Two hours by bus tucked away in a valley in the Andes is the ever-charming Mindo. Our first dive out of the vast bustling city was quite refreshing. It was easy to feel comfortable and get familiar with this walkable area, and by the end of our time it felt like we were some of the only tourists in town. This was a wonderfully cheap place to have fun while surrounded by natural beauty. The sweet thick air was also very welcomed!
We were lucky to meet a fellow named Dan on our bus ride in, who really hooked it up as far as local secrets. He introduced us to what became our daily lunch spot and filled us in on the secret to getting cash with there being no ATM in town. Thanks, Dan!! If you find yourself wanting to become an all star bird watcher and heading to Mindo, we definitely recommend the lovely La Casa de Cecilia (which also gave us our first truly hot shower).
Top Hits
1
Getting close to the critters. We took a guided night walk and got to see all the cuties, creepies, and crawlies that like to play in the dark. Our group saw lots of frogs and had some bats flying right around our heads. Jack got to hold a big ole arachnid and a very quick snake that gave us a bit of a scare.
2
Soaring through the trees. Zip lining was our next way to keep our hearts racing a bit. Our guides made the experience extra interesting by letting us ride together, try it out Superman style, and bouncing the cables for a little extra flair.
3
Chasing waterfalls. We’re 2/2 on getting to take a cable car to our hiking destination. We spent an afternoon quite literally chasing waterfalls getting to see five along our route & swimming along the way. The surroundings were so lush and deeply green it truly looked like a perfectly curated set rather than real life.
4
Befriending hummingbirds. Getting to be up close to so many different hummingbirds was a dream we didn’t know we had. The feeling of their little feet on our hands and seeing their tiny tongues for the first time is something we’ll definitely remember.
5
Riding down the river. Last but not least we floated our way down the Mindo River in about 6 inner tubes tied together. Our guide helped us minimize the amount of massive rocks we got stuck on top of. This was a slightly silly but fun last excursion.
Eats & Drinks
We scored big time when it came to food in Mindo. Lunch became our new favorite meal where for $3 we could enjoy the juice of the day, a steamy soup, and then a big plate of stewed meat with rice and plantains. Eating at Restaurante El Buen Comer for lunch each day was a staple (it was as good as the name suggests). We found a go-to dinner spot that offered the lunch menu all day, so naturally we ate there three nights in a row. It’s hard to picture how we’re going to top Ecuadorian lunches throughout our trip.
Flora & Fauna
Mindo has incredibly rich biodiversity and is one of the best bird watching destinations in the world. There are 20+ different hummingbird species alone. We hope that more people find their way to the Hermit Trails in Mindo. Our host Anthony was so knowledgeable and kindly gave insights about each of the many birds that found their way near the observation deck. It was extra cute to see many birds traveling in pairs due to it being courting season for some.
As far as plants, sipping coffee surrounded by vibrant flowers and the rushing river by our hostel was a perfect way to start the day. We’ve gotten quite the kick out of seeing many of our house plants growing in their natural environment (including air plants!).
