Guayaquil

Cruise ships offer transportation to the Malecon,the northern section of this new waterfront promenade boasts plazas, water fountains, an antique Ecuadorian train and an expansive playground.

Printable map to take along.

Even though most people who come to the city are rather business visitors than tourists, Guayaquil offers some attractions that are worth seeing: The old district "Las Peñas" is the only part of the city where the wooden houses were not destroyed by fire and you can get an impression of the old, picturesque colonial Guayaquil. Or you walk along the riverside that has been refurbished in the project "Malecón 2000". There you find a mall and a park with historical monuments (the area is open till 12am). Guayaquil´s churches as "La Merced" or "San Francisco", the beautiful cemetery below "Cerro el Carmen", several museums, the Botanical Gardens…

The city grows very rapidly. Almost every day people from the country move to Guayaquil on their search for work. Poverty and crime are serious problems, so take good care of your belongings throughout the city, especially in the city center. On no account walk around after dark and avoid carrying valuables with you.

Taxis have no meters so prices are very negotiable. The US State Department advises not to take a taxi. Use cruise organized excursions!

There is limited shopping around the port. The best area is in the city center around Parque Seminario, Malecon 2000 and Las Peñas. Most shops are open on weekdays between 1000-1900

Ecuador has its own coins. These are exactly the same size and weight as American coins, and both are accepted. U.S. dollar coins are widely used, and preferred to $1 bills. American bills are used for higher values, Ecuador does not print any itself.

Spanish spoken.

There are hundreds of "coffee-nets" in the commercial and touristic areas that offer net2phone, email, internet at very reasonable prices.