Until you’ve visited Iguassu Falls / Iguaçu Falls at the border of Argentina and Brazil, you can’t say you’ve seen the best waterfalls in the world.
A fantastic variety of hiking trails and paths take you up close to many of the hundreds of different waterfalls that are found here.
The largest “cataract” here is that of Union Falls, pictured here. Viewed from the Argentina side of the waterfalls, the roaring thunder of the power of the water was intense and the mist gave everyone a nice cooling down in the otherwise scorching hot sun. One of the most impressive waterfalls I saw at Iguassu.
View of Union Waterfall at Iguassu from the Argentina side of the falls
After spending many months in the Galapagos Islands during my various visits there, I’ve learned quite a few travellers have strange expectations when it comes to visiting the Galapagos. Even people who have visited the islands often get things wrong. So, here are 5 things most people don’t know about the remote Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador.
1 – 40,000 People Live in the Galapagos
A local soccer match on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos
It’s not all about the animals, as four islands support towns, with populations from 140 to more than 20,000. Spending time in the towns, especially on Isabela Island and San Cristobal Island, is a great way to get the full travel experience of the islands, instead of just ticking off animals from a guide book. Because of the higher standard of living in the Galapagos compared to mainland Ecuador, there are strict immigration controls in the islands for both visitors and workers.
2 – Galapagos Travel Guide Books are Usually Wrong
The park rules change so fast in the Galapagos that all printed guide books are out of date, even the famous Lonely Planet. Seek out current online sources for your travel information if you’re trying to visit independently, as you’ll be disappointed with the information in most guide books. I’ve seen dozens of people show up, believing their guide book is right, only to find out their Galapagos travel plans are no longer possible, or are now illegal. If you use your guide book for basics such as finding some hotels or restaurants, you should be able to find some still up-to-date information. But when it comes to visiting tourist sites that require a Naturalist Guide, either by land, or by boat, check with the locals or an actual tour company first.
3 – There are no Giant Turtles in the Galapagos
A giant tortoise (not turtle) on Floreana Island in the Galapagos
Giant turtles do not exist. Yes, there are some very big turtles. Green sea turtles that swim in the water in the Galapagos and lay their eggs on beaches can weigh hundreds of pounds. But these are green sea turtles, not a giant turtle species. The massive land animals that people come to see are giant tortoises, not turtles. Very different animals. Need to know how to tell the difference? In short – tortoises stay on land, turtles prefer the water.
4 – Charles Darwin only spent 5 Weeks in the Galapagos
Three years after Ecuador claimed the islands from Spain, Charles Darwin arrived and spent five weeks on the islands in 1835 as part of the HMS Beagle voyage captained by Robert FitzRoy. Darwin actually only visited four of the islands, and while he made many important observations at the time, it wasn’t until he arrived home in England much later on that he studied the finches and worked out his theory of evolution through natural selection – leading to his published work The Origin of Species. What is the most impressive thing you’ve accomplished after a 5-week visit somewhere?
5 – Goats have Wreaked Havoc in the Galapagos Islands
In recent decades, studies proved that feral goats were straining the local giant tortoise populations. These goats first arrived when early settlers and previous whalers and sealers visited the islands. Spreading into the highlands, their numbers increased to dangerous levels, where tortoises would starve because they couldn’t compete with the more aggressive goats, who would eat everything in their path. Eradication programs have eliminated more than 270,000+ goats in recent decades! About half of those are from Isabela Island.
Updated in January 2018! When I first published this list in 2014, I had 40 craft breweries listed in Ecuador. Now the list includes more than 135! Added and updated all social media and website links. New additions also include a bottle shop and some great beer bars, now that bottled craft beer is a possibility in Ecuador.
I’ve been lucky to visit Ecuador many times and see how the craft beer craze has taken off in the small South American country. Microbreweries, home brewers, nanobreweries, call them whatever you want – small, craft beer producers, are now found everywhere.
I originally wrote an article on the subject for the September/October 2014 issue of TAPS the beer magazine, you can download a digital copy here. Things have changed quite a bit in Ecuador since then.
A Selection of Craft Beer bottles from Ecuador
To add to that article, and my older post about Craft Beer in Ecuador taking on Pilsner and Club, here is a listing of all of the craft (artesanal) brewers in Ecuador. If you know of anyone who should be added to this list, let me know!
