🇪🇨 Guayaquil, Ecuador: A Business Traveler’s Weekend Adventure

After dozens of work trips to Guayaquil—often dubbed "Ecuador’s most dangerous city"—I finally carved out time to explore beyond conference rooms. Here’s how I spent a revealing weekend in this gritty yet captivating port metropolis: 🚡 Aerial Cable Car Ride (Aerovía) Route: Soared over downtown skyscrapers, the business district, riverside slums, and the Guayas River—a stark visual of the city’s economic divides. Pro tip: Ride at sunset for golden-hour views. Tickets cost ~$3 USD. ⛰️ Las Peñas Neighborhood & Lighthouse Climbed 444 steps to the Santa Ana Hill lighthouse, passing candy-colored colonial houses. Reward: Panoramic views of the chaotic cityscape meeting the Pacific horizon. Context: This historic district was once a pirate haunt in the 1600s! ⚠️ Reality Check Safety: Avoid flashing valuables; even locals warn against solo walks after dark. Contrasts: Glitzy malls in Samborondón vs. razor-wire fences in Duran—a microcosm of Latin American inequality. #GuayaquilUnmasked #BusinessTravelerDiaries #Ecuador