That took me back Sammy to very happy days. When we did the World ARC, Guayaquil was the stop between Panama and the Galapagos. While Guayaquil itself doesn't have much going for it, I can recommend heading inland and up into the Andes. We rented a car for 4 or 5 days and headed to Cuenca. It was an amazing trip as starting off from the coast we firstly went through rice paddy fields then, as we headed into the foothills of the Andes, Banana plantations (thoroughly recommend the baked bananas with cheese served up in a banana leaf that they offer at the roadside, didn't try the spit-roast Guinea Pig) and then tropical rain forest. After the rain forest the vegetation became sparser as we climbed higher into the mountains with temperatures dropping from high 80s with around 100% humidity and when we spotted Llamas beside the road and got out to look, the temperature had dropped to maybe the 40s. Amazing contrast all in the space of 4 or 5 hours driving.

Once over the Andes we dropped down to a high plain where the city of Cuenca lies. Not a huge amount to see in Cuenca itself but not far away there are Inca ruins that are well worth a visit.

So Ecuador is certainly a country I can recommend you return to for a longer look.