Towns of Historical & Cultural Importance

Although the Pacific Coast may not be home to cities as well known for their cultural heritage as the cities of the Andes, the Coast is home to many sites where the history of centuries past lives on. A good example of one of the Coast’s more colorful cultural heritage hot spots would be Guayaquil’s colonial Las Peñas sector. Another great example of the Coast’s rich cultural heritage is Vinces, in the province of Los Ríos. Known as “Little Paris”, this area is famous for its colonial estates which once belonged to the area’s rich cocoa growers. Another coastal spot of great cultural importance is the is Zaruma, located in the province of El Oro, in southern Ecuador. A tranquil village home to an abundance of impressive colonial architecture, Zaruma has been a National Heritage Site. Seven kilometers outside of Zaruma and eighty km from Machala, is Portovelo, a town known for being the home of the nation’s oldest gold mines as well as displaying its beautiful colonial architecture. Another town displaying equally exquisite architecture is Piñas, 65 km from the city of Machala.

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Archaeological Ruins

One of the nation’s most impressive archeological sites is the island of Tolita, in northern Esmeraldas. This impressive site dates back to pre-Columbian eras and contains artifacts from some of Ecuador’s earliest cultures. Some of the archeological finds Tolita indicate that the aboriginal cultures that inhabited the island worked with platinum centuries before the Europeans did. Apart from the archeological finds which abound on the island’s beaches, Tolita is also home an archeological museum run by the community. Moreover, arriving in Tolita via motorboat from San Lorenzo, crossing the sea and passing thriving mangroves, is a treat in and of itself.

Another one of the Coast’s more impressive archeological sites can be found along the central Ecuadorian Coast. Here, set amongst the beautiful backdrop of Machalilla National Park, we find Agua Blanca, a site containing vestiges of a settlement of the Manteño period which was home to an estimated 5,000 residents. According to researchers, Agua Blanca was once Salangome, the capital of an area which, in its most prosperous area, was home to more than 600 hundred buildings – remnants of which can still be seen with the help of a local guide. All in all, Machalilla is home to over 500 sites of archeological importance and interest.

Outside of Machalilla, another point of archeological interest is the valley of Julcuy. Among its many historical riches is an artificial ceremonial mound of the Valdivia-Machalilla epoch, almost 5,000 years ago.

Nearby Salango, with an archeological museum dedicated to the area’s marine culture as well as the history of southwestern Manabí and its former societies, is another site of cultural interest.

In the province of Guayas, Valdivia stands out for its archaeological riches. Remains of this culture are found in communities throughout the region.

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Artisan Products and Handicrafts

Unbeknownst to most, Manabí, Ecuador, is the center of production of straw hats known internationally as “Panama Hats”. Here, you can witness the craftsmen of these fine hats at work, weaving the product using the a process that dates back centuries. Montecristi and Jipijapa are the most well known selling outlets for locally produced hats, bags, chairs, and other accessories and furniture. A visit to the artisan centers where these products are made offers an insight into the vast richness of a culture dating back centuries. Another famous center in the same province is La Pila, where artisans make sculptures of various themes and also replicate pre-Colombian ceramics.

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Ethnic Groups

In the province of Esmeraldas, we find the indigenous groups of the Chachi o Cayapa (seven thousand inhabitants), and the Awá. Their official languages are Cha´palaa and Awapit respectively. The Awá share territory with the Carchi Province. Their population is close to four thousand inhabitants. In Guayas, are the Huancavilcas, another indigenous community.

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| Important Towns | Archeogical Ruins |
| Artisan Crafts | Indigenous Groups |