General Villamil Playas, Ecuador - Polarsteps

Playas, Ecuador: Less than 40,000 live in the city of Playas, but in the entire metropolitan area there are around 70,000. The major industry here is tourism, followed by fishing. The area is known for its seafood restaurants. There is a large shrimp farming industry, and many other farms are growing the pitaya fruit (dragon fruit). As for any historical info, there isn't a lot. The city dates back to the colonial era (there's nothing more specific than that). From the pre-Columbian era, there are traces of indigenous communities along the coast in this area, which survived until the Spanish conquistadors conquered the area. In 1901 the powers-that-were in Guayaquil decided to turn the area of Playas into an actual town. Then in the mid-20th century, it started to grow exponentially. So, my impressions: I like this town. The place is small yet has everything needed to live here, including a new mall. The city center is compact and walkable and surprisingly busy. Bus service to other towns is exceptional.