Craft beer, or cerveza artesanal, as it is called in Ecuador, now numbers well over 100 different breweries, msot of whom are listed below. This cerveza artesanal list is constantly changing and being updated. Pretty much all of them are on Facebook or Instagram, but not so many have their own functioning websites. Where possible, links have been provided below. Since these guys are all based in Ecuador, you may need to brush up on your Spanish to decipher the where/how to find some of these beers if you’re planning to visit this little country in South America.
Is this list 100% complete? Of course not, but it is more extensive than any list you will find on sites like Untappd or Ratebeer. So send me any information you may have on places that are new for me to check out on my next visit to Ecuador!
Note that some of the breweries above may not have official visiting hours. Additionally, some of them such as Indie Beer Company are bars that commonly serve other Ecuadorian craft beer, but may also serve their own branded beers from time to time. If you are looking to maximize your beer drinking time in Quito, watch for my upcoming “Beer Day in Quito” post!
Best Beer Bars in Ecuador
Sometimes you don’t need to hit an actual brewery to try some of the best beers. There are some great beer bars in Ecuador, mostly around Quito. Here is my quick list of recommendations. In Quito, La Reserva, HOPS Craft Beer Pub, Ciudad Cerveza, Ácrono Beer Pub, Bandido del Paramo, Sirka, Romero’s Burgers and Frida Tacos are my top places. In Tumbaco, it might be worth seeing what El Tasting Room (by Speck) is like or La Barra Restobar in Sangolqui may be worth stopping in at. In Ambato, Madame Bier Resto Pub is a spot to try. In Guayaquil, check out República de la Cerveza and El TapRoom. In Cuenca there is Lacraft Beer Garden as well. All these bars are easily found on Facebook.
Other Ecuador Beer Links
Buy bottles of local craft beer at Viva Cerveza, the best bottle ship in Quito, Ecuador. If you happen to head to Ambato, buy bottles at Im Hoppy. If you’re wanting to do a craft beer tour in Quito, look up Land of Hoppiness, although there are a handful of torus out there. And if you want beer delivered to your house or hotel, there are a few ever-changing services out there too, MotoBirra Beer Delivery may be worth contacting.
Ecuador Beer Festivals
There are many small-scale craft beer festivals popping up around Ecuador. Viva Cerveza happen to run the best and biggest Craft Beer Festival in Ecuador. There is also the Pichincha Beer Fest, which last ran November 2017 and the very small Los Chillos Beer Fest last held in April 2017. If you are in Quito, ask around at some local breweries to see if any festivals are happening soon.
Ecuador Craft Breweries that have been removed from the list:
RIAR Brewing Company (now Shaman Cerveza), Roche’s Brewing in Canoa (closed in 2015), Ambacht Bier in Guayaquil (closed in 2014. Became Región Cerveza Artesanal, which closed in 2015), Santaana Cerveceria / Cerveza Artesanal in Cuenca (reported as closed), Andean Brewing Company in Cuenca (closed in 2015). Vendetta Cerveceria in Quito (out of business), Red Dragon Brewing in Quito (out of business), Reina Cerveza in Guayaquil (out of business), La Cuchara de San Marcos in Quito (good restaurant, but no longer makes beer), Cervecería Cerro Negro in Sangolqui (out of business), Barracuda Cerveza Artesanal in Guayaquil (out of business), Averno Brewery in Quito (now Abysmo), Cerveza Artesanal Diablo en Botella (reported as no longer brewing).
Turkey has a surprisingly large collection of great hiking trails, something I wasn’t really aware ahead of time and left me wanting to explore more after I left. One of the most rewarding hikes I enjoyed was along the Lycian Way, ending at a great little town and beautiful beach.
Kayakoy in the Morning, starting the hike
Most people visit the Turkish ghost village of Kayakoy via various hiking trails that connect nearby villages to the coast. It is actually near part of the impressive Lycian Way trail route, which stretches for more than 500km and starts at nearby Oludeniz. When I visited this part of Turkey it was a good hike up and over the hills from Kayakoy to meet up with the Lycian Way trail and travel onwards to the beaches at Fethiye and Oludeniz blue lagoon.
