Ecuador Offers Beauty & History For Travelers On A Budget

Traveling to a foreign vacation destination can be expensive, but South America offers many options which can offer beauty and history for travelers on a budget and that includes Ecuador.

Visiting the city of Baños is easy, about a three-hour drive from the capital of Quito, you can find nature everywhere. One of the main attractions nearby is a 260-foot waterfall, which makes an impression on those who visit. It’s known as ‘El Pailon del Diablo,’ which translates into the ‘Devil’s Cauldron.’

Michael Trainer and Tony Tran from San Francisco visited recently. “We both wanted to experience South America, he hasn’t been. I’ve been to Colombia and Peru, and I wanted to visit another country,” said Tran. “I had a very good experience previously.”

The two settled on Ecuador after a recommendation from a friend who had just visited. “She absolutely raved about it. I was looking for southern hemisphere, warmer than San Francisco,” said Trainer.

The South American country, boasting a vast mountain range and parts of the amazon rainforest, can be an affordable international destination. While a visit to the Galapagos islands may run into the thousands, thrifty travelers focus on the mainland.

“We did a layover in Mexico, round trip flight was far less expensive than Europe, our hotels are less than 100 dollars a night, food is reasonable, it’s been a good budget,” said Trainer.

After taking in the Andes Mountains, it takes about three hours to reach the Amazon. Visitors can head to the city of Tena, which is known as a gateway into the Amazon. There you can travel by riverboat into the rainforest.

A place where there’s plenty to see, without breaking the bank.