A windy bus ride on dirt roads through the Ecuadorian countryside will bring you to the small town of Salinas. Not to be confused with the beach destination, its official name is Salinas de Bolivar. If you are looking to see the peaceful relaxing country life in Ecuador, Salinas is the perfect place to see it. The town is famous for its cheese, chocolates, salamis and sweaters.
Everything is made in fair-trade factories, which can be visited Monday through Saturday. If you can’t make it to the factory, no worries, everything can be bought in a store right off of the main square called Tienda El Salinerito for the same price. One taste of the chocolates and cheeses, and you will be wondering if it would be acceptable to fill up an entire suitcase to bring home. That is, if you don't accidentally eat them all before you even leave Ecuador.
There are few options of places to stay or eat in Salinas, however what is there is acceptably quaint. Nothing is five-star, but you can find clean and cozy accommodations. The restaurants in town all serve typical Ecuadorian cuisine, with daily almuerzo specials.