Western Slopes to the Pacific Coast - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 237

This route breaks from the Pan-American Highway south of Quito at
Alóag and heads through the main city of Santo Domingo de los
Colorados. Buses from Quito's bus terminal cover these routes be-
tween Quito and the coast on a daily basis.
The gateway city to the north coast is Esmeraldas , from which fre-
quent buses head into the highlands. There is also a regional airport
with flights to and from various destinations, including Quito (see
The North Coast , page 253).
Visitor Information
Most tour operators and travel services for this region
are based inQuito. See Quito andVicinity , pages 94-97,
for details. Rates formoney exchange are also favorable
in Quito. Santo Domingo de los Colorados , about
halfway between Quito and the coast, is a rapidly ex-
panding city. Modern services are available there, including banking,
post, communications and medical facilities. There are also accom-
modations for travelers who want to make it a home base for explor-
ing the region. Most people, however, will choose to stay at lodges
within specific reserves.
Banks in Santo Domingo include Filanbanco, at Avenida de los
Tsáchilas and Quito, and Banco Internacional, at Avenida Quito and
Río Blanco. The post office is at Avenida de los Tsáchilas and Río
Baba. The Andinatel telephone office is on Avenida Quito between
Río Blanco and Río Toachi in the San Francisco building. The bus
terminal is about a mile north of downtown on Av. de los Tsáchilas.
Taxis are available from here to the city center and vice-versa.
Touring & Sightseeing
Santo Domingo de los Colorados
The primary transportation route from Quito to the coast
is along the main “highway” through the city of Santo
Domingo de los Colorados. From Quito, head south along
the Pan-American Highway to the town of Alóag and turn
right, to the west, on the obvious road to Santo Domingo de los
Colorados (“Vía a Santo Domingo de los Colorados”). The road meets
up with the Puerto-Quito Highway, about halfway to Esmeraldas on
the coast. Points of interest along this southern route include the
Tinalandia Ecolodge , the Río Palenque Science Center , La
Perla Forest Reserve , and the Bilsa Biological Station .