by the droppings of birds and has led to a legend that attracted great treasure hunters, because according to it, Drake would have been buried there many coins of this metal. The truth is that no one has been able to find anything. We walked down the path Punta Machete. The island is 600 meters flat after climbing the 200 steps leads to the upper part which divides the island.

Salinas Beach:

This has an interesting Indian cemetery, preceramic culture museum and the famous Museum and the Museum of Lovers Sumpa. This has 200 bones and is the oldest cemetery in Ecuador. There is also a church of 400 years of wood, and the Santa Elena Peninsula, we Farellón regocijamosen in Dilon, who owns a restaurant and a very important collection in its Gallery Nautical In this place offers lunch to a group of journalists Vision. It tasted in the Ecuadorian ceviches typical terrace, overlooking the beach Ballenita, full of shorebirds. There is surfing, diving and all water sports.

Photography by lgooch

Community Barcelona:

Then the trip continues through San Pablo and San Pedro, where 15 km is the Community Barcelona, a place where the Association of Women Artisans engaged in the process of preparing the straw shawl, from the Palmata caludovica , which then give way to the famous Montecristi hats.

Los Frailes Beach:
 
The tour then continues to Punta Los Frailes, where we find a large white sand beach where the group taking advantage of a swim in warm waters. The name of this beach is due to a bird (the monk) which is abundant in the area.

Machalilla National Park:

After taking a snack, continues the journey to the Machalilla National Park, where once again the traveler is astonished by the number of tree species of ancient trees, where a guide that explains everything about the place. We passed a bridge that leads to a sulfurous lagoon, which for some strange reason was formed in the place. We also found funerary urns dating from 500 to 1532 AD These correspond to the culture maintained. Machalilla has 220 species of birds, cactus and many other species such as mullein, which manufactured soap.

Manta:

Manta, a beautiful city is our next stop, and after going up and down stairs, as well as crossing the sea, which frightens many, we arrived at Hotel Oro Verde, a haven and rest that is appreciated at this point. The hotel, five star, full of wonderfully colorful vegetation offers a delicious lunch, where no one overlooks the famous and delicious ceviche of shrimp and other fish.

Photography by _oliverh_

Montecristi:

After the end of the exquisite and well served lunch and taking the usual pictures and filming proceeded way to Montecristi, known for there famous hats are sold in the same name, so popular did Michael Jackson. The time given is very brief guide for choosing among thousands of hats suitable. These come in a wooden box and are folded neatly to keep its shape. According to vendors is eternal and can washing, ironing and folding many times. From Montecristi we return again to Montanita, our lodging place for two days, to continue the next day at the Ruta del Sol

Enjoy your trip in Ecuador!