Guayaquil is the largest city of Ecuador. Eventhough it is one of the two cities in Ecuador with an international airport, not many tourists tend to stay in the harbour city for longer than they have to.

Over the years Guayaquil has been considered an ugly and dangerous city, not exactly the type of place to enjoy your holiday. However, the past two or three years the Guayaquilenos have made Guayaquil a nice to place to visit. It's still a bit rough around the edges, but some of the areas downtown have been cleaned up and are worth a visit.

The new Malecon 2000, a promenade with lots of touristy stuff and the nearby old neighborhood Las Penas make for a great way to spend a day.

Just outside of Guayaquil are several national parks, which are hardly ever visited by tourists, but worth your while.

For those looking to party, Guayaquil may very well be the best place in Ecuador. Eventhough drinks are slightly more expensive than in other areas of the country, Guayaquil has some cool clubs and pleasant bars to spend an evening (or late night).