Overview
Take a trip to Guayaquil on your Ecuador Vacation
On an Ecuador vacation, the country’s largest and most populous city is Guayaquil, located on the western bank of the Guayas River. Serving as the country’s main port, Guayaquil is Ecuador’s principle commercial and manufacturing centre.
Before a settlement was established by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco de Orellano in 1538, the region that Guayaquil covered was a native village. Its location meant that it was a target for pirates during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1820, a group of civilians and soldiers from the ‘Granaderos de Reserva‘ defeated the Royalist guards’ resistance (almost without bloodshed) to declare independence from Spain. This victory would later be viewed as key in the Ecuadorian War of Independence. The city became part of the Republic of Ecuador in 1830. A fire devastated a great part of the city in 1869 and as a result, there are few colonial buildings today. Instead, Guayaquil offers a more modern and contemporary vibe than another Ecuadorian cities.
Today, much of Guayaquil’s personality comes from it being a seaport. It offers a hot climate, great music and even better seafood that must be tried by every visitor on Ecuador tours. Recent years have witnessed the city undergoing major changes that include more parks as well as a growing cultural scene focusing on theatre, film and art. While not as well known as other cities in Ecuador, Guayaquil is beginning to attract the attention of tourists both locally and abroad.
At a Glance
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If you a looking for a unique experience, then a stay at Mashpi Lodge, Cloud Forest would be perfect. It is a remote high-biodiversity experience which boasts over 600 bird species, unique monkeys, and other fascinating wildlife
Ecuador has incredible biodiversity and varied landscapes, from the wildlife-rich Galapagos Islands to the high-altitude Andes mountains and Amazon rainforest
Tourists often focus on the Galápagos or the Amazon, but the Cloud Forests — mysterious, humming with life, and relatively uncrowded — are a hidden gem.
One local tradition that travelers should absolutely try to experience in Ecuador is "La Diablada de Píllaro", or The Devils of Píllaro, held every January 1–6 in the small Andean town of Píllaro, in the Tungurahua province
Guayaquil is always a popular photo opportunity...
Enjoy the sights at the Guayaquil City while on...
Enjoy Your Tour to Guayaqui
Most Popular Time to Travel
Know when to go.
Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
GuayaquilMostly Cloudy
32°C / 90°F
7mm / 0.3"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
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I truly appreciate everything Allan does and highly recommend him to anyone looking for exceptional service. Thank you, Allan, for always being thereBrooke EcholsOur 2-week trip to Normandy, Switzerland and Italy after we disembarked from the Queen Mary 2 in Southampton in mid-May was superb. Michael Keon did an amazing job of putting together highlights for us to see and visit with the short time we had. All the train reservations, private and small group tours and transportations were very well coordinated, on time, and usually exceeded our expectations. Drivers were courteous and knowledgeable. Mike did a wonderful job getting everything coordinated, in spite of our almost “last minute” booking. I booked a month-long trip through GOWAY back in 1989 for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, and they were superb then. So I tried them again, and found the entire organization to be even better. Mike was quick to respond to any questions that came up regarding booksings and times, regardless of the 6-hour time difference. Just superb! Although we had a nasty experience in Milan, GOWAY was very responsive and saw to our requests and our needs. Again, Michael Keon is the person who coordinated our travel. I will ask for Mike when I travel again with GOWAY. I recommend GOWAY highly. PJ WheelerA BIG THANK YOU to Goway Travel, Brooke Theron and all of the partners onsite. Our trip to Africa was incredible, memories that will last forever.
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Thank you very much for helping us have a great experience in Peru.INEverything was planned perfectly. The excursions were so small and personal. Ask for Mark! I have already planned another trip back to the Oregon wine country with Mark. Claire
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