El Oro is a province in the far south of Ecuador, on the Pacific coast of South America. It is a working landscape first: much of its land is given over to banana plantations and shrimp farming, and the region's economy reflects both.
What to expect
A visit to El Oro is best suited to travellers interested in how the coast really makes its living. The fields and farms are part of the everyday scenery, and the province offers a chance to see agriculture and aquaculture at close range rather than from a distance.
- Banana plantations, a defining feature of the provincial landscape
- Shrimp farming, one of the region's main coastal industries
- The port city of Machala, the province's major urban centre
Getting oriented
Machala is the natural starting point. As the major port city of the province, it serves as the hub from which the surrounding plantations and coastal farms are most easily reached. Travellers should plan their route with the province's geography in mind, since the agricultural areas spread across the lowlands rather than clustering in one place.
El Oro suits visitors who enjoy quieter, unpolished destinations and who are curious about the economic life of Ecuador's coast. It is less a place for a set itinerary than for a few days of watching a productive region at work, with Machala as a base for exploring the countryside around it.
