More to Ecuador than Galapagos Islands

| by Aracely | 8 Comments » | Ecuador, South America

Snow Capped Volcanoes of Ecuador

The Road from Riobamba to Isinlivi

Whenever someone finds out I am from Ecuador their next question is usually, “Have you been to the Galapagos Islands?”  Unfortunately, I have not… yet.  But like most people, it is definitely on my list of top travel destinations.  My thought after answering that question is usually, “There is much more to Ecuador than the Galapagos Islands.”  I was fortunate enough to find that out for myself after spending a month traveling through my country back in January.  From what I’ve gathered, most visitors to the islands skip over Ecuador’s mainland completely or see very little of it, and in my opinion miss out on so much.

Ecuador is made up of four major regions concentrated in a small area:

  1. La Costa, the Coastal Region
  2. La Sierra, the Highlands on the Andes Mountains
  3. El Oriente, the Amazon Jungle
  4. Galapagos Islands
Best Crater Lake

Quilatoa Crater Lake

Each of the regions has a very distinct climate and landscape making it an ideal place for a variety of different plants and animals.  However, Ecuador’s diversity is not only found in its fauna and flora, it is found in its people as well.  It is difficult to pinpoint the various indigenous groups in Ecuador due to varying information, but approximately 11 to 15 ethnic groups can be identified as still existing in the country.  The largest group is Quichua with 2 million people.

Aside from admiring wild life and learning different cultures, Ecuador also offers a variety of outdoor activities and adventures, a perfect destination for thrill seekers.

Those who visit Ecuador can explore all of its regions in a short period of time.  There are not many places in the world where you can hike up a glacier volcano and then be in a tropical rain-forest on the same day.

Ecuador Beaches

Canoa Beach, Ecuador

The Coast

Beaches, beaches and more beaches.  Ecuador’s Coast is approximately 650km from top to bottom.  Here, you will encounter small fishing villages with low-priced seafood, beautiful untouched beaches especially in Machalilla National Park, great surfing year round, and guaranteed whale sittings during mating season (July and August).

What to do and where:

Surf in Montanita, whale watch in Puerto Lopez, scuba dive in Salango, swim in isolated beaches at Los Frailes and have a drink under a hut on the beach of Canoa.

Great Colorful Cathedrals

The New Cathedral of Cuenca, Ecuador

The Highlands

The Andes Mountains lay between Ecuador’s coast and the Amazonian Jungle.  In this region there are hidden indigenous villages with many smiling faces, beautiful landscapes, great multi-day trekking, challenging volcano summits, crater lakes, biking and off-road vehicle rental.

What to do and where:

Trek the Quilotoa Loop starting at Latacunga and ending at the marvelous Quilotoa Lake, hike your most challenging summit at Volcano Cotopaxi, shop at the most important market in the Andes in Otavalo, enjoy great cuisine in the colonial city of Cuenca and rent ATVs in Baños to get a better view of active volcano Tungurahua.

Ecuador Jungle Waterfalls

Pailon del Diablo Bridge in Puyo, Ecuador

The Jungle

The rain forest covers about one third of Ecuador’s land, but only a small percent of its (more interesting) population lives here, some of which have no contact with the outside world.  In the rain forest you will come in contact with 50% of Ecuador’s mammals and 5% of the planet’s plant species and bird life.

What to do and where:

See pink river dolphins at Cuyabeno Reserve, swim with piranhas or just catch one at Laguna Pañacocha, get to know the Huaorani tribe at Coca, experience world-class river rafting and kayaking in El Chaco.

Ecuador is a great travel destination for everyone and can satisfy every travel style. Most important, there is so much more to visit than just the Galapagos Islands, although it is one the worlds great locations.

Click here to see more PHOTOS from Ecuador.

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Tags: beaches, blogsherpa, Ecuador, galapagos, lakes, mountains, South America, volcanoes

Written by Aracely

Co-founder of TwoBackpackers.com. Aracely has been traveling, writing and taking photos since 2024, when she departed on his first year long travel backpacking journey. When she isn't seeking new adventures, Aracely is usually building Excel models as a financial analyst professional. Visit my website

8 Responses to “More to Ecuador than Galapagos Islands”

  1. Melvin says:

    Ecuador is on the top of my wife’s “to do” list, so your info is great! Thanks!
    .-= Melvin´s last blog ..London’s canteens: Cheap and good. =-.

  2. T-roy says:

    LOVE this post Aracely! So true that there are many things there besides the island and it’s super cheap, except for Galapagos Island! lol

    The photos to! :)
    .-= T-roy´s last blog ..Faces of Cuba: 006 =-.

  3. Zuri says:

    Ecuador is one of the most beautiful countries of South America. Nothing compares to the landscapes of the Highlands, the lush of the Amazon Rainforest, the exotic Beaches of the Coast and the mystery of the Galapagos Islands.
    .-= Zuri´s last blog ..More About the Author of This Galapagos Islands and Ecuador Site =-.

  4. Christina says:

    I LOVED Ecuador and did make it to the Galapagos Islands. One of the best trips of my life. We also took the crazy bike ride from Baños down to the Pailon del Diablo! I would add one more place: Papallacta Hot Springs in the mountains above Quito. Quiet, foggy and beautiful and only a few dollars to get in. Plan on spending a few days there if you can.

  5. Aracely says:

    Thanks for the suggestion Christina. I agree on Papallacta Hots Springs I was there back in 2024 and the natural setting is just beautiful.

  6. Kelly says:

    This reminds me so much of Peru – everyone asks ‘have you been to Machu Picchu?’ and no one seems to notice that there’s a lot more to the country than one hard to reach ruin! Of course, being neighbors, we have similar landscape – coast, sierra and selva. I’ve been here 6 years, and feel like I could take the rest of my life exploring and still not see everything. I hope to make it to Ecuador in the next 2 years!
    .-= Kelly´s last blog ..Surquillo Market #1 =-.

  7. Laura says:

    I love mainland Ecuador. I was feet awaythree types of piqueros/boobys on Isla de la Plata in Machalilla National Park, as opposed to my time in the Galapagos where we spotted Blue Footed Boobys from a distance.

    I loved touring around the village of Otavalo and hiking in Coca National Park

  8. I love Ecuador and like you say the mainland is often more spectacular than the Galapagos Islands. The Alto Choco region, Intag Valley and the Amazon rainforest are all more than worth a trip

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