1.) Los Frailes Beach
Inside a national park a short ride north from Puerto Lopez, this was a hidden treasure. The beach was clean, the water blue and warm, the waves fun and the sand pristine.
It’s a deserted spot away from all the tourists and a fabulous place to spend several hours. Bring your own food (there’s no catering on site) and plenty of sun block. Cost of admission: $12 per adult.
2.) Tiestos restaurant, Cuenca
We loved this place so much we just kept going back. The owner and chef, Juan Carlos, is a warm, charming man who’s attention to detail and desire to please his customers is unmistakable.
The food is outstanding and plentiful. And for a fairly upscale restaurant, the prices were reasonable also. Don’t visit Cuenca without sampling this place.
3.) Thermal Pools of Papallacta
There isn’t a more relaxing way to escape from Quito. The journey by bus from the capital is about an hour and then hop in a taxi to this fantastic, heavenly collection of hot, warm and cold plunge pools.
A great place for families, romantic couples or just to visit by yourself. Price: $7 for adults and $3 for children.
4.) Centre of the earth & museum
You can’t go to Quito without visiting the centre of the earth. The monument, in fact, sits about 100 yards from the exact spot. But given it was discovered by the French many years ago, before Sat Nav, the error was an acceptable one.
There’s a museum inside the monument and a small village selling all sorts of goods, plus restaurants. Less than half a mile away is another museum – outdoors, interactive and more fun. Be sure to visit. Entrance fee $3 for adults at the interactive museum and $2 for the monument museum.
5.) Climbing the Quito Basilica
From the top, which is quite a climb, you get some of the most spectacular views of the city. Quito is many things, but the site of all the buildings surrounded by mountains is quite staggering. It costs $2 for adults to enter, but is worth it.
FIVE LOWLIGHTS
1.) Cuenca air pollution
The wheezing, choking buses of this city spoiled our time there. The city centre wasn’t so big and blue buses were everywhere. Avoiding the choking black puffs of smoke was almost impossible. We’d heard so many good reviews of Cuenca that our expectations were admittedly high. But even in heaven, this level of pollution would make us want to bolt.
2.) Not getting to the Galapagos Islands
Prices for tours to the Galapagos are extraordinarily steep. We couldn’t justify the expense, even if it meant coming all this way and missing some of the most stunning islands in the world.
But nearly everyone we met who had been there had told us the cost was worth it – what you see is truly unique and unforgettable. Maybe next time…
3.) Dirty beaches with stinging jelly fish in Puerto Lopez
We’d hoped to find long stretches of sandy beaches and a beautiful ocean. The beaches are long and sandy, but there was too much litter and the lingering smell of fish in the air was unavoidable along the beachfront.
Watch out in the water for stinging jelly fish. They seem to turn up every other day.
4.) Restaurant at the volcanic crater
The hotel at El Crater, with amazing views from the rooms, was fabulous, if pricey. But in the nearby restaurant the food quality didn’t match the outstanding and immaculate décor. For the price (it wasn’t cheap), we expected better.
5.) El Puente Apartment/hotel, Cuenca
Not somewhere we’d recommend, even if the daily cost of stay was cheaper than any hostals. Rooms are large and you get a kitchen, but the customer service was, for want of a better word, bordering on abysmal.
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