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All Ecuador

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Ecuador

36 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Ecuador

Updated March 1, 2023

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Cities

Main nave of Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.
Quito
A slice-of-life display
Cuenca
Tree vines on the property.
Canoa
San Antonio De Pichincha
Attractions
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Stories

Unusual Attractions in Ecuador

The swing at the end of the world

Banos, Ecuador

Swing at the End of the World

A swing to dangle you off the very edge.
Laguna Quilotoa

Ecuador

Laguna Quilotoa

A turquoise lake within a volcanic crater.
Ingapirca

Guapán, Ecuador

Ingapirca

Ecuador's largest Incan ruins show evidence of sophisticated irrigation and diplomacy among the ancient builders.

Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

The Cracks - Las Grietas

These mammoth-yet-narrow crevasses in the Earth are perfect for taking an otherworldly swim.

San Antonio de Pichincha, Ecuador

Intiñan Solar Museum

Home of the "true" equator.
Tulcán Municipal Cemetery

Tulcan, Ecuador

Tulcán Municipal Cemetery

This Ecuadorian cemetery is home to a jaw-dropping topiary wonderland.

Puerto Misahuallí, Ecuador

Sinchi Warmi Amazon Lodge

An exotic jungle hideaway run entirely by indigenous Kichwa women.
This would be very hard to move. We'll just leave that there.

San Antonio de Pichincha, Ecuador

Middle of the World

An elaborate shrine dedicated to the four corners of the world unfortunately misses its mark.
See All 36 Things To Do in Ecuador

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Ecuador

Tree vines on the property.

Canoa, Ecuador

Rio Muchacho Organic Farm

If you've ever wondered at which cycle of the moon you’re supposed to spread manure produced by your guinea pigs, this is the place for you.
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Magical Galapagos: Wonders of Evolution

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Explore Ecuador

Geology 5
Nature 4
Museums And Collections 4
Sacred Spaces 4

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Stories About Ecuador

Army ants, which travel in massive units, play a critical role in ecosystem health.

How a Lone Researcher Faced Down Millions of Army Ants on the March in Ecuador

Renowned entomologist Frank Nischk remembers when the determined insects tried to invade a field station.
by Frank Nischk
March 1, 2023

Podcast: Tulcán Municipal Cemetery

A lush, green paradise for the dead.
by The Podcast Team
January 19, 2023
A devil mask rests on a table inside the workshop of the Minga Tunguipamba, a collective of rural performers, as dancers put the finishing touches on their masks and costumes ahead of the Diablada de Píllaro. The artists spend weeks and sometimes months creating and personalizing their masks. Many utilize horns, teeth, and furs from animals such as deer, boars, and llamas.

Every January, This City in Ecuador Fills With Dancing Devils

Diablada de Píllaro is a rebellious but festive answer to a much older tradition begun by Spanish colonizers.
by Sarah Durn
January 13, 2023
Photographed perhaps a day after fertilization, Wiley's glass frog embryos develop in a protective, gooey pouch deposited at the tip of a fern frond.

The Next Generation of a Rare Frog Captured in a Poetic Portrait

Embryos of one of the world's most unusual amphibians become art in the eyes of a biologist and wildlife photographer.
by Gemma Tarlach
August 2, 2022

Podcast: Sinchi Warmi Amazon Lodge

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
April 6, 2022
Silky sharks just below the surface near Darwin Island.

Marine Life in the Galápagos Gets a New Protected 'Ocean Highway'

More room to roam for the islands' unique fauna.
by Winnie Lee
January 31, 2022
Post Office Bay, on the island of Floreana in the Galapagos.

Podcast: Post Office Bay

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
December 13, 2021

Podcast: Cueva de los Tayos

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
November 2, 2021

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