Communities and villages

Santa Elena Peninsula

Here we find the Baños de San Vicente thermal baths with medicinal waters of volcanic origin. You can enjoy a massage with medicinal clay, Aloe Vera as well as a full sauna treatment in these natural waters.

There is also a archaeological site museum called "The Amantes de Sumpa" (The Lovers of Sumpa) shows the origin and customs of the inhabitants of the Península. Whistles, flutes, figures, tools and a variety of adornments made of shell and metal you will be able to find in this place that shows their traditions and cultural customs.

Barcelona Community

Toquilla straw is processed for the later weaving of hats (aka. Panama hats). Visitors get to see the processing of the palm into straw and learn about the whole process from cutting of the palm.

Valdivia community

The community dives for mother of pearl and makes souvenirs from this noble material. Visitors see the whole processing of the pearls and the hand carving into unique figures with marine motifs.

The Valdivia community is also skilled in ceramic work, they use two types of clay: red and grey, brought from diferent corners of the country.  After processing the clay they make replicas of the ancient figures elaborated by their ancestors. Perhaps one of the first tribes in the Americas to work with ceramics 5000 BC. Visitors to Valdivia also get to see sand stone sculpting and the making of artistic figures by hand carving stones brought from nearby Rio Blanco. 

The community has a small museum with a small aquarium with local species. The museum has archaeological pieces from the first ihabitants of Ecuador, pieces form the Chorrera culture and scale models to explain how their ancestors lived.

Samborondon

The ancestral traditions of working ceramic is kept alive with the elaboration of small clay canoes.

Salitre

This community is well known for its craftwork in making leather hats and horseback riding seats. As the horse is the main means of transport offroad in this area. One of the area’s greatest traditions is lived out in the village of Salitre, 45 km from Guayaquil. Here you can watch the coastal farmers’ rodeo and admire their horseriding skills.

Isidro Ayora

This town offers the best alternative to purchase Montecristi hats (aka. Panama hats) they also make hammocks from Mocora vegetable fiber.