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[Valerie]

I will be visiting a friend in Guayaquil for two weeks, but after that I want to take a leisurely trip up the coast for another 4 weeks, hang out in different cities, towns and villages. Does anyone know if this is possible by bus and are the buses ok. I don't expect luxury but are they safe, etc? Option B is rental car, anyone know what that might cost for a month - sub compact, econo model of course. Thanks

[Xandy]

You can easily bus it from Guayaquil, out to Salinas, and then all the way up the coast to Esmeraldas. Car rental for a month will cost you an arm and a leg - probably only 600 for the car, but another 2400 or more for insurance. You would be better off hiring taxis or cars and driver for full day trips. Anyways, the bus system here has an okay safety record. Incidents do happen, but really do tend to occur only at night. I have some friends who have been robbed during the day on Guayaquil city buses, but only at night on intercity buses. Definately avoid the night buses if you can, no matter where you might be. Considering the towns along the coast are such short trips, there would really be no need (you could travel the entire coastal trip in about 12 hours if you did it all in one go.) For most of the trip, once you hit the "ruta del sol", there is only one road so you won't have to worry much about getting lost! The bus stations are easy to figure out.

You are smart to not expect luxury - luxury is definately NOT a word I would use to describe intercity buses along the coast.