Santo Domingo de los Colorados

By Paula Newton

Located in the lush central lowland area of northern Ecuador, Santo Domingo de los Colorados is a huge transportation hub, linking Quito and the Sierra to the coastal regions of Ecuador. The city is 129 kilometers from Quito and the area is of great importance to both the banana and palm olive industries, hence the good road links.

The city itself is dusty, noisy and polluted, not unlike other coastal lowland towns. However, the surrounding forests offer fabulous opportunities for bird watching — the surroundings are part of the Choco biodiversity region, meaning lots of wildlife to see.

The population of the town itself is an interesting mix. The area has been a major draw point for Colombian immigrants, migrating south looking for better opportunities. Additionally, the area is famed for its Tsáchila indigenous people, well-known for their use of an achiote dye to color their hair red. In fact the name, “los Colorados” directly translates into Spanish as “the colored” (referring to their hair), a title that the people do not approve of, but nonetheless persists. The people no longer wear their traditional outfits, except for on special occasions.