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Tourist Places to Visit in Imbabura, Ecuador, America

Tourist Places to Visit in Imbabura, Ecuador, America

Imbabura is one of the provinces of Ecuador geographically located between 0°21′ N latitude and 78°08′ W longitude covering an area of 4,616 sq. km. Ibarra is the capital of the province placed on the banks of Tahuando River. Imbabura is home to Imbabura Volcano which is a 4,609-meter-high mountain and it can be reached from La Esperanza town.

Spanish is a widely spoken language all over Imbabura and also locals speak Quechua language. Imbabura is administratively divided into 6 cantons or counties and the list of counties is:

Cotacachi
Otavalo
San Miguel de Urcuquí
Pimampiro
Antonio Ante
Ibarra

The Otavalo Indigenous Market is most popular indigenous of Market held in the town of Otavalo located around 25 km away from the capital city of the province, Ibarra. Ibarra is placed around 120 km away from Quito, the capital city of Ecuador and 550 km from Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuador.

Connectivity to Imbabura:

Teniente Coronel Luis a Mantilla International Airport is the nearest airport to Imbabura, located around 100 km away from the provincial capital, Ibarra. This airport operates scheduled flights to Quito, served by TAME.

Imbabura is well connected with the neighboring cities as well as other major cities of the country through roadway by scheduled buses, buses from Quito depart from Carcelen taking around 2.5 hours and costing $2.60. Buses from Tulcan take 2.5 hours and charging $3. Taxis are useful to get around costing 1$.

Food and Shopping in Imbabura:

The Otavalo Indigenous Market is the famous traditional market in Otavalo offering products like knitting sweaters, hats and Spanish treadle looms at affordable prices.

The prominent restaurants in Imbabura are:

La Mirage Garden Hotel Restarant
Hacienda Cusin
Cafe Pachamama
Trebol Cotacachi Bar & Grill
The Red Pub

Things to do in Imbabura:

Paragliding
Boat rides
Fishing

Places of interest in Imbabura:

Imbabura Volcano:

Imbabura Volcano is the identity of Imbabura located at an elevation of 4,609 meters. The town of La Esperanza is the gateway to reach Imbabura and it takes a full day to reach the top of the peak.

Lago Yahuarcocha:

Lago Yahuarcocha is a stunning lake situated around 3 km away from Ibarra (provincial capital). Tourists can enjoy different water sport activities such as boat trips, fishing and paragliding on the lake. Also there is racetrack used for local car and bike racing and the restaurants near the lake offer traditional Ecuadorian fish dishes.

Tren de la Libertad:

Tourists can enjoy 2 hours typical train ride on the former railway track and the train departs at 8am and returns at 4pm and charged 7.5$ for the return trip. Advance booking can be made at the railway station.

Other places of interest near Imbabura include:

Valle del Chota
Otavalo
Condor Park
Peguche Waterfall
Parque Acuatico – Araque
Tahuantinsuyo Weaving Workshop
Plaza De Los Ponchos Mercado
Museo del Banco Central del Ecuador Ibarra
Rio Peguche
Galeria Gabriel Ceballos Ulloa
Centro de Rescate Guayabillas
Escuela Quitena
Tsunami Club

Best time to visit Imbabura:

The beginning months of year will be ideal to visit Imbabura.

Accommodation options in Imbabura:

Imbabura is home to numerous reputed hotels and resorts serving tourists with latest facilities and services. List of prominent hotels in Imbabura include:

La Mirage Garden Hotel & Spa
La Posada del Quinde
Hacienda- Hosteria Chorlavi
Hacienda Pinsaqui
Hotel Plaza Victoria
Hotel Riviera-Sucre
Hotel Santa Fe
San Andres Lodge & Spa
Hotel El Indio Inn
Hosteria Hacienda San Francisco
Rancho Sant Fe
Casa de Lily
Hosteria San Luis
Hosteria Pueblo Viejo
Hotel La Giralda
Imperio del Sol Hotel

Coca Tourist Places to Visit in Coca, Ecuador, America

Coca Tourist Places to Visit in Coca, Ecuador, America

Coca also called as Puerto Francisco de Orellana is the capital city of Orellana province of Ecuador, located around 590 km from Guayaquil and 290 km from Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Coca is highly visited by Amazon Forest visitors, especially adventure sport lovers.

Geography of Coca:

Situated at the confluence of the rivers Coca and Napo in the Amazon Rainforest, Coca coordinates with 00°27′45″ south latitude and 76°59′03″ west longitude at an elevation of 300 meters.

History of Coca:

Coca was named in the honor of the explorer of the confluence of Coca and Napo rivers, Francisco de Orellana.

How to reach Coca?

Coca is served by Francisco de Orellana Airport located around 3 km away from the heart of the city with scheduled flights to Guayaquil, Latacunga and Quito, catered by AeroGal and TAME.

