The Ecuador Insider

Ayangue reminds me of the Galapagos, both above the water and below it. It’s a tiny cove with a small, sleepy town and a handful of dive operators. That’s it, but its nice.

What to do?

– Try the seafood at one of the many huts along the beach.

– Swim and snorkel in the table-top flat ocean in the cove.

– Hike the nearby oceanfront cliffs.

– Para-glide in nearby San Pedro.

– Visit the nearby Playa Rosada beach.

– Scuba dive! Its cheap and its good!

Where to stay?

My top pick for a Hotel in Ayangue is the Oasis Ayangue. Can’t beat it, Wifi, hot water and good thin crust pizza one block off the beach.

Coca is one of those small towns that don’t really leave an impression on you, one way or the other. It has a nice river boardwalk and the locals are friendly to visitors, but most still pass right on by. It is the main jumping off point to the Yasuni National Park and other river excursions through the jungle.

Where to stay?

My pick is Hotel Oasis on Camilo de Torrano with basic, worn-out fan rooms starting around $10 per person. Be sure to check out the nice views of the river.

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Muisne has a unique ‘backwater’ feel, a run-down town, a tropical island, an enormously wide beach, at times completely deserted. Muisne has a feeling all its own and is best for explorers wanting to get far off the beaten track. Take a Mangrove tour with Fundecol.org.

Where to stay?

My value pick whenever I’m in the area is Hostal Las Olas with a restaurant and rooms starting around $10 per person.

Lago Agrio is a sketchy border town most tourists dont venture. It is however the main jumping off point to the Cuyabeno Jungle Wildlife reserve, a unique flooded rainforest. Also, a visit to nearby Dureno can give you a taste of what primary rainforest is like.

Where to stay?

My pick is Hotel Selva Real on the corner of AV QUITO Y COLOMBIA with basic, clean rooms relatively mosquito free starting at $15 per person.

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A few hours from Quito on the road to the Amazon lies a steamy spa town famous with local vacationers, Papallacta.

What to do?

Bath in the Thermal Hot Springs in the Termas de Papallacta about 1.5 km before you reach town.

Where to stay?

My pick is the Hosteria La Pamapa de Papallacta. Basic, clean rooms with on-site hot springs to enjoy, Prices start from $20. 2320624.

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