{"id":1509,"date":"2016-04-04T14:18:54","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T18:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/?p=1509"},"modified":"2019-01-05T11:50:04","modified_gmt":"2019-01-05T16:50:04","slug":"diverse-distinct-regions-ecuador","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/diverse-distinct-regions-ecuador\/","title":{"rendered":"Ecuador&#8217;s Diverse Distinct Regions"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><strong>\u00a0Amazingly Diverse Distinct Regions in\u00a0Ecuador<\/strong><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_1580\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/ecuador-peguche-waterfall.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1580\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1580\" data-attachment-id=\"1580\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/diverse-distinct-regions-ecuador\/ecuador-peguche-waterfall\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/ecuador-peguche-waterfall.jpg?fit=720%2C576&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"720,576\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ecuador-peguche-waterfall\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Peguche waterfall Hidden Valley tour&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/ecuador-peguche-waterfall.jpg?fit=584%2C467&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1580 size-medium\" style=\"border: 3px solid #000000;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/ecuador-peguche-waterfall-300x240.jpg?resize=300%2C240\" alt=\"Peguche Waterfall - Ibarra \" width=\"300\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/ecuador-peguche-waterfall.jpg?resize=300%2C240&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/ecuador-peguche-waterfall.jpg?resize=375%2C300&amp;ssl=1 375w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/ecuador-peguche-waterfall.jpg?w=720&amp;ssl=1 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1580\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peguche Waterfall<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Ecuador is tiny. In the\u00a0diverse distinct regions in Ecuador, you will find extreme beauty from its historic Andean cities to its\u00a0nature. The nature of Ecuador consists of\u00a0micro-climates from snow-capped peaks (there are 44 peaks with 14 active volcanoes) to humid jungles to warm coastal beaches.<\/p>\n<p>It is home to:<!--more--><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>3,500 orchid species<\/li>\n<li>1,600\u00a0of the world&#8217;s bird species<\/li>\n<li>4,500 butterfly species<\/li>\n<li>16,000 plant species<\/li>\n<li>106 reptiles and 138 amphibians native to the country<\/li>\n<li>and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Cultural diversity and the nature&#8217;s bounty of Ecuador that drew us.<\/p>\n<p>You can\u00a0see the\u00a0distinct regions of Ecuador in a\u00a02-week trip. To do so, go directly from town to town \u2013 north to south or vice versa \u2013 staying overnight in different towns along the way. However, this will offer only a quick overview of the distinct regions. We chose to split it up, and take our time to see this gorgeous country.<\/p>\n<h2><u>ANDEAN CITIES OF ECUADOR<\/u><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1585\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1585\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1585\" data-attachment-id=\"1585\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/diverse-distinct-regions-ecuador\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg?fit=1588%2C672&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1588,672\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg?fit=584%2C247&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1585 size-medium\" style=\"border: 3px solid #000000;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana-300x127.jpg?resize=300%2C127\" alt=\"In the Mariscal section of Quito, Ecuador\" width=\"300\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg?resize=300%2C127&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg?resize=768%2C325&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg?resize=1024%2C433&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg?resize=500%2C212&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg?w=1588&amp;ssl=1 1588w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/quito-ecuador-casa-de-la-cultura-ecuatoriana.jpg?w=1168&amp;ssl=1 1168w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1585\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cultural Center Quito, Ecuador<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Quito\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Quito, the capitol <\/a>at approximately 9,000 feet in the Andes, was our base. We traveled in and out of Quito for all of our trips. A great central point, go Quito to the Galapagos, to see volcanoes, go to\u00a0thermal baths, climb mountains or go whitewater rafting, visit the Amazon, see\u00a0multiple historic and cultural sites all in and near Quito. The beauty of the Andes surrounds Quito\u00a0making the views spectacular. Quito has UNESCO historical sites, a major airport, and bus stations that easily connect to the places we wanted to see. Plus we had\u00a0all of the modern conveniences by staying in\u00a0a contemporary apartment in Quito. We found everything we needed and lots of culture to explore.