34 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Ecuador - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Ecuador

Swing at the End of the World

A swing to dangle you off the very edge.

Laguna Quilotoa

A turquoise lake within a volcanic crater.

GUAPÁN, Ecuador

Ingapirca

Ecuador's largest Incan ruins show evidence of sophisticated irrigation and diplomacy among the ancient builders.

Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

The Cracks - Las Grietas

These mammoth-yet-narrow crevasses in the Earth are perfect for taking an otherworldly swim.

Intiñan Solar Museum

Home of the "true" equator.

Ambato Canton, Ecuador

Chimborazo

Massive volcano in the Andes is the farthest point from earth's center.

San Antonio de Pichincha, Ecuador

Middle of the World

An elaborate shrine dedicated to the four corners of the world unfortunately misses its mark.

Tulcan, Ecuador

Tulcán Municipal Cemetery

This Ecuadorian cemetery is home to a jaw-dropping topiary wonderland.

See All 34 Things to Do in Ecuador See All 34 Places

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Unique Food & Drink in Ecuador

Peanut Butter Fruit

Its pulp tastes just like the creamy spread.

Ice Cream Bean

The South American bean that looks like cotton candy and tastes like ice cream.

Banana Passionfruit

This tangy fruit flavors everything from ice cream to cocktails.

Blackberry Jam Fruit

Inside a hard, yellow shell lies a sweet, black spread.

See all 18 things to eat in Ecuador See all 18 things to eat in Ecuador

Atlas Obscura Trips

Galápagos: Island Wildlife & Ecology

Get a living lesson on ecology and conservation in one of the planet’s most historically important habitats.

Community Forums / South America / Ecuador

Top Discussions in the Ecuador Travel Forum

Post	Replies	Views	Activity
Cueva de los Tayos	1 March 26, 2019	2299	March 26, 2019
Basílica del Voto Nacional	2 February 6, 2019	1532	February 6, 2019
Momia de Guano	1 March 27, 2019	845	March 27, 2019
Garcia Moreno Prison Museum	2 December 18, 2018	1399	December 18, 2018
Post Office Bay	1 May 28, 2019	1091	May 28, 2019

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Stories About Ecuador

Jonathan Green affixes a fin-mounted double satellite tag on the dorsal fin of an adult female whale shark.

The Ocean’s Largest Shark Has a Little Something to Say

An online video raised a strange question: Do whale sharks make sounds? And would it matter if they did?

by Claudia Geib

This Brazilian navy ship had a strange insect encounter during nighttime operations.

The Ecological Mystery of a Stink Bug Swarm Far Out to Sea

The chance encounter has led to insights on how insects make it to distant islands.

by Erica Tennenhouse

The endangered Andy Sabin's leaf-toed gecko lives in a habitat fragmented by lava flows.

For One Photographer, Reptiles Rule the Galápagos

Lucas Bustamante wants you to fall in love.

February 21, 2020

For the first time since the days of Darwin, these iguanas are living on Santiago Island.

The Whack-a-Mole Survival of Galapagos Land Iguanas

Moving them from island to island is one way to conserve them.

by Isaac Schultz

November 7, 2019

Humboldt's <em>Tableau Physique</em> was a landmark for biogeography.

An Explorer's Famed Infographic May Have a Big, Fatal Flaw

Alexander von Humboldt might have been using the wrong mountain.

by Jonathan Carey

Snorkeling among the Galápagos' wildlife.

A Day in the Life of a Galápagos Guide

Luis Yanez walks us through a day of tortoise traffic and blue-footed boobies.

Sponsored by Chase Sapphire

Meet the blue-throated hillstar.

The Existential Ennui of Discovering an Endangered Species

Newly found and already almost lost.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

September 27, 2018

A western basilisk lizard—one of nearly 500* types of Ecuadorian reptiles that have gotten the lightbox photo treatment from Tropical Herping.

Glamour Shots of Reptiles, Brought to You by Science

"All right Mr. Herpetologist, I'm ready for my close-up."

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