DEAR TYNDA
Here is the report you requested.
When we returned to Ecuador in Sept 2001 we had intended to leave and return to La Paz, Bolivia.
However, after some problems, mainly because we do not speak Spanish, we found that customs would allow us to keep our motorcycle in Ecuador and simply would simply give us a new 60 temporary permit each time we entered their country. So, we decided to stay in Ecuador and motorcycle around while we had the opportunity. While Ecuador is small, it is very scenic.
For information about the custom procedures go to the homepage for CUSTOMS IN ECUADOR
QUITO
We used Quito as our base and each time we returned we stayed at a new place. For recommendation in Quito and other places mentioned in this article see ACCOMENDATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ECUADOR.
First, there is no shortage of places to stay in Quito. One simply has to find the place that meets all the factors that one might consider important, such as moto parking, safety, price, location, friendliness towards motorcyclists, and what ever else one might want. So there is a range of places from $4 to $6.00 a night up to places like the Hilton (where we did not stay). New town is around the area of Colon and Amazones. There must be 100 places to choose from in a 10 block area. Also, there are bookstores, restaurants, tourist shops and speciality stores. We usually don't buy much on our trips and don't like to mail things home but, since we were leaving everything, including helmets and panniers with the moto, we had room to purchase some items this time.
The new town area appears to be safe, but it is not. Many motorcyclists we meet told us stories, as one always hears on the road, and here is what happened to us. As we were walking to our casa a woman said that liquid had dropped down from a tree and onto our backs. She and another person started to ripe it off. We knew that this was a scam. We usually carry nothing with us and even carry a fake wallet. These people must have been new because they were not even able to get anything from us, not even the fake wallet by which I mean it was a real wallet with fake money. It did costs us $6.00 to get our clothes washed at the casa but, quite frankly, this was three weeks into the trip and it definitely was time to have it done.
We left Quito several times, returning after a few days using the city as a base. We only did the northern half of the country including the coast as we will do the southern half when we exit back into Peru the next trip. We should state that while Ecuador used to be one of the cheapest places to visit, but after they converted to the American dollar in September 2000, it has become one of the more expensive. It is possible to find cheap accommodations and food but, one must search a little, so get to town early. Of course, one could stay at the Hilton.
For your readers I might say here that we are riding a 1992 BMW GS, two up, so take that into consideration about our travels as it is possible to go to rougher places than we did if one has the right moto and is not travelling two up.
NORTHERN COAST TRIP
The first trip we took was about 1100 miles. Leaving Quito to the north west we first went to the City of Mindo which is about 80 k away. Watch on the left for a dirt road going down, there are plenty of signs. Here one can stay at the Orchid Garden Cabanas. Owned by an American, Molly Brown and her husband, they are motorcycle friendly and one can park in the gardens. Among other things, motorcycle to the waterfall but, beware, they want $5.00 to enter, charging only $2.00 for locals. Not worth it unless you want to make a day of it, especially if it is a hot day. We warned a friend and so when he got there he said that he only had $2.00 and they let him in. You have to park on the road at the top and walk a long series of steps, usually wet ,down leaving the moto unattended. We put the cover on the bike. Mindo is a well known place for bird viewing but organized trips are expensive. Molly's husband is one of the local experts on birding.
The road, ruta 25, then continues to Esmeralda on the coast. Reportedly not a nice place to stay. Upon reaching Esmeralda, we headed north up the coast for 60 miles or so and then returned to Esmeralda and then on to Altacames. Many people stay here but again reportedly not a safe place so we continued to the small town of Sua where we found fenced parking in a motel type place, basic, basic including the bugs. It happened to be a holiday weekend so must places were booked. They charged us $20 which we took because it was the last place. Staying there was a local who spoke our language also and told us they were charged $15.00. The food along the shore was good.
Onwards the next day. One wants to go to Playa Galera which continues to along the coast west. Eventually, we made our way to the town of Canoa where we found a great place called Casa Bambu on the right when one comes up to the beach. Prices here range from $1.50 up to $10.00. This was the best place to stay on a beach that we encountered, although we are not beach people. Enclosed moto parking. It is possible to walk the beach, see the frigate birds bathing in the fresh water of the river, find shells but be careful as people have been robbed. With a guide it is possible to cross privately owned land to a series of caves to see the bats.
Then one can continue to the small town of San Vincente and take the ferry over to Bahia, but we drove around the inlet. This takes some time as the road is very bad but one sees a little bit of Ecuador that even the bus people don't see, any bus. The deserted shrimp farms built where the mango groves historically were are near as well as the newer, ecologically designed ones. We did get a flat tire just as we entered Bahia. We always carry a tire pump that operates from the sparkplug so pumping was easy. We hate to handpump in hot weather. Cost $1.00 for repair in a tire shop 200 yards away just around the corner. Here, we spent the most for a room with parking in the entrance to the garden on the side,because there was little else.. A tight squeeze for the GS but the management was concerned with parking in the front.
From Bahia we went to Portviejo billed as the hottest, temperature wise, town in Ecuador. Believe it. The road out of Bahia toward Manta is good, newer surface on much. Spent some time as we had a drink, deciding if we wanted to spend the night but enough beach, sand and frigate birds. We turned inland to Portviejo. By the time we reached the city we were so hot, thirsty we tired quickly trying to find a room, it being a Sunday , with parking, that we took a room with air conditioning..
The road from Bahia to Latachunga is not paved all the way, but there is gasoline/petro as always in Ecuador as long as you watch your gauges. We did not go straight to Latachunga as there is a great deviation along the way.
In the highland town of Zumbahua we stopped to stay the night at a new place called MIRAVALLE QUILOTOA HOSTAL. We have come from sealevel to the highlands and it is cold, overcast and threatening rain. The town center is undergoing reconstruction and there is no place to safely park the moto at the recommended hostals listed in the guide books. But we found a hostal which was new, although no latch on our door nor heat in the room. Very friendly family managing who also served dinner and breakfast for extra charge. Not much choice of eating facilities in the village. There were two other Americans and 3 Italians staying also, but none on motorcycles. A moto smaller than our BMW can park in the entry way or in a shack on the property. The next day we continued north and then east until we reached Latachunga on the PanAmerican, where we stayed the night having done some rough offroad which is not necessary. There is a paved road most of the way once one turns east but we did not take it. The rain and fog was heavy during the last 5 hours. There is gas along the main route.
The next day we again back to Quito as the weather was too bad to see Cotopazi.
THE NORTHERN ROAD TO THE COLUMBIAN BOARDER.
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