<\/p>\n<p>Other cities worth a visit include <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cuenca,_Ecuador\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cuenca<\/a>, which is also an UNESCO cultural site with\u00a0many international universities. Cuenca has\u00a0a large expat population from Canada, US, UK, Australia, and Germany. Loja is the southernmost city in the Andes at approximately 7,000 feet in altitude and shares a border with Peru. Loja holds a rich tradition in the arts, and for this reason is known as the Music and Cultural Capital of Ecuador.<\/p>\n<h2><u>GALAPAGOS &#8211;\u00a0<\/u><strong><u>A diverse and distinct region of Ecuador<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gal%C3%A1pagos_Islands\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Galapagos<\/a> is easy to access from Quito with regular flights on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tame.com.ec\/index.php\/es\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tame<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lan.com\/en_us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lan<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1759\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Galapagos-Sea-Lion-e1462832265774.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1759\" data-attachment-id=\"1759\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/diverse-distinct-regions-ecuador\/galapagos-sea-lion\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Galapagos-Sea-Lion-e1462832265774.jpg?fit=1280%2C914&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1280,914\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Galapagos Sea Lion\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Galapagos Sea Lion posing under a lava arch&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Galapagos-Sea-Lion-e1462832265774.jpg?fit=584%2C417&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1759 size-medium\" style=\"border: 3px solid #000000;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Galapagos-Sea-Lion-300x214.jpg?resize=300%2C214\" alt=\"Galapagos Sea Lion posing under a lava arch\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1759\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Galapagos Sea Lion<\/p><\/div>\n<p>We wanted\u00a0to see the unique land terrain, animals and sea life. I loved seeing the turtles in large numbers. It was the beginning of mating season in early December, so we watched the mating rituals often. On one of our snorkel trips, we saw many turtles in a small bay-like area where grasses grow (a definite draw for the turtles). Although it was exciting to see so many turtles, because the islands are volcanic rock, snorkeling\u00a0was quite dark, making it difficult to\u00a0see in the water.<\/p>\n<p>The birds were interesting too\u00a0\u2013 Penguins, Flightless Cormorants, Blue-footed Boobies, Nasca Boobies, Galapagos Hawks, Darwin Finches, and more. And the Sea Lions were fun to watch, especially the babies, as it was the season for baby sea lions. We saw lots of very different iguanas, and tortoises too.<\/p>\n<h2><strong><u>THE ANDES NORTH OF QUITO &#8211; A diverse and distinct region of\u00a0Ecuador<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1475\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1475\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1475\" data-attachment-id=\"1475\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/traveling-ecuador\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,684\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana.jpg?fit=584%2C390&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1475 size-medium\" style=\"border: 3px solid #000000;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"Taken from Papallacta thermal baths\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_thermal_baths_papallacta_antisana.jpg?resize=449%2C300&amp;ssl=1 449w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1475\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Antisana in Ecuador<\/p><\/div>\n<p>We took 4 different trips north of Quito, some just for a day and others for 3-6 days to see various places and experience Ecuador&#8217;s\u00a0amazingly\u00a0diverse distinct regions. The landscape leaving Quito going north is exquisite. Highways are cut into the Andes creating beautiful\u00a0rockscapes.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1399\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/International-Travel-Safety.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1399\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1399\" data-attachment-id=\"1399\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/international-travel-part-2-10-key-things\/international-travel-safety\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/International-Travel-Safety.jpg?fit=800%2C744&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,744\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Otavalo Market Ecuador\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/International-Travel-Safety.jpg?fit=584%2C543&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1399 size-medium\" style=\"border: 3px solid #000000;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/International-Travel-Safety-300x279.jpg?resize=300%2C279\" alt=\"Indigenous Market on Saturday\" width=\"300\" height=\"279\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/International-Travel-Safety.jpg?resize=300%2C279&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/International-Travel-Safety.jpg?resize=768%2C714&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/International-Travel-Safety.jpg?resize=323%2C300&amp;ssl=1 323w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/International-Travel-Safety.