Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Ecuador and The Modern Eco Tourist

Ecuador is a small state located in South America. It is bordered by Columbia, Peru and Pacific Ocean. The capital city of Quito is a city that is filled with history, where one can walk around town to see how significant a role it has played.

The colonial buildings and the mountains are what set it apart from other tourist destinations. The weather is just perfect all through the year, and so people find it easy to walk, without getting too tired.

There are three main regions here, namely, the La costa, which is the coastal region. La Sierra, the places of high altitude, and ofcourse the El Oriente, the eastern region. There is one more, The Region insular, which houses the Galapagos Islands. When visiting Ecuador there are some great places to go to.

The Cuyabeno National Reserve is very popular with Eco tourists. Ecuador, being part of the Amazon rain forest, has its share of forest reserves and animal safaris. Cuyabeno, one of the famous wildlife national reserves, was created way back in 1979 and has been home to about 15 types of animals, and nearly 500 species of birds.

You can take a tour of the place, watch the beasts and birds in their natural habitat. The jungle lodges within the campus allows guests to stay overnight in the tree houses and cottages, giving them a taste of what it feels like living with the wild.

Teatro Sucre is a place that was originally known for its fierce bull fights. It has been transformed into a theatre where artists from around Ecuador and other parts of the country perform. Schools hold their annual drama and musical events here, and now theatre groups are encouraged to come out present their pieces to the public.

Teleferico is another area that is well worth visiting. Here a cable car, takes people up into the hills so people can enjoy the superb views from the mountain top.

It is a tranquil place from where you are able to watch the valleys, the fields and the town, go about the routine and take in all the grandeur in full scale. Quito, also has its share of ponds, lakes, amusement venues and art centers.

A trip to Ecuador is incomplete without visiting the Guayllamba Zoo. The doors of this wonderful zoo opened in 1997 and since then it has been an extremely popular tourist destination. It is known to have the biggest collection of fauna and flora in the country.

The zoo, which is about 30 kilometers from the capital city of Quito, is spread across 12 hectares of open space. There are animals and birds from various exotic forests and coastal regions.

Ecuador is a beautiful country that has so much to offer to the Eco tourist. By planning your journey carefully before you go there, you are able to take in a diverse range of sights and activities. It has suffered its fair share of trouble in the past and it is advisable to check with The Foreign Office before going there.

Andrew Gibson is MD of http://www.Directholidaybookings.co.uk.They are one of the largest holiday home websites with a selection of holiday villas and self catering holiday apartments to rent all over the world.

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