Jardín Botánico de Guayaquil

Perched on a hillside with magnificent city views, about a half-hour drive north of town near Cerro Colorado, this not-very-well-maintained botanical garden has more than 80 orchid varieties, 75 exotic bird species overhead, and around 700 different plants. Paths and trails lead you past the plant exhibits, an auditorium with preserved butterflies, and cages filled with squawking parrots. The best way to get here is to take a taxi (one way around $15) and ask for Urbanización Orquídeas. Many taxi drivers don't know the place, so ask a few before committing.