There are taxis always available at the airport and also tourist can use pre booked vehicle.

There are daily buses plying between Coca and Quito and most of the bus companies offer advance booking facility for tourist’s convenience.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Coca:

There are many regional festivals celebrated in Coca with great enthusiasm and fervor by gathering all community peoples.

Coca is also known for traditional food corners with different seafood items and juices and list of main food corners in Coca is as follows:

Los Cedros
Parrilladas Argentinas
Media Noche
El Buho
Dragon Dorado
Doña Erma

Major Coca hotels offer internet facility and also tourists can access internet in internet cafes. Traditional handicraft product shops are interesting.

Things to do in Coca:

Jumandy Explorers
Emerald Forest Expeditions
Tropic Ecological Adventures
Safari
Trekking
Hiking
Walking

Tourist Attractions in Coca:

CICAME Museum:

CICAME Museum holds a large collection of artifacts from the ancient Coca and Spanish colonial period. Nice museum and great collection.

Yasuni National Park and Huaorani Reserve:

Coca covers most part of Yasuni National Park and Huaorani Reserve, so tourists are needed to stay 3 to 4 days to explore the full park. Capturing or hunting birds and animals is strictly prohibited. Taking guided tour will be better for easy exploration. Tour guides generally charge US$35-60, the price differs on the numbers of tourists. There are many forest lodges located within the park.

The Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve:

The Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve is a perfect spot to come across indigenous Ecuadorian animals and birds. Be careful when exploring the reserve. Prior permission is necessary from the Huaorani organization ONHAE.

Other places of interest near Coca include:

Museo de la Ciudad
Casa de la Cultura
Museo del Banco Central
Conjunto Monumental San Francisco
Museo Mindalae
Museo Guayasamin
Calle de la Ronda
La Vírgen del Panecillo
Mitad del Mundo
The Intiñan Solar Museum
Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus

Best time to visit Coca:

The best time to visit Coca is during the months of summer season.

Accommodation options in Coca:

Coca is a picturesque town housing many lodges and guest houses with all the basic facilities and services. Other than facilities, many guest houses serve visitors with a wide variety of traditional Ecuadorian and international cuisines and also arrange bike and bicycles as well. The prominent hotels in and around Coca are as follows:

Amazonas
La Misión
Lojanita
Hotel Rio Napo
Hotel Oasis
EI Auca
La Selva
Sacha Lodge
Shiripuno Lodge
Secoya Lodge
Yuturi Forest Lodge
Amazon Dolphin Lodge
Arcoiris Jungle Lodge
Cabañas Bataburo
Añangucocha
Sani Isla

Banos Tourist Places to Visit in Banos, Ecuador, America

Banos Tourist Places to Visit in Banos, Ecuador, America

Banos (fully Banos de Agua Santa) is a city belonging to the Tungurahua province of Ecuador positioned 1815 meters above sea level. Banos is home to a stunning central park surrounded by many spectacular waterfalls including l Manto de la Novia and Virgen de Agua Santa and is also a gateway to the Llanganates National Park.

Banos is popularly called as ‘the adventure capital of Ecuador’ because of its different outdoor activities including rafting, kayaking, bridge jumping and jungle tours.

Geography of Banos:

Banos is commonly called as the ‘Gateway to the Amazon’ due to its position on the River Pastaza in the Amazon River basin. Banos is located around 40 km southeast of the provincial capital, Ambato and 170 km south of the national capital, Quito.

History of Banos:

The literal meaning of Banos in local language is ‘spiral baths’, it may be derived from the hydrothermal springs that are situated around the city. Banos houses a historical Roman Catholic Church with the sculpture of Virgen de Agua Santa.

Getting Banos:

The major bus terminal of Banos is placed on the north edge of town receiving buses from Quito, Guayaquil, Riobamba and Ambato. Buses are regular and comfortable. Taxi or car can be hired at any of the local travel agencies of Banos.

Banos is located around 85 km away from its closest airport, Cotopaxi International Airport in Latacunga with scheduled flights to Coca and Guayaquil, operated by TAME.

Where to eat in Banos?

A Variety of sugar cane juices are very special in Banos and also city offers plenty of standard food corners with mouthwatering crispy and crunchy traditional cuisine. Here is the list of best food corners in Banos:

Pancho’s Snack Bar
Arte Cafe y Te
Casa Hood
Bar Cafe Jack Rock

Where to shop in Banos?

Banos houses all the sorts of shops including sovereign, handicraft, adventure sport dresses and shoes and typical shops placed in front of the church.

What to do in Banos?

Imagine Ecuador – Tour Operator Banos
Team Ecuador
Horseback riding
Hiking
Rafting
Jungle Tours
Bungee Jumping

What to see in Banos?

