Touring around Ecuador: Must visit, must see, and must eats in Guayaquil

The Santa Ana hill and Las Peñas Neighborhood. Part of the pintoresque landscape in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

As an Ecuadorian, I've been lucky enough to share my local knowledge in Matador Network. Since most of this content is in Spanish though, I decided to share some of these ideas in English. If you're planning a trip to Ecuador, you may find most websites offer little to no practical information, or very scarce local knowledge. I wanted to make a set of posts so that people can print them and use them during their urban strolling on various locations.

I will start with my home town, the beautiful city of Guayaquil. Definite must visits will be listed in bold. I hope you have a great experience in Ecuador!

GUAYAQUIL : 2–3 DAYS

Downtown Guayaquil (to visit during daytime)

Must-visit sights:

1. Parque Centenario: The city's main park, to visit with a local. A monument celebrating the first triumph for Ecuador's war of independence is raised here.
2. The Crystal Palace: A beautiful metallic structure that was regenerated as a convention center. The scenic Malecón 2000 riverwalk starts here.
3. Seminario Park (Iguanas): This park is just a few blocks away from the Malecón. It hosts several Guayaquilean iguanas that live with the locals and is located right across the street from the main cathedral.
4. Guayaquil Metropolitan Cathedral: This is the city's main Cathedral, built to replace the colonial one.
5. Pit Stop: La Canoa Restaurant: Ideal pit stop right across the street from the Seminario Park. You should ask for a "Cazuela" or a "Bandera".
6. Guayaquilean Municipality: This large and majestic colonial building is where the Guayaquilean Majors reside.
7. Malecón 2000: This is the result of the city's massive urban regeneration project. Malecón 2000 is a boardwalk overlooking the Guayas river. Must see sites and experiences along the Malecón are the Torre Morisca (Clock Tower), The Henry Morgan Sail Ship (Tour Sailboat — get the 6pm ride), the Jardines de Malecón (Botanical Boardwalk Gardens), the Guayaquil in History Miniature Museum (skip the last couple of displays), the MAAC (Anthropological and Contemporary Museum), and the La Rotonda monument.
8. Pit Stop: El Manso Hostel and Restaurant. Vegan cuisine overlooking at the Guayas river can be found here.
9. Crafts Market: All those souvenirs can be found here. Craftsmanship and art abounds at half the price you may them elsewhere. Get a local to barter for you here. :)
10. Las Peñas Neighborhood: Beautiful pebble stone road and historic artistic district leading to Puerto Santa Ana. Make sure you visit the La Paleta speakeasy cocktail bar here. It's open after 8pm, has a pretty cool and eclectic athmosphere, and sells everything from mojitos to absinthe.
11. Santa Ana Hill Staircase and Lighthouse: There are 444 steps in total, but many bars to get a quick drink and a cold beer along the way. The 360 degree view from atop the lighthouse is breathtaking.
12. Puerto Santa Ana: A new "gentrified" area overlooking at the Guayas river. It's still in the process of becoming lively at night, but the Casa Pilsener bar, the Julio Jaramillo, Barcelona, and Emelec small museums are all here.
13. Zona Rosa: Partying and night life can get crazy in Guayaquil. If you're looking for salsa, merengue, reggaetón, or latin music dancing, you should visit this area with locals. During daytime, the Zona Rosa area also hosts a secret bakery called the Mono Goloso. At night, many cocktail bars and night clubs open up.

Vía a Samborondón (cruzando el Puente de la Unidad Nacional de Guayaquil)

1. Guayaquil Historic Park (Parque Histórico): A zoo next to a colonial exploration landscape? Interact with endemic species? This is a must-visit.
2. Plaza Lagos: If you're in for a fancy night out, the restaurants and over the top atmosphere will make you feel like in Florida.

Optional Visits in Guayaquil

1. Ferry or walk to the Santay Island Recreational Area: This is a one day trip and a very nice one at that. Visit the Santay Island and explore a dry forest atmosphere, as well as the local culture.
2. Gran Arrecife Restaurant: One of the best Guayaquilean cuisine restaurants.
3. La Bahía: Feeling adventurous? This is a place to barter. This is Guayaquil's black market. It's among one of the top five places in the world for piracy and bootleg material. If you're into that stuff, dress for the occasion (inconspicuous), get a local, and explore this area.
4. Caraguay Seafood Market: Fresh seafood, among the best encebollado in town.
5. Malls: All Guayaquil's Malls have the air conditioning set to very cool, due to the city's scorching sun. They include cinemas, supermarkets, pharmacys, and food courts. These malls are great for strolling, last minute shopping, and to explore the commercial landscape of the city. The most prominent ones are Mall del Sol, the various Riocentro Shopping Centers, and the San Marino Shopping Center.

Guayaquilean Encebollado. This is a must eat if visiting the city.

Must Eats

Guayaquil's geographic location and traditions leave for GREAT SEAFOOD. Peruvians have tried to conquer this city several times. Food could easily be one of the main reasons. Some of the must try dishes here are:

1. Encebollado: Fish broth served with cassava and bread.
2. Guatita: Peanut based sauce served with meaty mondongo.
3. Ecuadorian Cazuela: Peanut and plantain based seafood pot served with rice on a clay bowl.
4. Ceviche de Camarón: Soup including lemon marinated seafood, onions, and crunchy corn or plantain chips.
5. Cangrejo de Manglar: Guayaquil is famous for the red crabs growing among its mangrove forests. Give these delicacies a try at Ochipinti restaurant or at La Pata Gorda, if you're feeling fancy.
6. Seco de Chivo: Goat served with rice and ripe plantains. Delish.
7. Bandera: Pick three or four of the above, served in a single plate.
8. Ecuadorian bread: You'll find these at any local bakery. Good stuff.

Are you from Guayaquil? I'm surely missing something here. Please feel free to add anything I may be missing to this list! Let's make sure tourists experience our city as best as possible!