This village is internationally renowned for the high quality of the “Panama Hats” they produce (yes, you read correctly, Panama Hats are and always have been from Ecuador and not from Panama). Lying at the foot of a large hill called Montecristi, the small town of the same name has many attractions such as Eloy Alfaro’s (an ex-Ecuadorian President) house, the Hermanas Largacha Museum, and the Monserrate Sanctuary, where thousands of Ecuadorian and foreign pilgrims traditionally flock, especially on the weekends. Another place of interest is La Pila, whose artisans make a variety of sculptures and replicas of Pre-Colombian ceramics. In addition to hats, these artisan centers display other handmade crafts made of different types of straw and iron.

Volcanoes - Chimborazo / Cotopaxi National Park Cotopaxi Ecuador's "Avenue of the Volcanoes" is a 325 km. long valley between the major Cordillera ranges. Massive and standing alone, the volcanoes provide brooding, snow-covered contrast to the green equatorial lushness. They also provide mountaineers a rare opportunity to achieve very high altitudes without technical difficulty. Volcano climbing offers an exciting, unforgettable challenge. In the Indian language, Chimborazo means "mountain of snow". It is an enormous mass of overwhelming scale. Alexander Von Humboldt mad an unsuccessful attempt to climb the Chimborazo in 1802, and believed it to be the highest mountain in the world (6,526 feet). This distinction lasted until the discovery of Mt. Everest fifty years later. Chimborazo was finally climbed by Edward Whimper in 1880. Today it is climbed fairly frequently, but less than Cotopaxi, which is the highest active volcano of the world (6,005 meters). Read about The Cotopaxi National Park.

In the eastern part of the country, commonly known as the Amazon Basin, heavy rainfall and high humidity are constant features. The vegetation of the Ecuadorian Amazon is exuberant as is its fauna. Within and around the huge protected areas of the Amazon Rain Forest several indigenous ethnic groups live side by side, still living traditionally, each group maintaining its distinct customs and traditions.

The most popular sports in the region are rafting and kayaking, chosen by those looking for the maximum in adventure in the middle of a paradise of pure and crystal waters. In the Napo, Misahuallí, Hollín, or Calmitoyacu, near the 16th century town of Archidona, you can find underground rivers, cracks, passageways, and caves among the waters that run through the Amazon jungle.

In Tena, the capital city of the province of Napo, there is a large concentration of rivers with many facilities for practicing water sports. You can choose between calm routes and the excitement offered by heavy rapids. Another popular trip made by tourists is along the Upano River in southern Ecuador in the province of Morona Santiago. Ecuador offers schools and instructors to help facilitate these activities. In the Casanga and Quijos Rivers of Baeza (Napo) or in the Lake of Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja, Sucumbíos), you can do some great fishing. The main travel agencies in the country’s major cities, including the capitals of the Amazon provinces, will help to organize any trip or tour desirable.