Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sell their handicrafts made of natural materials, like palm nut jewelry carved by native
Chachi
artists or handwoven baskets.
For adventure, two ecological reserves are in arms reach of Esmeraldas:
Reserva Ecolólo-
gica Mache Chindul
and the adjoining
Bilsa Reserve
, operated by the
Jatun Sacha
Foundation
.
Both represent the last vestiges of coastal tropical rainforest on Earth, with
vast coconut forests, swimming holes, howler monkeys and the tallest mangroves in the
world. Travel in the area is rugged and Jatun Sacha should be contacted ahead of time if
you're planning on a visit to arrange transport. Nearby beaches include the surfing destin-
ation Atacames, the fishing village Súa and the resort town of Same. Sparkling beaches in
the area rival those of the South with about half the number of tourists.
Playa De Oro
Belying its name, Playa de Oro isn't a golden beach but a remote community cut by the
Cayapas River and wrapped by 25,000 acres of protected tropical forest. The community
began its ecotourism efforts in 1997 after years of talks with USAID who gave the 52
hunter-and-gatherer families small gifts in exchange for permission to build a road in their
territory, which would inevitably lead to more logging. The African descendants accepted
the gifts but refused the road and eventually asked them to leave. But when the charity
Earthways asked to convert nearby military barracks (built by the Ecuadorian army in
search of gold in the '70s) into an eco-lodge and permission to designate the protected re-
gion a jungle cat reserve, the village finally obliged. In return, tourism efforts directly em-
ploys the families of Playa de Oro, with 100% of proceeds going back into the commu-
nity.
If you're unable to get to the Amazon, this is the next best thing. Out of reach and well
run, the land features a network of outstanding nature trails, where bird-watchers can
check out about 330 species, animal-lovers can walk in the tracks of pumas and anyone
who's ever secretly wished to pan for gold, can. As promised, the reserve functions as a
release site for small wild cats rescued from exotic animal traffickers, and volunteers flock
from all over the U.S. and Canada for the chance to play with adorable baby ocelots or
even marmosets. Remember that this is the real deal though; accommodations at the lodge
are comfortable but rustic with no electricity at all. Visitors must make arrangements be-
forehand with Touch the Jungle, and bring small bills - cash only
