Fun fact: Guayaquil, Ecuador, was one of the most surprising stops on our journey through the country. Now, to be fair, my expectations were very low, so anything better than catastrophic was a positive, haha. But if you’ve been following my Ecuador series, you may be familiar with a post I wrote about Guayaquil a couple of months ago, titled “Why I Didn’t Want to Visit Guayaquil, and What Changed My Mind.” If you’re having any qualms about visiting this bustling Ecuadorian city, go back and read that article because it has some great information that I wish someone had told me before the trip.
At the end of that post, I promised you all a list of specific, safe things you can do to explore Guayaquil, and I’m making good on that today!
Now, to give credit where it’s due, just about everything on this list came at the recommendation of our tour guide, Carlos. He met up with our Exoticca group on our first afternoon in Guayaquil, and the main focus of his tour was how and where to explore the city safely. (Exoticca knew what they were doing, lol)
So we tried most of his recommendations out over the next 2 days of free time and had a blast! Today, I’m passing along that list to you.
Quick Tips About Staying Safe in Guayaquil
We had an absolute blast doing all of these activities, and the consistent presence of police and security officers helped us feel at ease, even at night. We still took care not to flash around our valuables or head down dark alleys–always travel smart–but we definitely felt more confident exploring the city than I would have imagined.
The biggest thing to know is that the closer to the Malecon 2000 you are, the safer you are. And don’t go any further inland than Parque Centenario. If you do visit Parque Centenario, walk back on the avenue 9 de Octubre. The only time we felt something off was when we decided to wander the streets beyond that as a shortcut to Parque Seminario. We definitely drew some stares, and there was a noticeable lack of officers compared to the parts we’d been exploring.
So I highly recommend using 9 de Octubre as your main avenue and generally stick to areas where you can see officers stationed. We didn’t see any violence, but the city is still recovering from a long period of neglect, which forced hard times on the residents. So just be a smart tourist and concentrate your explorations where you know it’s safe.
11 Safe Activities to Do in Guayaquil
Puerto Santa Ana
One of the most iconic areas to explore in Guayaquil is Santa Ana. This area is known for its colorful houses and the 465 stairs to the top. If you’re up for the challenge, climb the stairs–you’ll be rewarded with a stunning view of Guayaquil. Not to mention the opportunity to meet several local kitty cats who frequent the area.
This area has police officers stationed along the stairway, which makes it feel very safe. It’s also just a very beautiful walk, thanks to the rainbow of houses and flowers.
At the top, there is a lighthouse, a small chapel, and some benches where you can enjoy the view.
Don’t miss the beauty at the bottom of the hill, either. If you go to the right (toward the water), there are a few cobblestone streets lined with colorful wooden houses. This is such a peaceful area, and you can even duck into some local art galleries while you’re there. We also found a giant iguana chillin’ down by the water at the lowest level of this area.
Malecon 2000
When the government started cleaning up the city, they focused their efforts right at the waterfront, starting with the old boardwalk. They completely renovated this to create the Malecon 2000, a sweeping waterfront entertainment district.
There is so much to do here, and it’s the safest place in the city. It’s surrounded by a fence with multiple gates, and there are security officers stationed regularly around the grounds. At night, they close off certain gates to control the flow of traffic and ensure no sketchy characters get in. In fact, Carlos told us that this is where the locals come for an evening out because they know it’s safe, too.
The Malecon 2000 is a couple of miles long, and it’s full of fun things to enjoy. It has restaurants, multiple playgrounds, a mall, a theater, a botanical garden, and more! We also saw plenty of street artists and entertainers during our visit. There’s really something here for everyone to enjoy, and you could spend a full day taking it all in.
Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo
If you want to get out of the sun, Guayaquil’s contemporary art museum is a great spot! This is technically located on the Malecon, but I felt it deserved its own shout-out. The museum is air-conditioned and free to enter. It has a great range of local artifacts and examples of contemporary art from throughout Latin America.
La Perla Ferris Wheel
Another Malecon 2000 attraction that’s worth its own callout is La Perla. This is the tallest Ferris Wheel in South America, and it offers a stunning view of the waterfront district! You’ll hop in an enclosed booth with picture windows and enjoy a slow circuit around the Ferris Wheel. It takes about 10 minutes, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities for pictures.
Tickets for this only cost $3.50-$5.00 per person, depending on the day you visit. We got an even better deal thanks to a flyer that gave us $1 McDonald’s ice cream and $1 La Perla entry. #win
There’s actually a whole amusement park around La Perla with rides and an arcade. So, if you’d like to add some extra thrills to your vacation, you should check those out, too.
Guayas River Catamaran Ride
For those who want to spend time on the actual river, consider a Guayas River Catamaran Ride. This 2-hour tour costs $10 per person and takes you up and down the river while you learn more about the city. This was one of the top things Carlos recommended we check out. Unfortunately, it was one of two things we missed. But if you’re looking for a way to get off your feet while still exploring, this could be a great option for you!
