Humidity, blasts of hot air, heavy traffic... Embark for Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuador even though Quito is the capital. We're off for a visit of the "Pearl of the Pacific", from its landscaped river promenade (the Malecón 2000) to the cerro Santa Ana, not to mention the city centre!

Guayaquil, pearl of the Pacific

In this article you will find a presentation of Isla de la Plata, nicknamed "the poor-man's Galapagos", which can be reached from Puerto López.

Leaving Puerto López for the little Galapagos

Ecuadorian Amazonia possesses the densest biodiversity in the world. With its 6034 square kilometres, the reserve is an incredible mix of rivers and flooded forests (due to the large quantities of annual rainfall in the Amazon). The result? A part of the Amazon that is unique and which will not leave you unaffected...

Cuyabeno, the jewel of the Amazon in Ecuador

In this article we visit Otavalo, the best market in Ecuador and perhaps the best in the world.

Otavalo and its most wonderful markets

Quito

Otavalo

Amazonia

Riobamba

Along with Lago Agrio and Tena/Puerto Misahualli, Coca is the main entry point into the Ecuadorian part of the Amazon.

South America

Ecuador

Coca

Europe

Central America

Africa

North America

Asia

Middle East

Oceania

Unlike Puerto Misahualli, which has a certain charm as a holiday village, Coca is a town spoiled by the oil industry, the airport, traffic and deforestation etc. It is, however, an obligatory stopping point for tourists visiting the Amazon. Most people stay just one night before heading off to their lodge in a dugout canoe or on their trip into the Amazon rainforest.
I went to Coca on my way the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, to the north. You also have to go via Coca to visit the Yasuni National Park, to the south. These are two beautiful places where you can see animals in their natural environment.
The town of Coca doesn't offer anything in particular to make it worth staying there but the surrounding area is really very nice. Make sure that you book with a travel agent that puts income from tourism back into the indigenous communities.

Along with Lago Agrio and Tena/Puerto Misahualli, Coca is the main entry point into the Ecuadorian part of the Amazon.

Coca Holidays

Coca: How to get there?

Coca: See when to go?

Coca: For how long?

Coca: What to see nearby?

Ecuador: our articles for your holidays