Guayaquil Travel Forum

I will be spending 3 days here in July. I am interested in buying native arts and crafts and jewelry. Do you have any suggestions on the best things to buy? Also where is the best place to make the purchaes. I love silver jewlery, pottery, and paintings. Thanks you for your help.,

Hello ne_sandhills,

I've read your question and I'm sorry if nobody has wrote you back soon.

Jewerly.
I recommend you to take a trip from the city you arrive to Cuenca ($7 from Guayaquil). From here (Cuenca), you must take a bus to Gualaceo ($2) which is well-known as one or maybe the first one jewerly city in Ecuador. You will find gold, silver and another kind of metal handcrafts. Be careful about robberies although I've never heard about it, but, we never know.

Leather.
If you arrive to Quito, Otavalo city is the better one in leather and another kind of handcrafts but you must be careful about prices. If you look like european or american tourist, they will try to put prices 5 or even 6 times more of real ones. Bargain is recommended and try to get there on saturday morning to the fair.

Wood.
Definitly the coast. If you arrive in Guayaquil, I recommend you to take a bus to Montañita ($6). A little town before arriving to Montañita named Libertador Bolívar would satisfy your anxiety about wood and tagua (vegetal ivory). Prices are good.

I hope it helps. If you need more info, feel free to ask.

Regards, welcome and thanks for comming to Ecuador.

DanielR

In Guayaquil you have 3 handicraft markets:
1) In Malecon 2000. Cuenca St. and Malecon Ave.
2) Handicraft Market. Baquerizo Moreno St. and Loja Ave.
3) South Handicraft Market: Pedro Pablo Gomez St. and Quito Ave.

If you need more views of Guayaquil, please visit:
http://www.EcuadorVirtual.com

Now if you can travel visit:
Otavalo - Imbabura Province
Cuenca - Azuay Province
Montecristi - Manabí Province

If you need more views of Ecuador, please visit:
http://www.EcuadorVirtual.com