In the northwestern corner of Ecuador, African and indigenous cultures come together amidst jungle, river, and sea. The African heritage for many of Esmeraldas' residents comes from a shipwreck off the coast of a slave ship. According to legend, about two-dozen slaves made their way to land and to freedom. You will notice the influence of eastern African dress, music and customs in Esmeraldas.
European feet first touched Ecuadorian soil here when the Spanish landed on the Pacific Coast in 1526. The conquistadors were astounded to find Indians bedecked in emeralds awaiting them on shore. Convinced that the region was abundant in the brilliant gems, they named it Esmeraldas.
While today's Esmeraldas harbors few emeralds, it does live up to its other name, the "Green Province." The northernmost of the coastal provinces, Esmeraldas is also the greenest, riddled with estuaries, mangroves and flooded tropical forest. Its wild and remote inland areas, accessible only by canoe, make Esmeraldas the ideal staging ground for a river safari. Gliding past frontier towns that suddenly appear out of the dense green tangle of jungle, you will be reminded of scenes from "The African Queen" and "Heart of Darkness."
If you would rather vegetate than bushwhack your way though thick vegetation, Esmeraldas also boasts some of the coast's most vibrant beaches with small towns scattered among them. There is a whole range in accommodation here, as it is one of the closest beach areas to Quito and Ibarra and city folk of all income levels love to spend weekends at the beach.
The Esmeraldas province offers an array of beach town options. If you want to party, check out Atacames. If it's peace and quiet that you're looking for, the sleepy towns of Same, Sua, Tonchigue or Muisine should be explored. Surfers should head to Mompiche. Those looking for a variety of things to do could stay in Chamanga and explore the surrounding area.  
By Lexi Hazam with Francisco Mallinson