El Oro stretches from Guayaquil to the Peruvian border. Considered by many as nothing more than way station between Ecuador and Peru, El Oro can surprise those willing to spend a few days exploring it. The thriving banana and shrimp-producing city of Machala divides El Oro's portion of coast in two. While not a beautiful destination in itself, Machala is a great starting point for exploring the mangrove circled town of Puerto Bolívar, the markets of Santa Rosa, the gold-mining community of Zaruma and the peninsula beaches of Jambelí.
On the Río Zarumilla, just across the border from Peru, sits Huaquillas, the main immigration point between the two countries. Huaquillas offers little more than a checkpoint and a shopping destination for Peruvians looking for bargains.