If you’re on your way to the fabled Galápagos Islands, Guayaquil in Ecuador is one of the two main cities that you would fly into ideally at least two days prior. Avianca Air will then fly you into San Cristobal to board your cruise through the Galápagos Islands. Parque Nacional Galápagos has created stringent protocols for all visitors to protect the endemic wildlife of these islands.
Where to Stay
Hotel Oro Verde strategically located in the heart of Guayaquil offers a perfect place to rest your head for a couple of nights. Their generously appointed breakfast buffet at El Patio is included and available from 5:30 am – 10:00am every day. This is not your average hotel breakfast buffet by any means. It is evident that this hotel and its executive chef takes pride in food and its presentation. After all, it is said that we feast with all our senses, and not just with our palate. Their ceviche bar includes options of both a fresh fruit and shrimp ceviche (yes, at breakfast).
There is a delectable assortment of breads; both sweet and savory. Be sure to try their croissant de coco (chocolate croissant). Their chia pudding topped with coconut shavings and diced fresh mango is the perfect size for those wanting to be mindful of calories as is their green ‘detox’ juice. However, the highlight of the breakfast buffet is definitely the variety of options on their hot bar as well as the made-to-order omelet bar with an assorted variety of fresh vegetables and cheeses.
If you’re bold enough to have seafood for breakfast, the encebollado (fish stew; an Ecuadorian specialty) is a palate pleaser to be sure. Top it with a splash of lime juice conveniently pre-squeezed for you and a dollop of the local, fresh-made hot sauce. The lime and hot sauce are the perfect foil for the salty soup. Another Ecuadorian specialty item on their buffet menu, the corn tamales is a local favorite along with roast pork.
If the breakfast buffet was more food than you wanted to consume for your first meal of the day, you can make your way to Gourmet Deli, a grab and go style café in the lobby area of the hotel for a specialty coffee and a local pastry.
The hotel seems to be a popular venue for wedding parties to stay; if you’re ever in the market for a destination wedding in Ecuador.
What To Do
Malecón 2000 is an internationally acclaimed boardwalk along the Guayas riverbank. Resplendent with tropical foliage and water features there are opportunities to feed local ducks and play structures for the kids. peppered throughout the couple mile-long boardwalk.
Ave 9 de Octobre (Revolution Day in Ecuador) the main thoroughfare through Guayaquil is one of the most direct walking routes to Malecón 2000. Picturesque in its own right; along the way one can take in the local economy with stores featuring appliances, local makeup, street food vendors, banks and American fast food restaurants all vying for the robust pedestrian foot traffic.
Parque Centenario
In the midst of this busy avenue, providing a respite from the heat and humidity of the day is Parque Centenario. Guayaquil’s version of Central Park, this lush oasis among the urban jungle is much loved by the locals. An obelisque featuring statues of Ecuador’s freedom fighters has a place of prominence in the center of this park. Park benches are generously littered throughout; each one of which bears no fewer than 2-4 people deep in conversation. Ecuadorians appreciate the art of visiting and conversation and not a single person visible is on their phone. They are there to connect and converse.
The lush verdant trees need no filters or photo editing as they show off their vibrant foliage.
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Be sure to find the beautiful banyan tree along the left artery of the park.
Ave 9 de Octobre is also where you’ll find Iglesia San Francisco, a beautiful two-domed Catholic Church with rich history.
Malecón 2000
While there are many entry points to Malecón 2000, Ave 9 de Octobre runs perpendicularly right into it providing you with a very welcoming three-dimensional sign with individual letters spelling out the word GUAYAQUIL.
Pose for a picture among the letters.
Malecón 2000 is replete with bars, coffeeshops, stores and dining opportunities. As you make your way along the boardwalk, sipping a delicious latte frio from Sweet & Coffee, you’ll stumble upon a bazaar of sorts with vendors hawking wares ranging from diffusers to jewelry and from clothes to housewares. Just past the bazaar you can sign up to take a ride on the giant slow-moving Ferris Wheel (a la London Eye) to get a bird’s eye view of Guayaquil.
One thing to note, everywhere people gather in large numbers, one notices the presence of police; not enough to give you a sense of unease, but enough to give you a sense that they take security and safety seriously.
After a big breakfast brunch, you might be inclined to skip lunch in favor for a small bite at a Sweet & Coffee shop, the local coffee chain which features both sweet and savory snacks ranging from flan to ham and cheese croissants.
Walking further East will take you to Cinemamalecon (Malecón 2000’s local cinema option) at which point you should have wonderful views of the brightly colored homes of Las Peñas. If you’re lucky you might see an Ecuadorian tall ship cruising along the fast-moving river.
Once you make your way back to the hotel, be sure to stop at the nautically appointed Bar El Capitán for a refreshing welcome drink (first one is complimentary). Be sure to choose the mango vodka drink; local mango juice and a shot of vodka makes for a very refreshing, tropical spiked punch. Although they do have a decent selection of house wine and beer or soft drinks to choose from if a cocktail isn’t your jam.
There’s probably days’ worth of visiting you could do through Guayaquil, but more than likely you are there as a steppingstone on your way to a cruise on the Galapágos Islands. Malecón 2000 gives you a wonderful place to spend that day without feeling you wasted a day of your vacation. More than 90% of the people along this masterpiece of urban regeneration will be locals. It gives you a sense of the local environment providing you a fleeting look into the culture, cuisine and community of Ecuador and its second largest city, Guayaquil.
