Puerto El Morro

This small fishing village hosts a small community of guides specializing in bird- and dolphin-watching tours through the local mangroves and estuary. The Ecoclub Los Delfínes (Dolphin Eco-Club) runs a small museum at the docks here, with the skeleton of a bottlenose dolphin, as well as various displays about the local coastal ecosystems. From here, tours head out for anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours. Along the way, there's a good chance you will see some bottlenose dolphins. Even if you don't, the bird-watching is excellent, and the scenery is beautiful. Most tours stop at a small island that is both a local crab-processing spot and a nesting ground for thousands of magnificent frigate birds. Most tour operators in Guayaquil offer day tours here. Hamaca Tours & Expeditions (tel. 04/2314-797; www.hamacatours.com), in particular, specializes in this tour.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.