Coast Region

The Coast runs along the west coast and features low mountains, valleys, plains, mangroves, rivers and rainforests. The Coast has a tropical climate, and is hot and humid. The Coast is cloudy, cooler and dry from May to December, and hotter and rainier from January to April. The Coast covers about 70'000 km, less than one third of the surface of Ecuador, but 50 % of the population live in this region, mainly in and around the city of Guayaquil, the pulsing and modern major business and economic center and main port of Ecuador.

This influence has led to three dominant ecosystems on the coastline: the tropical rain forest in the north, tropical savannas and cloud forest in the center and southwest, and a dry forest on the peninsula of Sta. Elena. Also worth mentioning are the inlets and the tidal areas along the coast where mangrove forests and marine environments provide a habitat ideal for fish and shell fish.

In the interior of the coastal lowlands agriculture and stock-farming are important activities. Crops as bananas, rice, soybean, sugar, cotton, tobacco, coffee, cacao, tropical fruits are produced for both export and domestic markets. More than 1,000 km of coastline with wonderful beaches, cliffs, lovely bays, national parks and protected areas and a well-developed tourist infrastructure along the coast offer excellent opportunities to relax and entertain in a tropical paradise. Whale watching, eco touring and community tourism are the booming activities of recent years.

Discover the Coast, its beautiful virgin fishermen's beaches and modern cities, its pre-Columbian culture and archaeology, its protected forests, lodges and beach hotels.