Heading south from Zaruma lies an old gold mine town called Portovelo, run by an ex-mining community which built the main roads and were constructed to suit the owners logistical needs (The Vanderbilt mining company) and consequently were purportedly the main excuse for not paying export taxes by the mining family as they shipped hundreds of tons overseas.
The area is very hot and most families made their abodes in Zaruma, putting up a series of wooden homes on top of various hills as well as various chapels.
An interesting place to visit while around are the main heated thermal springs known as Aguas Calientes (Hot springs), located just 6 km from Portovelo.
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