9780470120026

Researched by a veteran travel writer who lives in Latin America, Frommer's Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands is the only truly up-to-date guide that gives you such in-depth coverage of this fast-changing country, with recommended accommodations in every price catagory. You'll visit rugged wilderness preserves, sleepy beach towns, the bustling, colonial captital, and, of course, the spectacular Galapagos Islands. There are adventures here to suit all ages and abilities: mountain biking in Ba_os, swimming with sea lions in the Galapagos, whitewater rafting on the Rio Blanco, and summiting Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world.With Frommer's in hand, you'll experience the wonder of Ecuador's amazing biodiversity, as we point out the best places to see hundreds of unique, colorful species of animals and plants. You'll travel like a pro with our handy Spanish-language glossary and detailed regional and town maps. And our Suggested Itineraries chapter will help you plan your trip and organize your time.

Eliot Greenspan is a poet, journalist, musician, and travel writer who took his backpack and typewriter the length of Mesoamerica before settling in Costa Rica in 1992. Since then, he has worked steadily as a travel writer, freelance journalist, and translator, and has continued his travels in the region. He is the author of Frommer’s Belize, Costa Rica For Dummies, Frommer’s Cuba, Frommer’s Guatemala, and The Tico Times Restaurant Guide to Costa Rica, as well as the chapter on Venezuela in Frommer’s South America.

List of Maps	p. vi
The Best of Ecuador	p. 1
The Best Purely Ecuadorian Travel Experiences	p. 1
The Best of Natural Ecuador	p. 4
The Best Historical Sites & Museums	p. 5
The Best Outdoor Adventures	p. 7
The Best Bird-Watching	p. 8
The Best Destinations for Families	p. 9
The Best Luxury Hotels	p. 9
The Best Moderately Priced & Budget Hotels	p. 10
The Best Ecolodges & Haciendas	p. 11
The Best Bed-and-Breakfasts & Small Inns	p. 12
The Best Restaurants	p. 13
The Best Shopping & Markets	p. 14
The Best After-Dark Fun	p. 15
The Best Websites about Ecuador	p. 16
Planning Your Trip to Ecuador	p. 17
The Regions in Brief	p. 17
Visitor Information & Maps	p. 19
Entry Requirements	p. 19
When to Go	p. 20
Ecuador Calendar of Events	p. 21
Getting There	p. 22
Getting Through the Airport	p. 24
Money & Costs	p. 26
The U.S. Dollar, the British Pound & the Euro	p. 27
What Things Cost in Ecuador	p. 28
Travel Insurance	p. 29
Health	p. 30
Safety	p. 32
Specialized Travel Resources	p. 33
Sustainable Tourism/Ecotourism	p. 36
Frommers.com: The Complete Travel Resource	p. 37
Staying Connected	p. 38
Online Traveler's Toolbox	p. 39
Packages for the independent Traveler	p. 40
Ask before You Go	p. 41
Escorted General-Interest Tours	p. 41
Spanish-Language Programs	p. 42
Getting Around	p. 43
Car-Rental Tips	p. 45
Tips on Accommodations	p. 46
Tips on Dining	p. 47
Fast Facts: Ecuador	p. 48
Suggested Ecuador Itineraries	p. 55
Ecuador in 1 Week	p. 55
Ecuador in 2 Weeks	p. 58
Ecuador for Families	p. 60
Ecuador for Adventure Travelers	p. 61
Quito in 3 Days	p. 63
The Active Vacation Planner	p. 66
Organized Adventure Trips	p. 66
Activities A to Z	p. 68
Hummingbird Heaven	p. 71
The Big Peaks	p. 80
Ecuador's Top National Parks & Bioreserves	p. 84
Searching for Wildlife	p. 89
Tips on Health, Safety & Etiquette in the Wilderness	p. 89
Ecologically Oriented Volunteer & Study Programs	p. 90
Quito	p. 92
Orientation	p. 92
The Neighborhoods in Brief	p. 96
Breaking the Code	p. 97
Getting Around	p. 97
Fast Facts: Quito	p. 99
Where to Stay	p. 102
Where to Dine	p. 109
What to See & Do	p. 114
The Quito School of Art	p. 116
Getting High in Quito	p. 118
Outdoor Activities & Spectator Sports	p. 123
Shopping	p. 124
Quito After Dark	p. 125
Plaza Foch: Ground Zero in Mariscal	p. 130
Side Trips from Quito	p. 133
The Northern Sierra	p. 139
Otavalo	p. 139
Otavalo Globalized	p. 144
Tree Tomato	p. 153
Ibarra	p. 155
The Minga	p. 156
Tulcan	p. 161
The Central Sierra	p. 164
Cotopaxi National Park	p. 164
Andean Condor	p. 168
Latacunga	p. 173
Ambato	p. 180
It's Chicha Time	p. 184
Banos	p. 185
Tungurahua: Back with a Bang	p. 191
Riobamba	p. 195
Cuenca & the Southern Sierra	p. 203
Cuenca	p. 203
The Panama Hat	p. 211
Loja	p. 221
The Virgin of El Cisne	p. 224
Vilcabamba	p. 228
Guayaquil & the Southern Coast	p. 233
Guayaquil	p. 233
La Rivalidad: Quito & Guayaquil	p. 235
A Meeting of Giants	p. 239
If You're Short on Time	p. 240
Salinas & The Santa Elena Peninsula	p. 249
Montanita	p. 254
Puerto Lopez & Machalilla National Park	p. 256
Having a Whale of a Time	p. 257
Machala a South to the Peruvian Border	p. 251
Going Bananas	p. 262
Northern Pacific Coast & Lowlands	p. 268
Manta	p. 268
The Manta Airbase	p. 272
Bahia de Caraquez	p. 277
Canoa	p. 283
Esmeraldas	p. 286
Esmeraldas: Ecuador's African Coast?	p. 287
Atacames & the Beaches West of Esmeraldas	p. 291
Santo Domingo de los Colorados	p. 295
Red-Haired Boys	p. 297
El Oriente	p. 300
Lago Agrio & Cuyabeno Nature Reserve	p. 302
Down & Dirty in the Jungle	p. 303
Cofan Chief Randy Borman	p. 305
Coca & the Lower Rio Napo	p. 308
Orellana's Journey of Discovery	p. 310
Tena & the Upper Napo River	p. 315
Puyo & the Southern Amazon Basin	p. 320
The Galapagos Islands	p. 324
Essentials	p. 325
The Islands in Brief	p. 328
Not Your Typical Passenger: Charles Darwin & the Galagapos Islands	p. 330
Cruises	p. 331
Organizing a Last-Minute Trip to the Galapagos	p. 338
Puerto Ayora & Santa Cruz Island	p. 339
Unwanted Guests	p. 340
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno & San Cristobal Island	p. 350
An Island Whodunit?	p. 355
The Galapagos Tortoise	p. 357
Ecuador in Depth	p. 358
Ecuador Today	p. 358
History 101	p. 360
Dateline	p. 361
The Natural Environment	p. 367
Ecuadorian Culture	p. 368
Llapingachos, Cuy & Pilsener: Ecuadorian Food & Drink	p. 370
Recommended Books & Films	p. 372
Glossary of Spanish Terms & Phrases	p. 374
Basic Words & Phrases	p. 374
Menu Terms	p. 376
Hotel Terms	p. 378
Travel Terms	p. 378
Typical Ecuadorian Words & Phrases	p. 379
Ecuadorian Wildlife	p. 380
Mammals	p. 380
Birds	p. 387
Amphibians	p. 391
Reptiles	p. 393
Invertebrates	p. 396
Sea Life	p. 397
Index	p. 400
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.