ECUADOR

Ecuador is the smallest country in the Andean Highlands. Despite its size it is probably the world's most bio-diverse country, crammed with an astounding variety of wildlife, birds and vegetation existing in the contrasts of climatic zones. Within a short time, traveler can experience dramatic changes in scenery, temperature and altitude, journeying between Pacific Coast beaches and the sweltering, mosquito-ridden rainforest; to the charming capital city of Quito surrounded by ice-covered volcanoes; and to colorful highland markets that add character and warmth to the windswept highlands of the Andes Mountains.

Ecuador is a tourists' paradise: there are literally hundreds of different activities catering for the tastes of all different types of holidaymakers - from hiking, scuba diving, skiing, climbing, and trekking, and so on, and so on... However, if you have limited time, the following, in no particular order, are the top ten things you can do when you're in Ecuador:

Climate in Ecuador
Ecuador's geography has endowed the country with a variety of microclimates. The coast is hot all year, with a humid rainy season between December and May. In the mountains climate depends on altitude, becoming cooler the higher you go. The Amazon region is hot, humid and wet while the Galapagos Islands are dry with a steady year-round average temperature of 77°F (25°C).

Entry Requirements

Passports should be valid for at least six months. All visitors should hold an onward or return ticket, and sufficient funds for their stay.
Americans: US nationals must hold a valid passport. No visa is necessary for stays of up to 90 days per year.
UK nationals: UK nationals must hold a valid passport. No visa is necessary for stays of up to 90 days per year.
Canadians: Canadians must hold a valid passport. No visa is necessary for stays of up to 90 days per year.
Australians: Australians must take a valid passport. No visa is necessary for stays of up to 90 days per year.
South Africans: South African nationals must hold a valid passport. A visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days per year.
Irish nationals: Irish nationals must hold a valid passport. No visa is necessary for stays of up to 90 days per year.
New Zealanders: New Zealanders require a valid passport. No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days per year, though this is not applicable to holders of passports issued in Cook Islands or Niue.

THINGS TO DO IN ECUADOR AND TRAVEL ATTRACTIONS

Plaza de la Independencia
City/Region: Quito
The square, also known as Plaza Grande, has always been the heart of the city, and as the hub of the old center it is the best place to sit and people-watch. Around the square are the Cathedral, the City Hall, the Government Palace and the Archbishop's Palace, the most notable municipal and religious buildings in the city. The cathedral, the oldest church in South America, is one of the city's most impressive historical and architectural sites. Both the Government Palace and the cathedral were scenes of shocking murders; in 1875 President García Moreno was murdered by machete, and in 1877 Bishop of Quito was poisoned during a Good Friday Mass.

Plaza San Francisco
City/Region: Quito
The plaza is a large cobbled square with the western side completely dominated by the enormous façade of the Iglesia de San Francisco and its belltower, and the Monastery of the same name. It is a peaceful place, without the shady benches full of people and the business of Plaza de la Independencia. Inside the church are chapels gilded in gold, splendid altars and many religious paintings and carvings produced by the Quito School. The Monastery holds some priceless examples of Spanish sculpture and art. It is the biggest religious compound in South America with seven courtyards and buildings stretching behind the church, which only become evident once the visitor has ventured through the stone doorway of the main entrance.

Museo del Banco Central
City/Region: Quito
One of the few sights in the New City is the round walled Casa de la Cultura. It houses a theater, a cinema and two museums, the more impressive being the Museo del Banco Central. Ecuador's premiere museum, it contains an astonishing collection of religious art, Columbian ceramics and pre-Hispanic gold, and a huge archaeological repertoire. Of interest are the ceramics of the La Tolita society (600 BC to 400 AD), the Gigantes de Bahía, the Sala de Oro filled with gold, and the Sala de Arte Colonial, packed with religious paintings and sculpture.

El Mitad del Mundo
City/Region: Quito
El Mitad del Mundo (The Middle of the World) is a purpose-built complex of museums and shops that was constructed to mark the equator, the line that gives the country its name. The 96-foot (30m) high Equator Monument is the focus of the square, topped by a brass sphere representing the world, from where a painted line stretches out on either side marking the equator that divides the world, and the complex, into northern and southern hemispheres. Also on the square is a set of weighing scales to illustrate the fact that one loses a bit of weight on the equator, being further from the center of the planet's gravity than usual. An anthropological museum has interesting displays of Ecuador's indigenous populations and their customs, and there is a scenic lookout at the top.

Otavalo
City/Region: Quito
Ecuador is famous for its colorful, indigenous markets, and the best known of these is market day at Otavalo. It dates back to pre-Inca times when jungle products were brought up from the lowlands to be traded for highland goods. Every Saturday is a wonderful sprawling mix of rich color, smells and the sounds of energetic bargaining, an essential part of trade and an art in itself. Spread over three plazas and the surrounding streets, thousands of local otavaleños in striking traditional dress sit among their wares, doing hard business with tourists and locals. The Plaza de los Ponchos is the main area for crafts like woolen blankets, bright ponchos and jerseys, colorful bags and woven tapestries. It is possible to buy almost anything from fresh fruit and rain sticks to jewelry and dried lentils.
Transport: Buses leave Quito from the main bus station, Terminal Terrestre Cumandá (journey time two hours)

Cotopaxi National Park
City/Region: Quito
Parque Nacional Cotopaxi is Ecuador's most visited National Park with the highest active volcano in the world at its center. Volcán Cotopaxi, at 19,350ft (5,900m) above sea level, offers excellent hiking and climbing opportunities along with a small museum, a llama herd,camping and picnic facilities. There is also a good chance of spotting condors and deer. An overnight mountain hut on the snow line is available for those wishing to climb the volcano. The recommended months for climbing the volcano are December to April.
Address: Main park entrance is three miles (5km) north of Lasso
Transport: Buses go to the park entrance (journey time: 1.5hrs) but it is better to arrange a guided trip from Quito. Pick-up trucks at the entrance are also available to take visitors to the car parking lot. A train is available on Saturdays and Sundays.

Charles Darwin Research Station
City/Region: Galapagos Islands
Near Puerto Ayora is the Charles Darwin Research Station that contains a National Park information center and a museum. It is also has a protected baby tortoise nursery that aims to boost the endangered species of the Galapagos tortoise, whose enormous saddle-shaped shell gave the islands their name (the Spanish word 'galápago' means 'saddle'). There is a walk-in enclosure where visitors can meet the giant tortoises face to face. The station is also home to 150-year old Lonesome George, the world's only surviving Pinta tortoise. Until he was discovered in 1971 the race was considered extinct. Hunting in the 18th century and the introduction of goats in the 1950s, which destroyed the vegetation, had wiped them out.
Address: Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Website: www.darwinfoundation.org

Cuenca
City/Region: Quito
The Spanish founded the pretty colonial city of Cuenca in 1557. Despite being Ecuador's third largest city, it is quaint and colonial, and a favorite for photographers with its cobblestone streets and 16th-century buildings in the old center. It is a good place to spend a few days relaxing in the grand atmosphere. There are a number of museums and churches to see, and plazas, markets and cathedrals that can be visited during a leisurely ramble of the city. Nearby are the country's only major Inca ruins, the fortress of Ingapirca.