$146+ Cheap flights to Ecuador

What is good to know if travelling to Ecuador?

• Quito is the most visited town in Ecuador. Colonial Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a must-see spot for any tourist. Start at the Plaza de la Independencia and visit the cathedral and Presidential Palace. In modern Quito, take a walk down Avenida Amazonas for some shopping, people watching or a drink at one of the many cafés.
• The Galapagos Islands are a major touristic draw for their wildlife. The marine iguana, native to the islands, is a large black iguana which can live in the sea. Charles Darwin wrote of it, “The black Lava rocks on the beach are frequented by large (2-3ft) most disgusting clumsy Lizards […] I call them the imps of darkness.” You may find the giant galapagos tortoises, after which the islands were named, more appealing. The Charles Darwin Research Center, in Puerto Ayora was founded for conservation of the islands natural habitat and is the best place to get up close and personal with the tortoises.
• There is also excellent swimming and snorkeling on the islands. The sea life is relatively tame: swim with sea lions, turtles and penguins. The sea lions, and their pups if you visit at the right time of year, are especially fond of divers and will approach and play with them.
• Guayaquil is the largest city in the country and it has the biggest population. The town has been through extensive renovation recently and, though not yet a major tourist spot, its natural beauty and fantastic views are starting to be recognized. For a view of the city, take a walk up the 444 steps at the end of Malecon 2000.
• Ecuador has some culinary delights, and local dishes specific to almost every region. Favorites include lemon-marinated shrimp, corn pancakes and lechon – roasted suckling pig. However, it is for eating cuy, the humble guinea pig that the Ecuadorians are best known to us…