Ecuador: An Array of Travel Choices for Everyone

ECUADOR, THE SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY WHERE THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD IS PERCHED ON, HAS TRAVEL ATTRACTIONS GALORE FOR ALL TASTES THAT ALLOW VISITORS TO ENJOY THE WONDERS OF A UNIQUE LANDSCAPE

Picture yourself traveling around the world as your own boss while discovering your favorite destinations. Did you do it? Well, such dream is the lifestyle of thousands of people who have grouped together under the name of digital nomads.

With an area of 256,370 square kilometers, the Andean nation has earned its name "Country of the Four Worlds" because of its coast, jungle, highlands and the Galapagos Islands, a Natural Heritage of Humanity and Biosphere Reserve.

In addition to its exuberant native flora and fauna, snow-capped volcanoes, beaches, Amazon forests and dozens of indigenous nationalities, the territory is distinguished by the wide variety of options, in terms of prices, for rest, extreme sports or direct contact with its culture and traditions.

The Sierra, the most visited region in all of Ecuador, is a very popular alternative because it allows the exchange, at low prices, with lakes, rivers, pristine moors, colonial towns and indigenous craft markets.

The Middle of the World City, in Pichincha, province where Quito (the capital) is located, is the most visited tourist place in the whole nation, therefore, a must-see.

Ancestral homes, the Plaza del Cacao, the Museum of Craft Beer, Planetarium and the emblematic Equatorial Monument, which brings together the main events since the arrival of the French Geodesic Mission formed by academics, who measured the meridian arc, are part of its charms.

But if it is a question of permanence, Mindo, with one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity, receives locals and foreigners with accommodations, gastronomy and activities for all budgets.

Hostels and hotels welcome tourists interested in knowing their orchid garden and butterfly farm or in enjoying, outdoors, hiking, canopy and tubing.

The pyramids of Cochasqui, an archeological research site, and the Quilotoa Lagoon, formed in the crater of a volcano, are other good options.

In the Amazon there are also surprises within reach, with places like Puerto Misahuallí, where you can enter the world of the indigenous communities and with the typical canoe trip you can get to know the life and customs of the ancestral peoples.

Drinks such as chicha and guayusa, a good Maito of fish, wrapped in banana leaves, or the chontacuro skewers (chonta worm), are part of the typical cuisine offered in the area.

It is impossible to stay several days in Ecuador and not reach the coast, where the enjoyment is not only in the combination of sea and sun, but also in

its fishing settlements and internationally recognized dishes such as shrimp ceviche, encebollado, bolón de verde or encocado.

Montañita, Canoa, Puerto López, Bahía de Caraquez, San Lorenzo, Mompiche are some of the beaches available for a serene swim or a day of surfing.

Ecuador, as a whole, is a good invitation to spend holidays in groups, couples or with the family, because in only two or three hours you can go from a dense jungle to a snowy peak, or from there to the sea.

Its volcanoes, especially the point furthest from the center of the Earth and the closest to the sun, Chimborazo, with an altitude of 6,263 meters above sea level, are unique views that will leave postcards for the rest of your life.

Next to it, the Cotopaxi, Tunguragua, Antisana, Cayambe and Illiniza, among others, are some of the natural wonders of this South American country, where tourism is promoted, with the idea of turning it into one of the main sources of income for the national economy.

It would be unfair not to talk about the Galapagos Islands, which are expensive but an ideal refuge for lovers of biology and biodiversity.

The perfect complement, the museums and magical cities like Loja, where the festival of Living Arts has turned it, in the last three years, into the capital of Latin American culture; the Cuenca, colonial, majestic and hospitable; and Otavalo, with its handicraft markets.

Ancestral, mega-diverse and multiethnic, Ecuador invites you to get to know it and live an unforgettable experience for adrenaline lovers, history buffs, intrepid adventurers or simply people in need of rest and contact with nature.