Church of the Virgin of the Holy Water:

The church of Banos was constructed with numerous volcanic rocks and designed by neo-Gothic style architecture. This church was named after the appearance of Virgin Mary in the nearby waterfall, due to this there was the sculpture of Virgin Mary placed in the church. Nice interior.

Cascada de La Virgen:

Banos boasts around 60 spectacular waterfalls, Cascada de La Virgen is the major one located in the proximity of the city.

Manto de la novia:

Manto de la novia also called Ruta de las Cascadas is a beautiful waterfall which surely impresses tourists with its amazing natural beauty and also supports cable car ride. It is located 12 km from the city centre.

List of other places of interest in Banos is:

Pailon de diablo
Inés María
El Manto de la Novia
Agoyán
Llanganates National Park
Cerro Hermoso
Zoologico de San Martin

When to visit Banos?

Probably summer months are ideal to explore waterfalls and enjoy different outdoor activities in Banos.

Where to stay in Banos?

Hostels are budget options in Banos charging around $10USD per night with all the basic facilities and high end hotels charge $20USD+. The major hotels in Banos are listed below:

La Casa Verde Eco Guesthousel
Hosteria Miramelindo
Luna Runtun
Samaro Resort
Flatshare Banos
Mayra’s House
La Floresta Hospedaje
La Chimenea
El Marques Posada
Plantas y Blanco
Hostería Spa Miramelindo
Hostel Transilvania
CharVic Hostel
Hostel Backpackers
Hostal Restaurant Erupcion

Places to Visit in Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador, America

Places to Visit in Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador, America

Bahia de Caraquez is a city situated in the Sucre County of Manabi province in Ecuador between 0°36′0″ S latitude and 80°25′0″ W longitude. Bahia de Caraquez is a great vacation point for tourists from Quito and Guayaquil as it is home to many natural attractions, the 1^st certified-organic shrimp farm of the globe, numerous well facilitated condominiums and hotels and various archeological sites.

Geography of Bahia de Caraquez:

Bahia de Caraquez is located at the opening of Río Chone on the western coast of the country, around 340 km southwest of the national capital, Quito.

History of Bahia de Caraquez:

Bahia de Caraquez was founded in the year 1624 by José de Larrazábal as Villa de San Antonio de la Bahía de Caráquez during the Spanish colonial era. With one of the major ports of the country, Bahia de Caraquez served as the main trade point between Pacific South America and Central America from the late 16^th century to the middle of the 17^th century.

Connectivity to Bahia de Caraquez:

Eloy Alfaro International Airport in Manta is the nearest major airport to Bahia de Caraquez situated around 80 km away from the downtown Bahia de Caraquez with connection to Quito, served by 3 different airlines such as AeroGal, LAN Ecuador and TAME.

It takes around eight hours from Quito (catered by Reina del Camino) and six hours from Guayaquil (by Reina del Camino and Coactur) to Bahia de Caraquez by bus.

Bahia de Caraquez is also served by local bus and taxi.

Food and Shopping in Bahia de Caraquez:

Bahia de Caraquez is an ideal place to taste variety of Ecuadorian seafood items and drinks and buy traditional handicrafts at affordable prices. Here is the list of the major restaurants in Bahia de Caraquez:

Arena Bar Pizzeria
El Rey del Burrito
D`Camaron
El Rey del Burrito

Things to do in Bahia de Caraquez:

Archeological sites
Boat rides
Organic farm

Places of interest in Bahia de Caraquez:

Archeological Museum:

Located in the old Banco Central building, the archeological museum of Bahia de Caraquez showcases a nice collection of artifacts and statues from the Valdivia culture and many other historical communities. Admission fee is $1.

Rio Muchacho Organic Farm:

A typical site located in Canoa around 22 km from Bahia de Caraquez, Rio Muchacho Organic Farm is a nature farm offering 1 to 3 day tour for visitors with different activities including horseback riding and leads tourists to forests and waterfalls.

Chirije Park:

An ecological and archaeological park of Chirije is located along the coast of the country, 15 km from Bahia and was opened in 1996. It has lots to offer for tourists including pre-Columbian archeological sites, an ancient seaport and Chirije on-site museum, reachable by boat.

Other places of interest near Bahia de Caraquez include:

Mangrove Reserve
Isla Corazon
Bahia de Caraquez beaches
Playa de los Frailes
Silver Island
Narwell Cia Ltda
Museo Ciudad Alfaro
Agua Blanca
Lalo Loor Dry Forest Reserve
Machalilla National Park
Estadio Reales Tamarindos

Best time to visit Bahia de Caraquez:

Throughout the year is best, especially from January to May will be best to trip Bahia de Caraquez.

Accommodation options in Bahia de Caraquez:

There are many nice hotels and hostels placed in Bahia de Caraquez with upgraded facilities such as AC, TV, Wi-Fi, Pool, doctor on call, food on request and arrangement of the vehicle. A list of prominent hotels in Bahia de Caraquez is: