But if you take the time to see the city, you will learn more about Ecuador's largest port. You'll learn that the Spanish recognized the strategic location of a deep water port on the River Guayas, an easy reach up the Golfo de Guayaquil linking it to the Pacific.
Francisco de Orellana founded Santiago de Guayaquil on the 25th of July 1537, on the Barrio Las Peñas, now a national heritage site. Orellana named the settlement, as legend goes, for the Indian chief Guayas and his wife Quil who drowned in the river rather than surrender. The Spaniards established a shipyard to build the huge ships that sailed to Europe with gold and silver plundered in the New World and returned with goods to sustain the colonization efforts.
You'll understand why pirates saw Guayaquil as a treasure trove, La Perla del Pacifico, and returned time and again to pillage and loot. They burned as they went. The pirate raid of 1906 destroyed most of the city, which was rebuilt almost down to the foundations. The only existing part of colonial Quayaquil is Las Peñas, where closely built buildings hug cobblestone streets.
Starting anew with a reconstructed city gave the residents a one-up on other Ecuadorian cities. Quayaquil had public streetcars and gas lighting before Quito, and has maintained a progressive attitude toward growth and commerce. It is the home of several universities, ranging in age from the Universidad de Guayaquil founded in 1867 to the Universidad Laica Vicente Rocafuerte de Guayaquil founded almost a century later in 1966.
Guayaquil is still a busy port. The Puerto Maritimo, opened in the '60s, handles almost all of the imports and exports from the country. Like any large city, (photo) Guayaquil has areas best left alone. It has a reputation for theft and muggings, and some of the better known tourist areas aren't safe at night. However, city officials are intent on attracting tourism and have made efforts to restore and make safe a number of places and areas. If you wander out of those protected areas, you take your chances.
Most of the things to see and do are in a central area along the River Guayas. Some of the things you'll see on a ]walking tour are:
- Malecón Simón Bolívar along the waterfront embankment stretches for many blocks, passing La Rotonda which commemorates the historic, and mysterious, meeting of July 26th, 1822 between Simón Bolívar, El Libertador and José de San Martín to discuss the strategy to liberate South America from Spain. You might stop for a meal at one of the restaurant boats docked at the piers, or stroll among the park
- Stop at the Reloj Publico, the Public Clock on Calle Agosto, once known as Paseo de las Colonias and planted with tropical plants, always a popular place to stroll. You can climb up a narrow staircase to see the clock workings
- Barrio Las Peñas, at the northern end of El Malecón,now somewhat of an artists colony, though past dignitaries made their homes there. Santo Domingo, the city's first church, built in 1548, is here.
- Museo Municipal with displays of archaeological items, colonial art, modern art and the famous Jivaro shrunken heads called tsantas
- Museo de Arqueologia del Banco Central displays changing exhibitions of typical Ecuadorian textiles, ceramics, metallurgy and ceremonial masks
- Parque Bolívar is the place where you'll see large iguanas (photo above) amidst the garden greenery
- Parque del Centenario is the city's largest plaza with many monuments, including the huge one dedicated to Ecuadorian heroes
- b]Cerro Blanco and other natural attractions
Residents of the city are proud of the bridge over the Guayas River linking the east and west banks. Outside the city, you'll find many recreational activities, including golf and yachting. The beaches of southern coastal Ecuador are warm-water sandy beaches, ideal for swimming and beach sports.
Guayaquil has two seasons: wet and less wet. It is always warm and humid. The best time to visit is between May and December. It is hot and rainy, with torrential downpours, between January to April. If you plan your visit at the end of July, you'll catch the week long celebration for Bolívar's birthday and the founding of the city. Independence Day (October 9) and Día de la Raza are also big celebrations. You'll want hotel reservations in advance.
If you take the time to explore Guayaquil and the coastal area, you just might be pleasantly surprised.
