Guayaquil Ecuador
Ecuador

1553 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Crystal Cruises (16 Cruises)

HX Expeditions (230 Cruises)

MS Santa Cruz II.

MS Santa Cruz II

2664 tons
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Lindblad Expeditions (1044 Cruises)

National Geographic Delfina

National Geographic Delfina

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2 July 16 days One-way from Quito to Callao-Lima
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2 July 8 days Round-trip 9 Night Galapagos by Catamaran An Intimate Voyage Cruise and Land Tour
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9 July 16 days One-way from Quito to Callao-Lima
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16 July 16 days One-way from Quito to Callao-Lima
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National Geographic Endeavour II

National Geographic Endeavour II

159 Passengers
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1 January 10 days Round-trip from Guayaquil, Ecuador
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1 October 16 days One-way from Guayaquil to Callao-Lima
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29 October 16 days One-way from Guayaquil to Callao-Lima
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National Geographic Gemini

National Geographic Gemini

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22 January 8 days Round-trip 9 Night Exploring Galapagos Cruise and Land Tour
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29 January 16 days One-way from Guayaquil to Callao-Lima
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National Geographic Islander II

National Geographic Islander II

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Seabourn Cruise Line (26 Cruises)

Tauck Cruises (230 Cruises)

Santa Cruz II22

Santa Cruz II

90 Passengers
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Iguanas laze in the middle of the central square, indifferent to passersby photographing their scales. Seminario Park, in the heart of Guayaquil, sets the tone for Ecuador's largest city: exuberant, tropical, unpredictable. Facing the Neo-Gothic cathedral, these peaceful reptiles remind you that the Galápagos are not far, and that it is often from here that one flies there.

Arriving by River

Guayaquil stretches along the Guayas, a wide café-au-lait river descending toward the Pacific. Depending on the ship and tides, mooring is at port facilities south of the city, some ten kilometres from the centre, or by transfer to the Malecón docks. In either case, arrange organized transport or a taxi to reach the urban heart: traffic is dense and the heat constant, inviting you to spare your energy.

The Malecón 2000, Guayaquil's Backbone

The Malecón Simón Bolívar waterfront promenade, refurbished at the turn of the millennium, has restored residents' taste for their shore. It unfolds two and a half kilometres of gardens, small plazas and museums along the water. You walk in the shade of trees, among fountains and play areas, with the come-and-go of vessels as backdrop. Midway stands La Rotonda, a monument where Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín shake hands, in memory of their sole meeting, held in Guayaquil in 1822, when the continent's independence hung in the balance. The northern end gathers an elevated botanical garden, an IMAX cinema and the museum of anthropology and contemporary art. Along the way, the Palacio de Cristal, a former market of metal structure converted into exhibition space, recalls the time when Ecuadorian cacao, shipped from these docks, made the country's fortune.

Las Peñas, the Cradle Before the Fires

At the Malecón's end, the Las Peñas quarter hangs its brightly painted wooden houses on the flanks of Cerro Santa Ana. The sector was spared the great fires that ravaged the rest of the city. The numbered stairway up the cerro counts 444 steps; landings provide pauses between cafés, galleries and flower-hung balconies. At the summit, a lighthouse and small chapel overlook the tangled rooftops, the river's curve and, in clear weather, plantations stretching as far as sight reaches. The climb demands effort in equatorial climate: set out early, bring water and take the landings as excuses to look behind you.

Practical Reference Points

ReferenceWhat to Know
MooringCommercial port to the south or transfer to Malecón docks depending on ship
Malecón 20002.5-kilometre promenade at the centre, ideal starting point
Cerro Santa Ana444 steps, lighthouse and panorama at the summit
ClimateHumid heat year-round, water and hat recommended

Flavours of the Ecuadorian Coast

The local table merits giving it time. Encebollado, a tuna broth with red onions and cassava, is eaten at any hour; shrimp ceviche recalls the city lives also by its breeding ponds; patacón, plantain crushed and fried, accompanies everything. Restaurants on the promenade and in Las Peñas offer careful versions, to savour facing the Guayas, whilst water hyacinths float downriver in entire islands.

Guayaquil does not play the card of polished colonial charm. It displays its raw vitality, its contrasts, its immense river, and those who explore it with curiosity find an energy that tamer destinations lack. Returning to the ship, you think again of the park's iguanas: perfectly at ease in the tumult, like the city itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Depending on the ship and the tides, at the port facilities south of the city, about ten kilometres from downtown, or by tender to the Malecón docks. Either way, plan on an organised transfer or a taxi to reach the centre.
From the southern commercial port, no: ten kilometres and heavy traffic. From the Malecón docks, yes, everything is walkable from there. The steady heat still argues for pacing yourself.
Seminario Park, right downtown opposite the neo-Gothic cathedral, is home to a population of iguanas that lounge in the middle of the square, indifferent to passersby. It has become the city's signature image, and a reminder that the Galápagos are not far.
The riverside promenade along Malecón Simón Bolívar, rebuilt at the turn of the millennium: two and a half kilometres of gardens, small plazas and museums along the Guayas River. It is the best starting point for a call.
La Rotonda, where Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín shake hands in memory of their only meeting, held here in 1822. Then the Palacio de Cristal, a former iron market turned exhibition hall, and at the north end a raised botanical garden, an IMAX cinema and the museum of anthropology and contemporary art.
444. The numbered staircase climbs through the Las Peñas district to a lighthouse and a small chapel. The landings offer breaks among cafés, galleries and flowering balconies.
It takes real effort in an equatorial climate: 444 steps in humid heat. Start early, carry water, and treat each landing as a reason to look back. Anyone wary of the exertion should stick to the Malecón.
The cradle of Guayaquil, at the end of the Malecón: brightly painted wooden houses clinging to the flanks of Cerro Santa Ana. The quarter was spared by the great fires that destroyed much of the rest of the city.
Encebollado, a tuna broth with red onion and cassava, eaten at any hour. Shrimp ceviche, a reminder that the city also lives off its aquaculture ponds. And patacón, smashed fried plantain, which accompanies everything.
The US dollar, Ecuador's official currency. The language is Spanish; English stays limited outside hotels and excursions. Humid heat all year: water and a hat are essential.