We just got back from Guayaquil yesterday, and we had a great time. I personally think this town offers the best South American flavor; I enjoyed every one of my excursions to the different places. We stayed at the Oro Verde Hotel run by the Swiss--it was excellent. We couldn't ask for more!
The food is very tasty--a lot of seafood; this port is located southwest of Quito, and the whole town had been under very impressive construction to make it look nice. They have done a terrific job, let me tell you. My kids loved it; as a family, we always look for something that each one in the family wants to do, and we accomplished all our goals here.
We spent four days in Guayaquil, then we went to the nearby beaches of Salinas and Montanita along the way, two days later we came back and took an early flight to Quito and we came back the next day since our departure flight was trough Guayaquil's airport we had to take our fly from Guayaquil straight into the US.
Quick Tips:
Go to the MALECON 2000; is a must-see attraction. Then, if you love bird-watching, I will suggest you to visit "Cerro Blanco" if you would like to see the whales take the whale expedition that departs every hour from Salinas, a nearby town an hour's drive from Guayaquil, with beautiful beaches and a nice area. Stay at the Barcelo Hilton on Salinas; it's simply delightful, and you would love it.
Best Way To Get Around:
You can either take the tour packages that they offer or just rent a van or a taxi. Ask at the front desk: they will be able to help you, because most of the tourist attractions are on the package.
If your final destination is the Galapagos Islands, Guayaquil offers most NON-STOP service to the Galapagos because it's one of the main gateways there. Connecting flights are offered to most U.S. cities, and European major airlines fly to and from there. The new airport is scheduled to open in February 2006.