Sheep in Kayakoy Ghost Town
Kayakoy Ghost Town, restored building
Along the trail, abandoned buildings from the once impressive town greeted us, with churches and homes empty and open along the hillsides. A few houses are still used today, as they’ve been restored as a museum of sorts, but mostly they are all abandoned.
More than 2000 people lived here once, but the Greco-Roman War changed things. The houses and people are of Greek background, so the mandatory population exchange of 1923 meant they all had to leave, an interesting time in recent history!
Kayakoy Trail Signpost to Oludeniz Blue Lagoon
Onwards from the town of Kayakoy, you get into some great tree-lined paths and coastal views. It’s a great part of the Mediterranean. Trails here head north and south and inland, but the most popular route is to head to the beach. As you approach the first area you’ll see is the beautiful Oludeniz blue lagoon, which is a national nature reserve. Beyond that is the main Oludeniz beach.
View from the Lycian Way trail, going to Oludeniz
Hiking Trail – The Lycian Way in Turkey
The high-flying para gliders and boisterous beach bars in this area of the Fethiye district were quite the contrast to this quiet, crumbling town, but it was nice to have some cold beers afterwards, as summer gets pretty hot and humid along this coastal area of Turkey!
The hike itself took about 2 hours total, including stops in the ghost town and photo stops along the way. Some decent inclines happen at the start, but once you’re up in the hills, it’s a mostly flat and then downhill hike into the coastal area of Oludeniz.
Oludeniz Blue Lagoon, a protected national reserve in Turkey
Puddles of mud aren’t normally something you look forward to encountering when driving, walking, hiking or biking around outdoors.
But that all changes when you’re on an ATV! The bigger the puddle, the messier the adventure and more thrilling the ride. Perhaps it was with a bit of luck that on my last ATV adventure a torrential downpour occurred just after getting suited up. I was prepared though, with a mighty fine looking trenchcoat keeping me dry on my ride.
The sweet ATV’s we rode up near Parry Sound with Bear Claw Tours
The guys at Bear Claw Tours were pretty awesome, outfitting us with all the right gear to stay warm and relatively dry. It was also pretty sweet that they had a fleet of brand new Honda ATVs. No falling apart clunkers here, these were slick riding machines that were a real pleasure to drive.
The rain that accompanied us for most of the 1/2 day adventure was surprisingly accommodating too, as when we had a little snack break overlooking a nearby lake, it stopped to let us enjoy the view.
Enjoying an ATV lunch break by a lake
Riding along the trails, bouncing over rocks and scrambling around trees was great fun. But the best parts were 1) the puddles and 2) letting loose and going all out on the flat trail, just to see how fast we could go!
Not knowing what lurked beneath the murky water, some puddles were smooth and easy riding, while others had us lifting our legs up, so not to get flooded, while bouncing over some unforeseen submerged rocks. It was fun riding and I managed to avoid getting stuck in any mud holes! I was happy I had some big, bad rubber boots though.
Ready to get dirty on the trails with my rubber boots!
The slippery, muddy and wet rock conditions did challenge me a few times. I underestimated just how much an ATV will “slide” on the mud when you’re doing sharp turns. They do turn sharp, but I still ended up having to do a couple of 3-point turns to get myself around the steep, sharp corners on the muddy trail.
An added bonus of the rainy day ATV ride? Less mosquitos! The few times when we’d stop and it wasn’t raining, the little buggers would descend on us in the forest. But when it was drizzling (or pouring), it kept them away, allowing us to enjoy the ride, scenery and adventure that much more.
Zoom zoom…let’s go, ATV fun in the rain
Now, I may be odd in that I don’t mind walking in the rain and getting soaking wet. I’m not one to duck for cover at the first sign of bad weather. But when it comes to being outdoors in the rain, most sports and activities just aren’t as much fun. I can’t really think of anything else that embraces the “let it rain” attitude better than ATVing. Sometimes it is just too fun to get dirty and splash around, so next time you’re wondering what to do on a rainy day – think about how you can get dirty, instead of staying dry – I guarantee you’ll have a blast if you head out on an ATV.
Editorial note: A big thanks go out to Bear Claw Tours in Sequin, Ontario and Explorer’s Edgewho had me racing through the woods on a special “Quintessentially Canadian” tour.