Aerovía de Guayaquil
Another great way to kick back while you continue to explore is with the Aerovia. In fact, this was one of my favorite experiences in Guayaquil!
The Aerovia is part of Guayaquil’s public transportation system, and it’s super-affordable. It’s a system of cable cars that helps commuters get across the river significantly faster than driving across the bridge. It also has multiple stations within the city to help speed up commutes and cut down on traffic.
A round-trip on the Aerovia costs around $1.40 per person–no joke! If it is your first time using the cable cars, you will have to purchase a reloadable card for $2, which bumps up the price just a smidge. But it’s still worth it for a 45-minute aerial trip across the river and around the city. Plus, you can reload the card and use it throughout your stay if you want!
And on top of the convenience, the views are just gorgeous. I couldn’t find a better view of Guayaquil’s beautiful hospital or the white cemetery complex!
Parque Centenario
If you take the cable cars, you can hop off right near Parque Centenario, one of the city’s most important monuments. Located at the end of Ave. 9 de Octubre, this monument marks the centennial of Guayaquil’s independence. They inaugurated it in 1920 and built a beautiful park that’s a popular gathering spot.
There’s not a ton to do here, but it’s worth a walk around the grounds and makes a good place to sit and people-watch.
Parque Seminario
Now, my favorite experience in Guayaquil was Parque Seminario. If you’ve done any research on the city before now, this is probably the #1 thing you’ve heard of, and with good reason.
Parque Seminario is not only beautiful, it’s also home to a large population of iguanas! There are iguanas of all sizes and colors here, and it’s amazing to see them all gathered. We didn’t see any roaming the streets, but for some reason, this large colony has made their home right in the middle of the city!
Each day, the city puts out fresh greens for them to chow on, which they share with some turtles in the pond and any birds who stop by.
It’s so crazy just to walk through this park and be surrounded by these wild lizards. They’ll chill anywhere there’s food or sun, so watch your step and beware of passing below any trees. (You never know when a lizard will do its business.)
The iguanas are wild and not for petting, so be sure to respect their space. But definitely carve out some time to enjoy this unique experience!
Guayaquil Double-Decker City Tour
A great way to safely explore the inner city of Guayaquil is with a double-decker bus tour. You can book this through Viator (affiliate link :)) for about $8. The tour lasts about 2 hours and takes off right from Parque Seminario, so it’s super convenient if you’re already there!
We happened to hop on the bus on a rainy day and were the only two people on the tour. It worked out perfectly because we got to see a ton of the city while staying dry.
The tour includes an English audio guide to tell you about all the landmarks you’re passing, which was really helpful.
We also had a 20-ish-minute stop at the Mirador Cerro Paraiso, which offers stunning views of the city as well.
Guayaquil Municipal Museum
Whether it’s raining, too hot, or you just want to learn more about Guayaquil, the local Municipal museum is a great place to spend an hour.
Just about everything is in Spanish, so have Google translate ready if you’re not fluent, but you’ll learn so many interesting facts while you’re here! They’ve done a great job collecting artifacts from throughout the city’s history, sharing stories, and showing how Guayaquil has evolved. I particularly enjoyed the section about pirates and all the models that show the city in different stages.
The upper level features a vast collection of taxidermy creatures found in and around Guayaquil, from colorful birds to sea creatures and jungle critters.
Mercado Artesanal Guayaquil
Last but not least, shop your way through Guayaquil’s local artisan market. Every square foot of this building is packed with little stalls operated by locals. You’ll find just about any souvenir you could want here from all 4 regions of Ecuador. Everything is also super-inexpensive, with many items under $10.
We found souvenirs for all our family members here, and I even got a real leather purse with embroidery for $15.
You do need cash, so be sure to have plenty, but keep it well hidden/secured as you browse. The rows are tight, so it’s easy to bump into people, and you don’t want to be a pick-pocket victim!
Closing Thoughts on Guayaquil, Ecuador
Once again, I am so glad we had that initial tour with Carlos to show us what we’d be missing if we stayed in our hotel! We spent 2.5 wonderful days exploring Guayaquil without incident. And obviously, we had a couple more things we could have tacked on for a full 3-day excursion.
I hope that this post helps answer any questions you have about navigating Guayaquil safely and gives you inspiration for how to spend your time here. It’s a great stop, and I’m sure there will be even more to discover as the city gets the care it needs from the local government.
If you’d like a downloadable map you can easily follow to each of these places, check out my NanoWhat page! I’ve got a map for safe things in Guayaquil and several other helpful itineraries!
I also recommend checking out my other post about Guayaquil, where I share my fears about the city and more details about what changed my mind.
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