Western Ecuador borders the Pacific Ocean. Tropical climate and sandy beaches characterize much of the coast. Mangrove forests cluster around the southern beaches, including near Guayaquil.

In the central Sierra you’ll find the Andes, a mountain range that sits on the notorious Ring of Fire. Between the mountains, in basins throughout the mountain range, you’ll find many of Ecuador’s major cities, including Quito.

The Oriente jungle takes up most of western Ecuador. This is a dense forest, steamy and full of rare plants and animals.