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1399\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Otavalo, Ecuador &#8211; Indigenous Market<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Otavalo_(city)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Otavalo<\/a>, a town where the different indigenous groups sell their handicrafts \u2013 textiles, leather goods, paintings, wood carvings and furniture\u00a0\u2013 and you\u2019ll find spices, fruits, and vegetables.<\/p>\n<p>Other places we visited on our trips to the north included Cotaccachi, where an extinct volcano is located. This is the center of leather production and sales.<\/p>\n<p>Papallacta is the best area to go to for thermal hot springs, and it has beautiful views of a snow-capped volcano. (See the photo above.) Ataualpa, with its many micro-climates, is where many of the fruits and vegetables are now grown. You will find many small cheese producers there too.<\/p>\n<p>Mindo is north and west of Quito, considered jungle, and the place to go for mountain climbing and rafting. Nanegalito, Bellavista and Tandayapa, just outside of Mindo in the Cloud Forest, boast many varieties of hummingbirds, as well as the smallest orchid in the world. It is worth at least a day trip!<\/p>\n<h2><strong><u>THE ANDES SOUTH OF QUITO &#8211;\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><strong><u>A diverse and distinct region of\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><strong><u>Ecuador<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1477\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1477\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1477\" data-attachment-id=\"1477\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/traveling-ecuador\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike.jpg?fit=1024%2C575&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,575\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike.jpg?fit=584%2C328&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1477 size-medium\" style=\"border: 3px solid #000000;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike-300x168.jpg?resize=300%2C168\" alt=\"Ecuador lake Quilotoa hike\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike.jpg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike.jpg?resize=768%2C431&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_lake_quilotoa_hike.jpg?resize=500%2C281&amp;ssl=1 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1477\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hiking Lake Quilotoa<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There are so many places to see south of Quito. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Quilotoa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Quilotoa<\/a><\/span>\u00a0is one that adventurous travelers often visit and hike. And some\u00a0hike the whole Quilotoa Loop. The loop runs through many local, indigenous farming towns, some with weekly markets (a must see), and others boasting local crafts. Quilotoa Lake is a mountain crater, and the hike to the lake starts at approximately 13,000 feet. It is exquisite. And it\u2019s cold! Take your warmest clothes, and it may be wet. Hiking back up is\u00a0difficult.<\/p>\n<p>Some people visit <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cotopaxi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cotapaxi<\/a><\/span>, a live volcano on the way to Quilotoa, for\u00a0outdoor adventures around the volcano \u2013 horseback riding, ice climbing, hiking. We did not have time, so we looked at Cotapaxi from the road.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ba%C3%B1os_de_Agua_Santa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Banos<\/span> <\/a>is a heavily visited stop on the road south in the Ecuadorean Andes. It gets its name, Banos, because water heated by the volcano runs through the town. The town is also known for its waterfalls (Ruta de Cascadas), thermal baths (don\u2019t go for these \u2013 yuk!), biking, climbing, massages, relaxation and overall scenery. It is also a point from which you can access and arrange a jungle trip going out of Puyo, which takes you to the part of the Amazon known for parrot licks.<\/p>\n<p>There are many other areas to see south of Quito, but we did not visit them on this trip. I can provide information if you are interested \u2013\u00a0please ask below in the comments section, or add your experiences.<\/p>\n<h2><strong><u>THE AMAZON &#8211;\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><strong><u>\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><strong><u>A diverse and distinct region of<\/u><\/strong><strong><u>\u00a0Ecuador<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1472\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_oriente_quijos_cumbi.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1472\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1472\" data-attachment-id=\"1472\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/traveling-ecuador\/ecuador_oriente_quijos_cumbi\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_oriente_quijos_cumbi.