Postcard from Ecuador

BY ONEIKA RAYMOND

Greetings from Ecuador!

People looked at us like we were crazy when we told them we weren’t planning to visit the Galapagos during our trip to Ecuador. “But what will you do?” they intoned.  While I’ve written about the danger of reducing an entire country to one sight or attraction before, it’s true that beyond the Galapagos Islands one would think there isn’t much to the country.  Yes, it’s located on the Equator, so cool photo ops to straddle the Northern and Southern hemispheres at the same time exist, but what other things are there to see, do, and experience?

Turns out there are a lot! We’re only halfway through our 8-day stay, but have already beheld so many treasures, done so many cool things, and covered a fair bit of ground to boot (and we haven’t even made it to the Equator monument yet). So far we’ve strolled too many colonial plazas to count, climbed a volcano(!), visited a world renowned artisanal market, witnessed a cultural procession, and had our breath taken away by a stunning lagoon.

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Ecuador, we’ve discovered, is a natural beauty filled with landscapes that make your stomach drop and a mix of vibrant cultures and people that feels welcoming.

Ecuador, we’ve discovered, is SO MUCH MORE THAN THE GALAPAGOS.

Can’t wait to share more pics and stories (when I get a stable internet connection)!

What do you think of Ecuador? Have you ever been? If not, is it someplace you’ve ever considered visiting? Why or why not?

SHARING IS CARING

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178 Comments

  • Beautiful pictures. Ecuador is on my bucket list of places to visit.

    • You should go sooner than later, but no pressure.. 😉

  • Beautiful pics! I have never had an interest in the Galapagos but would love to explore other areas of Ecuador!

    • Me neither, honestly! I’m not a huge fan of wildlife so that’s why it doesn’t appeal to me!

  • Sure!
    I’ve not really done much in South America and I have absolutely no idea why. I just keep going back to Asia instead LOL! I would like to go the Galapagos though. Why not? And also Peru, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico and Cuba. Oh yes!

    • I highly recommend Chile, Peru, and Mexico! I can understand the draw of Asia, though, Hong Kong was so nice I went to live there twice… lol

  • Maybe because I knew a few people who studied abroad in Ecuador during college, but I think of Ecuador as an outdoorsman’s paradise. Of course the Galapagos is part of that paradise, but as you’ve mentioned there’s stunning hiking in the Andes, cloud forests, lagoons…

    I’m curious what you think of Quito and look forward to hearing about the rest of the trip!

    • Quito was cool but I have fallen in love with Cuenca!! Stay tuned… 🙂

  • Hello Oneika,

    This is a marvelous site, one of the best travel blogs I’ve come across. I threw a link up to it on my own site and I’m looking forward to your future posts.

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    Best wishes to you out on the road.

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    • Thank you so much Nick!! Hope you stick around!

  • I can’t wait to visit Ecuador. 🙂 I’m currently planning my huge backpacking trip around Latin America.

  • That was an amazing article. Well, you travel a lot abroad, obviously. Do you take any kind of Trip Insurance? I would advice you to take a Trip Insurance before any trip. That will really help you stay safe and have a happy journey

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  • Yay! So glad you’re enjoying Ecuador! I lived there for three years and I loved it. Such an interesting country and wonderful people, from the coast to the Sierra and, of course, Galapagos. I also preferred exploring the mainland to Galapagos. It’s so diverse and easy to get around. Your pictures are beautiful and make me miss it. I’m hoping to go back for a visit in January!

    • Lorien so awesome to hear from you! I thought about you while I was in Ecuador, unfortunately I didn’t make it to Guayaquil (which I think is where you were)! Good to hear that you preferred the mainland because while we were adamant about not going to the Galapagos we wondered if we were truly missing out.

  • Gorgeous! I really need to get my butt down to Central and South America. There are just so many places to see in the world!

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