The Guayas river merges into Ecuador's main port, "Guayaquil" and a trip to the Puna island is an exciting adventurous experience that should not be missed.
The Puna island is another attraction from the Pacific Pearl, this beautiful and most colorful island is located approximately 26 nautical miles from Guayaquil. The journey allows you to experience the diverse ecosystem around this area and to enjoy the various riverside points that are a part of the Gulf of Guayaquil. While traversing these 26 nautical miles until stepping onto the island, you will enjoy the picturesque and unique flora and fauna, as well as learning the cultural legends of the legendary rural parish of Guayaquil, located in the outlet of the Guayas river and its tributaries.
The voyage may last up to three hours [
one way], depending on the ocean conditions [
if the marine current is in favor or against], this trip offers a natural spectacle within the Guayas river waters, in which the
dolphins give a welcoming parade. The dolphins' acrobatic jumps accompany the fluvial transport as they become the delight of those who enjoy their company. The journey is made by motor boat, or handmade crafts where the tourists get to know more naval maneuvers and naval slang words.
The emotions increase when the craft moves away from the bays and, leaving aside the fears and dangers [
for those that don't know how to swim], the visitors look for the best location through the vessel's windows while also observing the plethora of bobbing ships tied up along the pier [
Malecon]. You will also see the traffic of barges and canoes full with banana tree and shrimps while Marine signs are sighted such as the lighthouses and buoys floating and skirting the most diverse points of the marine geography.
While the vessel advances to the foot of the swamp with beautiful landscapes, it continues to the
Josefina, it ends in the strait of
La Angostura from where an old ship is visible that had caught fire in previous epochs. Along the journey you'll see
Punta de Piedra, an old base that still keeps vestiges of the canyons used to preserve the territorial integrity from pirate invasions. Later
Puerto Roma, then
Puerto Santa Rosa in the
Chupadores Grandes islands,
Mondragon island and the
Big tideland, these places are still inhabited by fishermen.
When arriving at the
Green island [
Isla Verde] you will see the high peaks of the
Mala,
Yansun y
Sambapalo hills whose elevations capture the visitors' eyes. Among the marine attractions the most salient features in the ocean and points are
Punta Mandinga,
Punta Arenas,
Punta Bajada or
Los Farallones, considering the minuscule size of such islands they preserve an impressive and varied fauna to also enjoy.
Although these islands' natural charms have not been exploited as much, their archaeology, calm and gentle beaches delight the tourists' eyes. Their rich ichthyology catches the visitor's attention for the variety of fish, shells,
shrimps and
crabs that adapt to its burning, dry climate. This rich area of lands and ocean also allows the cultivation of tropical fruits, among these is the tempting "chirimoya" which every year opens the season in May with a festival also of the same name. You will also find water springs, calcareous hills and some plaster, kaolin and sulfur mines.
Puna's artisans are devoted completely to the sailing. In the streets, they still fabricate similar crafts of the original galleons that arrived through the channel of Jambeli and El Morro to the port of Guayaquil. The past is always rediscovered by means of gathering such artistic manifestations. Idols such as alligators, pelicans, monkeys, owls and toads were carved, with encrusted stones and extracted pearls from the place. Puna is also very historical anthropologically speaking, the story of the original people from Puna [
Punaes] dates back to the aboriginal times. In this scenario important warlike events took place marking the independence of the country.