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"300,200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ecuador_oriente_quijos_cumbi\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;The greens is Ecuador are exquisite!&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_oriente_quijos_cumbi.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1472 size-medium\" style=\"border: 3px solid #000000;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_oriente_quijos_cumbi-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"Ecuador's Amazon Region\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1472\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Oriente in Ecuador &#8211; Ecuador&#8217;s Amazon Region<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The locals call the Amazon rainforest the Oriente. It is a 10-hour bus ride from Quito, which is how most travelers arrive in the Oriente. You can fly directly, but people compare the $8 bus fare with flight costs and many\u00a0take the bus.<\/p>\n<p>The draw is the diversity of flora and fauna \u2013 the toucans, parrots, pink dolphins, many species of birds. Visiting the indigenous tribes and learning about their way of life is an interesting cultural experience. However, after researching trips to the Oriente while we were in Ecuador, I decided it is not for us. We don\u2019t like 95 plus degree heat and 85 plus percent humidity, tons of rain, deep mud, lots of mosquitos, or accommodations in rustic huts with no air conditioning. Most of the accommodations are on the expensive side too. If you don\u2019t mind these, I believe a trip to the Amazon would be quite interesting!<\/p>\n<p>See my friend&#8217;s blog and <a href=\"https:\/\/picasaweb.google.com\/109559621564613163468\/2014AmazonTrip?authkey=Gv1sRgCNaLtsSyzIS3qAE&amp;feat=email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pictures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">THE COAST &#8211; A diverse and distinct region of\u00a0Ecuador<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1540\" style=\"width: 176px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Coastal.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1540\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1540\" data-attachment-id=\"1540\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/diverse-distinct-regions-ecuador\/coastal\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Coastal.jpg?fit=166%2C124&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"166,124\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Coastal\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Ecuador&amp;#8217;s Coast&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Coastal.jpg?fit=166%2C124&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1540 size-full\" style=\"border: 3px solid #000000;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Coastal.jpg?resize=166%2C124\" alt=\"Coastal Region\" width=\"166\" height=\"124\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1540\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coastal Ecuador<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Ecuador&#8217;s coast has lots of variety. Going south from the northern border of Colombia on the Ecuadorian Coast, you will encounter:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Esmeraldas<\/li>\n<li>Manabi Province &#8211; home of Manta, the second largest port city in Ecuador and popular with Expats, and Bahia de Caraquez<\/li>\n<li>Central Coast &#8211; including the popular surfer town of Montanita<\/li>\n<li>Guayaquil &#8211; Ecuador&#8217;s largest city and main port<\/li>\n<li>The Southern Guayas Province with its beaches<\/li>\n<li>El Oro Province &#8211; known for banana and shrimp production and the city of Machala.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We did not visit the coast on this trip due to El Nino, but we enjoyed it when we went 4 years ago.<\/p>\n<p>Stay tuned for our next posts on specific excursions, sites, accommodations and travel options in these areas, and lots of photos too, so you can experience Ecuador&#8217;s\u00a0amazingly\u00a0diverse distinct regions. Perhaps you&#8217;ll even choose to see them for yourself!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0Amazingly Diverse Distinct Regions in\u00a0Ecuador Ecuador is tiny. In the\u00a0diverse distinct regions in Ecuador, you will find extreme beauty from its historic Andean cities to its\u00a0nature. The nature of Ecuador consists of\u00a0micro-climates from snow-capped peaks (there are 44 peaks with &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/diverse-distinct-regions-ecuador\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[715,693,712,714,711,32,94,713,697,710,694,95],"tags":[719,44,54,37,718,38,46,716,88,18,39,707,28,615,717],"class_list":["post-1509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-amazon","category-andes-mountains","category-cotaccachi","category-cotapaxi","category-cuenca","category-ecuador","category-galapagos","category-mindo","category-otavalo","category-papallacta","category-quito","category-south-america","tag-amazon-rainforest","tag-cloud-forest","tag-cultural-adventure","tag-ecuador","tag-ecuadorean-andes","tag-galapagos","tag-hiking","tag-indigenous-markets","tag-international-travel","tag-land-adventures","tag-nature","tag-pacific-coast","tag-travel","tag-travel-information","tag-volcanoes"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ecuador&#039;s Amazingly Diverse Distinct Regions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ecuador is tiny; 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On Tuesday of this week, as I was leaving the gym, a woman from my dance class asked, \"Why did you choose Ecuador? It is an unusual choice.