Guayaquil is a Perfect Place to Begin Your Journey to the Galapagos
When traveling to the Galapagos there are only two cities that you can get there from, either Guayaquil or Quito, both of which are in Ecuador. I chose to fly from Guayaquil to Baltra Island and I’m very glad I did! Not to say anything bad about Quito; I haven’t been there but I’m sure it’s lovely. Guayaquil is the biggest city in Ecuador so there was plenty to do during my 24 hour layover. Here are a few of the things I did:
Parque de Las Iguanas
Parque de Las Iguanas is a park centered right in downtown Guayaquil that is full of iguanas! The iguanas live in the park and people come to watch and feed them. The park is pretty small, less than a city block but definitely worth checking out. At one end is a statue of Simon Bolivar and the other is a beautiful old church. The iguanas are used to human contact so it’s safe to bring your kids here too. I had no idea about this park before landing in Guayaquil but it was a lovely surprise.
Parque Histórico Guayaquil
Parque Histórico Guayaquil is a beautiful zoo located 5 minutes by taxi from the city. It has three sections, the Endangered Wildlife Zone, Urban Architecture Zone and a Traditions Zone. It’s a bit of a grab bag but the Wildlife Zone has over 45 species of birds and reptiles in their natural habitat. If you enjoy zoo’s this is an excellent place to visit.
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse was built in 2001 in the Las Penas neighborhood, just a mellow climb up 444 steps. The steps are numbered so fret not, you will always know how far you have to go. The path up the steps goes through a lot of options for bars and restaurants and is a very lively area. At the top is a beautiful little church called the Iglesio del Cerro Santa Ana as well as the lighthouse. Make sure to climb to the top of the lighthouse to see some amazing 360 degree views of Guayaquil. You won’t find a better view.
I am impressed with this site, really I am a big fan .