Jipijapa, Ecuador - Polarsteps

Jipijapa, Ecuador: Founded in 1565, but it never really grew until the 19th century with the introduction of coffee farming. The city may be very old but has little in the way of equally-old buildings and architecture. Since there's little to attract tourists the city is currently working on programs to bring eco-tourists to the area. Some of the attractions include the Agua Dulce Waterfall, the Andil fresh-water wells, the mineral water wells of the volcano Chocotete, and the Anegado waterfalls. Other area communities are also promoting other attractions, including bird and flora observation trails, archaeological sites of the Manteña culture such as the Petroglyphs, and tours of ecofarms. So, my impressions: Jipijapa reminds me a lot of Roldanillo, Colombia (where I used to live). Except that Jipi is not in any way a tourist town while Rolda is. Jipijapa has a solid central business district that is easily walked from end to end. And sure, there's nothing particularly beautiful here, but overall, I like the location in the valley, the size of the town, and the layout with the central business district around a central plaza.