\" We\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Andes Mountains&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Andes Mountains","link":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/category\/andes-mountains\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ecuador quito teleferico","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ecuador_quito_teleferico-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":643,"url":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/2016-dream-trip-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":1509,"position":1},"title":"Ecuador and Galapagos Travel Adventure Planning","author":"Wendy","date":"July 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I am excited to say that we are planning to spend part of Winter 2016 in \u00a0South America.\u00a0 Specifically we plan to partake in Ecuador and Galapagos travel adventures and in areas outside of Quito Ecuador both\u00a0Land and Sea. 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The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Andes Mountains&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Andes Mountains","link":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/category\/andes-mountains\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"snow-capped-volcano-antisana-papallacta-2-Cotacachi, Papallacta, Atahualpa","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/snow-capped-volcano-antisana-papallacta-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/snow-capped-volcano-antisana-papallacta-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/snow-capped-volcano-antisana-papallacta-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/snow-capped-volcano-antisana-papallacta-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/snow-capped-volcano-antisana-papallacta-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1533,"url":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/visit-ecuadors-andean-highlands\/","url_meta":{"origin":1509,"position":3},"title":"Ecuador&#8217;s Andean Highlands &#8211; Part 1 &#8211; Otavalo, Ibarra","author":"Wendy","date":"July 27, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Ecuador's Andean Highlands - Part 1 In Ecuador's Andean Highlands, you are surrounded by a patchwork of green beauty all the way up the mountainsides. Ecuador's Andean Highlands are located between the western and coastal lowlands and the eastern Amazonian jungle. They offer diverse nature including\u00a0volcanoes - live and extinct,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Andes Mountains&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Andes Mountains","link":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/category\/andes-mountains\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Patchwork farming on Ecuador mountainside in Ecuador Andean Highlands","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/patch-farms-on-ecuador-mountainsides.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/patch-farms-on-ecuador-mountainsides.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/patch-farms-on-ecuador-mountainsides.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/patch-farms-on-ecuador-mountainsides.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/patch-farms-on-ecuador-mountainsides.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1496,"url":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/valley-of-the-volcanoes-ecuadors-quilotoa-loop-adventure\/","url_meta":{"origin":1509,"position":4},"title":"Valley of the Volcanoes &#8211; Ecuador&#8217;s Quilotoa Loop Adventure","author":"Wendy","date":"January 12, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A top spot on my Bucket List was Valley of the Volcanoes - Ecuador's Quilotoa Loop. The draw was the many colorful indigenous populations and their markets, the perfect turquoise blue Quilotoa Lake, the art of the Tigua people, and the surrounding snow-capped Andean volcanoes. \u00a0Get the picture? \u00a0Here are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cotopaxi&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cotopaxi","link":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/category\/cotopaxi\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Quilotoa loop, entrance mural to one of the towns","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/quilotoa-loop-entrance-mural-2-e1481720253413.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/quilotoa-loop-entrance-mural-2-e1481720253413.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/quilotoa-loop-entrance-mural-2-e1481720253413.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/quilotoa-loop-entrance-mural-2-e1481720253413.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/quilotoa-loop-entrance-mural-2-e1481720253413.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1489,"url":"https:\/\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/galapagos\/","url_meta":{"origin":1509,"position":5},"title":"Galapagos a Bucket List Trip","author":"Wendy","date":"May 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Why go to the Galapagos? 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