Guayaquil will probably not become your favourite place in Ecuador, but it deserves more than the quick pass-through most travellers give it. Ecuador's largest city sits on the Guayas River near the head of the Gulf of Guayaquil, and its waterfront has been transformed over the past two decades by the Malecón 2000 project — a 2.5-kilometre riverside promenade that converted what was previously a decayed portside into a genuine civic space with gardens, museums, and restaurants.
Barrio Las Peñas, the oldest neighbourhood in the city, clusters at the foot of Santa Ana Hill at the northern end of the Malecón. The 444 steps to the top reward you with the city's best views. Parque Bolívar, near the Metropolitan Cathedral, is famous for its resident colony of wild iguanas that live in the trees and sun themselves on the park benches. The MAAC Museum holds an important pre-Columbian collection and the Guayaquil Historic Park reconstructs what the old city looked like before its many fires.
The city's main industries — shrimp fishing, petroleum refining, food processing, and banana exports — make it Ecuador's economic engine. Take sensible precautions in unfamiliar areas, particularly after dark, but the historic centre and the Malecón are well-patrolled and generally safe during the day. Guayaquil is located 275 km southwest of the capital Quito.