Guayaquil
Save28 hand-picked places in 10 lists. Tick the categories you want to see on the map.
Only have a day? See 2 ready-made day plans ↓Show on the map
Tips
10 places on the map
Free things to do
- 1
Riverside promenade with gardens, museums and playgrounds
- Tip: At night
3 tips
- Go in the evening when it is cooler
- Free to enter, security at gates
- Combine with Las Peñas
📷 Photos
- 2
Colorful historic neighborhood with galleries and river views
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Stay on the main stairs and streets
- Restaurants and bars at the top
📷 Photos
- 3
444 steps up to a lighthouse and chapel with city views
- Tip: Sunset
3 tips
- Best at sunset
- Bring water
- Stay on the lit main route
📷 Photos
- 4
Central park famous for its resident iguanas
3 tips
- Keep distance from the iguanas
- Go in daytime
- Next to the cathedral
📷 Photos
- 5
Neo-Gothic cathedral on Parque Seminario
- Tip: Dress code
2 tips
- Open on set hours
- Often hosts masses
📷 Photos
- 6
Historic church on Plaza San Francisco
- Tip: Dress code
2 tips
- Open limited hours
- Close to Boulevard 9 de Octubre
📷 Photos
- 7
Main pedestrian boulevard with shops and monuments
- Tip: At night
- Tip: Watch your bag
2 tips
- Busy by day
- Quiet in the evening
📷 Photos
- 8
Estuary promenade with restaurants and boats
- Tip: Late afternoon
- Tip: At night
2 tips
- Try the local seafood
- Be careful at night
📷 Photos
- 9
Wetland island reached by a pedestrian bridge
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Rent a bike
- Bring repellent and sun protection
📷 Photos
- 10
Largest urban park in the city with cycle paths
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Take a taxi or rideshare
- Weekends are busy
📷 Photos
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Before you go: Guayaquil tips
Transportation
- Use the Metrovía: Guayaquil's bus rapid transit runs on dedicated lanes between the north and south of the city; buy a rechargeable card at a station, as cash is not accepted.
- Fly over the river on the Aerovía: The cable car links the centre with Durán across the Guayas River, giving great views and a quick crossing that avoids bridge traffic.
- Book rides through apps: Uber, DiDi and Cabify are safer and easier than hailing street taxis, and the price is set before you get in, which avoids haggling.
Security
- Keep your phone hidden: Phone snatching is common, even from passing motorbikes, so step into a shop to check maps and avoid using your phone near the street edge.
- Stick to safer areas at night: Malecón 2000, Las Peñas, Urdesa and Samborondón are better options after dark; check current local advice, as security can change quickly.
- Be careful after banking: Robbers sometimes follow people who withdraw cash, so use ATMs inside malls or supermarkets and take a booked ride straight back afterwards.
Saving
- Eat set lunches: Almuerzos at local comedores include soup, a main with rice and a fresh juice for far less than tourist restaurants; look for the board outside at midday.
- Enjoy free waterfront sights: Strolling Malecón 2000, climbing Cerro Santa Ana and visiting Parque Seminario's iguanas costs nothing and fills a full day.
- Carry small US dollar bills: Ecuador uses the US dollar, and many shops and drivers cannot change 50 or 100 dollar notes, so break big bills at supermarkets.
Weather/Clothing
- Expect sticky rainy months: From about December to April it is hot and humid with heavy afternoon downpours; pack quick drying clothes and a compact umbrella.
- Enjoy the cooler dry season: From about June to November skies are often grey but the air is cooler and drier, so a light layer is handy for evenings by the river.
- Protect yourself from sun and bugs: The equatorial sun burns fast even on cloudy days, and mosquitoes are common in the rainy season, so pack sunscreen and repellent.
Cultural
- Start with encebollado: This tuna, cassava and pickled onion soup is Guayaquil's favourite breakfast, often eaten with chifles plantain chips and a squeeze of lime.
- Try a bolón de verde: Mashed green plantain balls filled with cheese or pork crackling are a classic coastal breakfast, best with coffee at a local cafetería.
- Join a cangrejada: Locals love cracking whole crabs with wooden mallets at crab houses; it is messy and social, so wear clothes you do not mind splashing.
Local Hacks
- Count the Las Peñas steps: The 444 numbered steps of Cerro Santa Ana lead past bars and cafes to a lighthouse and chapel with sweeping views over the river and city.
- Walk or cycle to Isla Santay: A long pedestrian bridge leads to this protected river island with boardwalks through mangroves, a small eco village and lots of birdlife.
- Use Guayaquil as a base: Galápagos flights leave from José Joaquín de Olmedo airport, and buses from the Terminal Terrestre reach beaches like Salinas and Montañita.
1-day itineraries in Guayaquil
Only have a day? Each one keeps you in one area, from morning to late afternoon, with lunch nearby.
Day 1 of 2
Cementerio General de Guayaquil and around
🕘 9:30–17:15📍 7 stops
- 1Cementerio General de Guayaquil
- 2Malecón del Salado
- 3Iglesia de San Francisco
- 4Parque Seminario (Parque de las Iguanas)
- 5Catedral Metropolitana de Guayaquil
- and 2 more
Day 2 of 2
Torre Morisca (Reloj Público) and around
🕘 9:30–16:45📍 5 stops
- 1Torre Morisca (Reloj Público)
- 2Museo Antropológico y de Arte Contemporáneo (MAAC)
- 3Malecón 2000
- 4Barrio Las Peñas
- 5Cerro Santa Ana