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Cityscape of Santa Ana Hill Church with colorful colonial housing, Las Penas district, Guayaquil, Ecuador

Guayaquil Tours and Vacation Packages

Santa Ana Hill

Overview

Take a trip to Guayaquil on your Ecuador Vacation

On an  Ecuador vacation, the country’s largest and most populous city is Guayaquil, located on the western bank of the Guayas River. Serving as the country’s main port, Guayaquil is Ecuador’s principle commercial and manufacturing centre.

Before a settlement was established by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco de Orellano in 1538, the region that Guayaquil covered was a native village. Its location meant that it was a target for pirates during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1820, a group of civilians and soldiers from the ‘Granaderos de Reserva‘ defeated the Royalist guards’ resistance (almost without bloodshed) to declare independence from Spain. This victory would later be viewed as key in the Ecuadorian War of Independence. The city became part of the Republic of Ecuador in 1830. A fire devastated a great part of the city in 1869 and as a result, there are few colonial buildings today. Instead, Guayaquil offers a more modern and contemporary vibe than another Ecuadorian cities.

Today, much of Guayaquil’s personality comes from it being a seaport. It offers a hot climate, great music and even better seafood that must be tried by every visitor on Ecuador tours.  Recent years have witnessed the city undergoing major changes that include more parks as well as a growing cultural scene focusing on theatre, film and art. While not as well known as other cities in Ecuador, Guayaquil is beginning to attract the attention of tourists both locally and abroad.

At a Glance

Languages

Spanish, Quechua

Currency

United States Dollar (USD)

What do the experts say?

Kajal Gadhia

Kajal Gadhia

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
If you a looking for a unique experience, then a stay at Mashpi Lodge, Cloud Forest would be perfect. It is a remote high-biodiversity experience which boasts over 600 bird species, unique monkeys, and other fascinating wildlife
Kajal Gadhia

Kajal Gadhia

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
Ecuador has incredible biodiversity and varied landscapes, from the wildlife-rich Galapagos Islands to the high-altitude Andes mountains and Amazon rainforest
Osvaldo Gonzalez

Osvaldo Gonzalez

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
Tourists often focus on the Galápagos or the Amazon, but the Cloud Forests — mysterious, humming with life, and relatively uncrowded — are a hidden gem.
Osvaldo Gonzalez

Osvaldo Gonzalez

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
One local tradition that travelers should absolutely try to experience in Ecuador is "La Diablada de Píllaro", or The Devils of Píllaro, held every January 1–6 in the small Andean town of Píllaro, in the Tungurahua province

Most Popular Time to Travel

Know when to go.

Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
GuayaquilMostly Cloudy
32°C / 90°F
24mm / 0.9"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.
-
Popularity rating

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