Zaruma

If you’re heading east toward Loja, a short detour via Piñas to the mining country around Zaruma provides a glimpse into the southern Sierra’s ancient heart of ore. Spanish King Felipe II decreed the establishment of this town in 1549 to serve as a base for gold extraction, which provided an easy choice of the eventual name for the province itself—El Oro. With its narrow streets and charming wooden houses, this remote town is one of the prettier places in the southern half of the country; in 2005 it was being considered for World Heritage status by UNESCO.

  By now the lodes have been picked almost clean, but visits to the mines can still be arranged—you’ll marvel and cringe at the almost prehistoric equipment. Locals can point out a set of thermal springs and several orchid gardens in the nearby hills. Lodgings are available at the excellent Hotel Roland (tel. 7/2972-800, $12 pp), which has a swimming pool and great views. The best coffee in Ecuador (so they say) is freshly roasted in a small shop on the main street into town—just follow your nose. Buses run to Machala often.