WorldPedia

Montanita has long been a popular surf spot.

In recent years, it has undergone a construction boom as Ecuadorians and expats hope to get in on the increasing number of tourists visiting this small Pacific pueblo.

Every weekend, vacationing Ecuadorians (especially those from nearby Guayaquil), flood town to visit the beach, surf, and enjoy the raucous nightlife.

Drug laws are loosely enforced, and it’s common to see or smell marijuana being smoked (or consumed in the form of “happy” brownies) on the streets.

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This beautiful crater lake is set high in the Andes. The lake was formed when a volcano blew its top more than 800 years ago. The lake is more than 250 meters deep, and it holds stunningly beautiful water. The color shifts between the most eye-catching blues and greens as the sun changes angles along its surface.

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The colonial city of Cuenca is the third largest in Ecuador, popular for its year-round temperate climate. The New Cathedral of Cuenca, or “Catedral Nueva,” is the city’s most-recognizable landmark. Construction of the church began in the late 1800s and continued for nearly a century. With a façade crafted from alabaster and marble, the Catedral Nueva is most notable for the its three immense domes, each covered in blue glazed tile imported from Czechoslovakia.

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Banos , Ecuador

The small city of Baños lies at the foot of the active volcano Tungurahua. Named after the hot springs fed by the thermal waters of the volcano, Baños is one of the most popular tourist spots in Ecuador. Known as the “Gateway to the Amazon,” Baños is a favorite departure point for jungle tours. Waterfalls cascading thousands of feet down deep river gorges attract sightseers as well. The thunderous Pailon de Diablo waterfall, surging over a gorge where the Rio Verde and Rio Pastaza meet, is the most impressive.

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Vilcabamba is a pueblo located in a valley about 45 minutes south of Loja.

The town’s claim to fame is the assertion that locals live longer than average lives, with many regularly reaching the 100-year mark.

The pueblo is an excellent jumping off point to do some hiking in the surrounding mountains, and acts as a gateway for travelers planning to use the inland border crossing with Peru.

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Cotopaxi National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Cotopaxi) is a protected area in Ecuador situated in the Cotopaxi Province, Napo Province and Pichincha Province. The volcano that lends its name to the park is located within its boundaries, roughly 50 km south of Quito. Cotopaxi volcano is among the tallest active volcanoes in the world.

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