A quiet very pleasant wooden colonial town. Piñas (which translates to “pineapples,” was founded by Juan de Loayza in 1815, and named Piñas to commemorate his birthplace of Piñas, Spain) in El Oro Province, Ecuador. It has a population of 35,000, an elevation of 1,100 meters, a temperature range of 18-21 degrees Centigrade, and is known throughout Ecuador as the “Orchid of the Andes” due to the many wild orchids found in this cloud-forested region of southern Ecuador. Offers a wealth of features for the eco-traveler!
Along the road that leads to Saracay (northwest of Piñas), takes you to Buenaventura, where you'll find an important bird area. Many rare birds have been discovered here such as the Oro parakeet. The area has over 320 bird species and is protected by the Jocotoco Foundation covering 1,500 hectares of forest in this region.
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