Guayaquil is the main seaport and commercial city, founded in 1537 by Francisco de Orellana. It stands on the west bank of the Guayas River, some 56km from its outflow into the Gulf of Guayaquil. Guayaquil´s seaport opened in 1964 and now handles approximately 90% of Ecuador's imports and nearly 50% of its exports. Guayaquil is more known more for its commercial prowess than as a place to spend vacations. But still, if you want to know Ecuador, it's a pace worth visiting.
Much effort was put into the renovation of the Malecón Avenue. The well-known waterfront street has now lots of parks, restaurants, and a new theatre. In addition to the Malecón, the picturesque Las Peñas district is worth a look. It is one of the oldest and most interesting districts in Guayaquil. Here is the city's first church, Santo Domingo (1548) and the nearby open-air-theatre, the Bogotá. Most of the area of Las Peñas is still very poor, but improving. This is an unsafe area, so please take precautions and do not walk at night. Also at the waterfront there are said to be many thieves and pickpockets. The pride of the city is the enormous bridge over the Guayas River linking the city with the rail terminal Durán on the east bank.
The locals are said to be much more lively and open than the people from the Sierra. You find about 5km outside the city golf cubs, tennis, yachting and a racetrack. The suburb of Urdesa, northwest of the city, shows one of the best restaurants and places of entertainment of the city.
These are some of the attractions that Guayaquil visitors can check out. Like Guayaquil, the Guayas Province probably deserves more attention than it gets, especially the beaches of Montañita, Punta Blanca, Playas (General Villamil), and Puntas Arenas. |
