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Guide to Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Guayaquil
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GuayaquilGuayaquil
Placed alongside the wide current of the Rio Guayes in Ecuador's southern half, Guayaquil is a city like many others in the western world. It has a network nearly entirely comprised of strictly of parallel and perpendicular streets. As a waterside commercial center, it holds a growing trade sector that could very well make it the busiest city of the nation's eastern provinces. And, in order not to cut corners and deprive its people and its visitors of a well-rounded environment, Guayaquil boasts a cultural portfolio that makes the Guayas region one of the most exciting within this morsel of South America. Founded nearly five centuries prior to today, Guayaquil is marked by tapestries of colonial architecture, residential and commercial districts that can be thought of only as too colorful, and a history charted by some of the best museums in Ecuador. Some consider the city's pace to be a bit too hectic; this is natural for a well-established metropolis, but, all the same, makes for a crazed atmosphere that puts foreigners in watchful stances rather than participatory positions. Our recommendation? Grab a strong espresso at the start of the day and let Guayaquil work you over the way it wishes to.
When to go:
As long as you're near the aquatic side of Guayaquil, you can pretty much get by any time of year. The Equator (hence the country's name) runs through the northern half of the country, making the whole northern block of South America guaranteed the "tropical" designation. This can be both beneficial and detrimental to a destination's position among worldly sites, as many who've traveled to the African, Mexican, and/or India summers can attest. As long as you stick to an easy itinerary and pace yourself well, traveling Guayaquil (and it's surroundings if you so wish) is relatively easy. Unless the days of spring or summer are marked by extraordinary levels of humidity (exacerbated by the ocean and rivers off the coast and inland, respectively of course), you'll need only to equip yourself with a good amount of UV deterrent and hydrating fluids. (Now that we think of it, that espresso quip may not have been a thoroughly researched suggestion.)
Getting there and around:
Every province of Ecuador has its own capital - Guayaquil is king of the Guayes, and so forth - but all nevertheless look up to Quito. For this reason it is best to save yourself the trouble and journey to Ecuador's star city before jetting south to Guayaquil's Simon Bolivar Airport. Once there, a cab is best for the airport-to-city transfer. Everything in Guayaquil - or everything worth a mention - is located inside its most concentrated area: its southern half. You can surely get by without consulting any non-foot-soldierly methods of transit, but Guayaquil and fatigue don't mix well, so try catching a bus or hailing a taxi at least a few times while you're here.
Attractions:
It's difficult to tell which reigns as the more popular of the two, but the Museo Arqueologico del Banco del Pacifico and Parque Historico Guayaquil both win in their respective categories. The museum is simply an artifact-crazy cultural whirlwind, where the Chorrera Period often is the segment to intrigue visitors the most. On the other side we have the park. The world is home to countless theme parks, but how many can declare a historic motif? Parque Historico Guayaquil will take you through a forest of natural aviaries, a miniature banana plantation (It is Ecuador, people), a traditional country house, and a "100-years-prior" glimpse of Guayaquil's layout, seen a wooden boardwalk.
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