"Salango and Machalilla National Park, Ecuador" Salango by TooTallFinn24

Machalilla National Park is located along the Pacific Ocean Coast south of Manta, Ecuador and adjacent to the small town of Salango or Isla Salango.
The park is unique for being both the largest and only federally protected dry tropical forest park in South America. While the park is on the coast and contains some evidence of tropical vegetation, limited rainfall has made the park and its vast plant life sustainable on only a limited amount of water.

The park is rich both in fauna and flora. According to the guide we were with the park contains many of the same animals that exist on the Galapagos Islands several hundred miles off the coast.

We took a small hike from one of the smaller museums through the park. We observed sevreral species of tropical birds as well as wild pigs. There was a secluded ceremonial pool that dated back hundreds of years ago.

The Presley Norton Archaeological Museum in Salango houses a collection of jewelry, art work and everyday items dating back 3000 years. Their artwork differed from that of their predecessors (the Valdivia) displaying a greater attention to detail than other native groups in Ecuador. These items of pottery were shown outside of the museum and housed under a wooden enclosure.

• Pros:Only Protected Dry Tropical Forest in South America, Great Beaches
• Cons:Isolated and Hard to Get To