Ecuador Travel

Posts Tagged ‘bali accommodation’

Otavalo looks like a fairly typical Andean town, except for one fact: it hosts the largest indigenous market in the Americas. The town, located about two hours north of Quito, is surrounded by villages rich in artisan traditions, and this villagers stop by several times per week to sell their wares. The fame of its market has put Otavalo squarely on the tourist map, and it has an excellent infrastructure catering to backpackers and luxury travelers alike.

The most popular day of the week to visit Otavalo is Saturday, when the Plaza de Ponchos- and many, many blocks surrounding the plaza- fill with vendors. The stalls offer just about every kind of handicraft and souvenir imaginable, from woolen blankets to ceramics to musical instruments. There are vendors operating in Otavalo every day of the week, and Wednesday has become an important market day as well.

Of course, the market started out as a locals-only affair, providing villagers in isolated communities a rare chance to transact business. Some of that spirit still survives in the animal market, which takes place on the outskirts of town at about dawn on Saturday morning. There, you can see locals shopping for llamas, cows, goats and sheep.

Once you’ve had your fill of shopping, there are other activities to enjoy around Otavalo. A five-minute taxi ride outside town, the Parque Condor is a rescue and rehabilitation center for Andean Condors. The center is open Tuesday-Sunday, from 9:30 until 5, and there is a live bird show at 11:30 and 4:30. Just up the road, you’ll find the community of Peguche, which is a famous center for shamanism. Shamans have posted billboards around town advertising their services and welcoming tourists, though few of the practitioners speak any English. Also in town, there is a scenic waterfall, reached by a 20-minute walk through the woods.

Getting to Otavalo Getting to Otavalo is quick and easy from Quito. There’s a well-maintained highway leading north from town. It passes through Caldern and Cayambe, the latter famous for its local cheese and crumbly bizcocho biscuits. The trip takes about two hours. To get there by public transit, there are frequent departures from Quito’s Carceln bus terminal. The trip takes about three hours and costs $2.50-5. It’s also possible to get to Otavalo as part of an organized tour (usually about $20-40 per person).

Where to Sleep Otavalo can be easily visited as a daytrip, but if you’d like to stay over, there are a number of excellent options. On the low-end, the Hostal Mara (Modesto Jaramillo, one-and-a-half blocks from the Plaza de Ponchos) offers clean budget rooms, and is a favorite of backpackers. A beautiful mid-range option, the Casa Sol, has spacious and well-appointed rooms located near the waterfall in Peguche. In town, one of the nicest mid-range places is La Posada del Quinde.

Where to Eat For a truly authentic dining experience, try one of food stalls at the market- it is a good place to try traditional Andean cuisine, including guinea pig. Buena Vista (located on Plaza de los Ponchos) offers good Ecuadorian and international food, and is a great vantage point for checking out the happenings down below. Among the backpacker set, Otavalo is famous as the home of Shenandoah (Salinas 5-15), a delicious pie shop.