Situated between the highlands and the coast [
129 km from Quito], Santo Domingo, a progressive town surrounded by lovely scenery, is a great place from which to explore tropical forests, rivers, and waterfalls in addition to being a great destination for wildlife watching. A natural crossroads between the nation's coast and highlands, Santo Domingo has first-class roads leading to
Guayaquil,
Manabi,
Esmeraldas, and
Quito.
Its population lives primarily off of agriculture, growing
banana,
sugar cane, and African palm, among other products.
The area is traditionally known for the
Tsachilas natives [
also known as Indios Colorados or Red Indians], who live there, maintaing their way of life and customs, one of which is that the men dye their hair red with dye obtained from achiote, a small red fruit native to the area.
General information
Money.
Western Union For money transfers at Hotel Diana ReaI.
Banco Internacional - for traveler's checks. On Av. Quito and Rio Blanco.
Communications.
Andinatel - Located on Av. Quito between Rio Blanco and Rio Toachi, 2nd Floor, San Francisco building. Also another branch at the bus station.
Post Office. - also fax service. Av. de los Tsachilas and Rio Baba.
Getting there. In Santo Domingo you can get buses going almost everywhere in Ecuador. The
bus station is on Av. Abraham Calazacon. Long-distance buses don't enter the city.
To
Guayaquil [
US$3.50*], 4 hours;
Quito [
US$2.40*], via Aloag 3 hours;
Huaquillas [
US$5.50*], 7 1/2 hours;
Machala [
US$4.70*], 6 hours;
Ambato [
US$2.80*], 4 hours;
Loja [
US$12*], 12 hours;
Pedernales [
US$2.60*], 3 hours;
Esmeraldas [
US$2.20*], 3 hours;
Manta [
US$5.30*] 6 hours;
Bahia de Caraquez [US$4.50
*], 4 hours.
The road to the Coast
The main road goes to
Esmeraldas, almost 200 km to the northwest.
La Concordia, about 50 km from Santo Domingo. Nearby is
La Perla Forest Reserve, around 42 km from Santo Domingo [
a 250 ha reserve good for birdwatching, camping, & hiking]. Admission fee is US$5.00
* per person. About 85 Km from Sto. Domingo is
Quininde [
Rosa Zarate] and approximately 45 Km west is
The Reserva Biologica Bilsa [
a 3000 ha reserve set in tropical wet forests].
Just past
La Concordia to the east another road goes to
Puerto Quito, and
Pedro Vicente Maldonado villages. Nearby
Puerto Quito 140 Km east is
Aldea Salamandra, a rustic but nice place set on the banks of
Rio Caoni, where you can go bird watching, swimming in the river, or relaxing.
Getting there.
Frequent
buses are available from the
Quito bus terminal to
Puerto Quito, as well as from Sto. Domingo.
Arasha Rainforest Resort & Spa is an upmarket lodge located 3 Km outside
Pedro Vicente Maldonado at Km 120, and 200m off the road to
Puerto Quito. This is a beautiful lodge set in the biodiverse forests of Ecuador with an excellent bird and wildlife amongst other attractions.
On the main Santo Domingo-Quevedo road, At about 45 Km, is the
Rio Palenque scientific station which contains about 100 ha of primary rainforest, with 1100 plants and over 360 bird species from the area. Their lodge can shelter up to 20 people, a US$5
* entry fee is charged for a day visit.
Another road from Santo Domingo to the coast goes west to
El Carmen [
a small village], the same road connects with
Pedernales, then the road continues southwest to
Chone where you'll find a division, one to
Bahia de Caraquez [
approximately 205 km from Sto. Domingo] and the other to
Portoviejo and
Manta [
approx. 260 km from Sto. Domingo].
*The prices are approximately
