Ecuador - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 626

ISLA DE LA PLATA
The tag of “poor man's Galápagos” is
unfair to this small island 37km from
Puerto López. ISLA DE LA PLATA will
inevitably come up short in comparison
with the world-famous archipelago,
but it is worth a day-trip to see its birdlife
or for whale-watching in the summer
months. The island is home to numerous
blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and
frigate birds and these are the species
most frequently on view. Red-footed
boobies and waved albatrosses are also
seen from April to October. The island
has a small colony of sea lions, though
it's rare to see them. Note that you can
only visit the island with a tour operator
(see opposite).

San Sebastián
The landscape rises to 800m inland,
where the dry forest turns into the
cloudforest of San Sebastián , where
lush vegetation includes orchids, bamboo
and wildlife such as howler monkeys,
anteaters and 350 species of birds. This
virgin forest can be explored on a 20km
hike with a mandatory guide hired in
Agua Blanca ($20). You can camp
overnight or stay with local villagers.

6

Playa Los Frailes
A few kilometres further north is the
entrance to Playa Los Frailes , a stunning
virgin beach, often deserted in early
mornings. Present your park ticket or
pay the entrance fee at the kiosk, then
either head straight for Los Frailes on
a thirty-minute hike or take the 4km
circular trail via the black-sand cove of
La Payita and Playa La Tortiguita. To get
straight to the beach, take a taxi from
Puerto Lopez ($5 one-way).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
From the landing point in Bahía Drake,
there are two circular footpaths around
the island, the 3.5km Sendero Machete
and the 5km Sendero Punta Escaleras.

CROSSING THE PERUVIAN BORDER
The only significant coastal town between Guayaquil and the Peruvian border is the transport
hub, Machala. Some 75km south of here is the grubby border town of Huaquillas , the busiest
crossing point from Ecuador to Peru. Spend as little time as possible here; Cuenca and
Guayaquil are both at an easy distance by bus so there should be no need to stay overnight.

Grand Hotel Hernancor 1 de Mayo 323, at Hualtaco,
Huaquillas T 07 299 5467. This h otel has decent guest
rooms with private bath and a/c. $24

La Habana T. Córdovez, at Santa Rosa, Huaquillas.
A good choice for Ecuadorian meat and fish dishes and
a filling set meal ($2.50).

INTO PERU
Crossing the border is a fraught business but you need to ensure you do it right. If you don't
get the correct stamps on your passport, you're in big trouble. Keep your wits about you,
a close eye on your belongings and avoid changing money here as the rates are bad. The
border crossing is a bridge over the Río Zarumilla, but before crossing the border, get the
exit stamp from the Ecuadorian immigration o ce (open 24hr; T 07 299 6755),
inconveniently located 3km north. If you're coming from Machala, ask the driver to stop here,
otherwise take a taxi ($1.50). Then take a bus or taxi to the bridge, which must be crossed on
foot, and get your passport checked by Peruvian o cials on the other side. Note that the
entry stamp is usually obtained at the main Peruvian immigration o ce at Zarumilla
2km away ($1 by mototaxi). There are regular direct buses to Tumbes, Piura, Trujillo or Lima.
A taxi to Tumbes costs $5-7.
INTO ECUADOR
For those arriving in Ecuador, buses from Huaquillas leave from depots a few blocks from the
international bridge. Co-op CIFA ( T 07 293 0260, W cifainternacional.com) goes to Machala
(several/hr; 1hr), the closest city. CIFA also goes to Guayaquil (4hr 30min), as does Ecuatoriano
Pullman ( T 07 293 0197) and Rutas Orenses ( T 07 293 7661). Panamericana ( T 07 293 0141)
has comfortable buses to Quito (6 daily; 12hr). For Cuenca (8 daily; 5hr) use Trans Azuay
( T 07 293 0539). If you intend to go to Loja, it's better to cross from Peru at Macará.