Portoviejo is the capital the Province of Manabí and it lies 30km inland from the Pacific Ocean. Also known as the city of the "Royal Tamarind Trees" for the beautiful trees found in the area, Portoviejo is the main political and economical centre of the river Portoviejo valley. The valley is rich in the production of tomatoes, onions, peppers, bananas, mangoes and other tropical fruits. Locals are very friendly and seem well educated. There may not be any real attraction here for tourists but it is a good transportation hub and the accommodation is relatively cheap for an overnight stop-off.

Tourist Offices
The tourist information centre is at Gual 235 and it's open from 8.30am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Sightseeing
The Parque Eloy Alfaro makes for a pleasant afternoon's walk, inside is a very ugly, modern cathedral and a statue of Francisco Pacheco.

Getting there
There are frequent buses from Manta, Jipijapa, Guayaquil, Salinas, Esmeraldas and Quito.