Malecon 2000 Recreational Pier

The Malecón 2000 is a ​​3 km long pier dedicated to family entertainment, meetings with friends, shopping or eating typical dishes. This is a must-visit place to admire the beauty of Guayaquil, in the Pacific Coast of Ecuador. This urban space transformed the life of the port-city and since its opening, in 1999, it is estimated that 98 million people have visited it.

It is located in the centre-east of the city, next to the Guayas River. It has spaces for exhibitions and fairs. It has food courts, a shopping center, children playgrounds, observation platforms, monuments, docks, sports areas, an iMax cinema, gardens, museums and the Rotonda Hemicycle. The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) recognized it as a "Healthy Public Space".

You can walk peacefully between the Crystal Palace located in the southern side of the Malecón to the traditional neighborhood of las “Peñas” located in the northern side. The latter is a place of artists and bohemia, at the foot of Cerro Santana, which is covered by colorful houses, from where you can appreciate a spectacular panoramic view of the river and the city. From October 25, 2016 a new attraction began to operate, "La Perla" Ferris wheel, the largest in South America.

The Malecon 2000 is the central point to visit other interest places in the city of Guayaquil, such as the Historical Park (it is home to native fauna and historical buildings of Guayaquil), the eco-village of Santay Island, the Centenario Park (it harbors to the column of the heroes of October 9, 1820), the General Cemetery or "white city" (it harbors to marble mausoleums carved by Italian artists such as Enrico Pacciani), the Municipal Palace, among other attractions.

 

The tour can be completed with a visit to “Malecón del Salado” (the Salty Pier), with its 55 meters long suspension bridge in the form of an arch, just for pedestrians.