Western Slopes to the Pacific Coast - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 268

Same
In Same, the best value within the budget category is La Terraza ,

6-544-507. It's near the beach, has a good, inexpensive restaurant
and bar, and is a popular place to hang out. $

Hotel Club Casablanca , 6-252-077, fax [phone], www.

ccasablanca.com, [e-mail], is a true resort. Located
just outside of town along the beach, Casablanca has nice rooms with
private baths and a full set of upper-class facilities. Without leaving
the premises, you can enjoy swimming, dining, a discotheque, and
even tennis. The Club Casablanca also offers airport transfer from
Esmeraldas at an additional cost. $$$$

Muisne
The town of Muisne is not a major tourist destination, so options for
accommodations are limited. Check rooms for security before making
a decision. The best choice on the island is Hostal Mapara (on the
beach), with a restaurant ($) or the even cheaper Hotel Galápagos ,

6-480-158. It is very inexpensive, but secure, and also has a restau-
rant and private baths. $

Cotacachi-Cayapas Region

Playa de Oro offers a full eco-cultural tourism experience in a
unique, albeit remote and relatively untouched, community (see Eco-
Travel , page 261). The tourist facilities consist of thatched-roof struc-
tures built on stilts. Guest rooms open onto a common porch, com-
plete with a bench, table, and comfortable chairs. The rooms are
spacious, with plenty of shelves, mosquito net-covered beds, and
clean private baths with running water and flush toilets. A three-
tiered septic system handles waste, and lighting is available via pho-
tovoltaic solar electricity or candlelight. $$$ per night, meals and ser-
vices included. Advance notice and minimum stay required.

San Miguel is a community with comparable facilities, as both of
these ecotourism projects were developed together. $$$ per night,
meals and services included. Advance notice and minimum stay re-
quired.

Steve's Lodge (less than an hour from Borbón at the junction of
the Río Cayapas and Río Onzole), is the longest-standing reputable
ecolodge in the region. This is a good starting point for exploring
Cotacachi-Cayapas. The lodge offers three-day package tours ($300
per person) that include trips up the Cayapas to visit native Chachi
and Afro-Ecuadorian communities, to experience their culture, cere-