Santo Domingo de los Colorados is a town in the Pichincha Province. It is 129km from Quito and is the central route from the highlands to the coastline. Santo Domingo has become a banana and palm oil industrial centre, though sugar plantations are also to be found in this valley province. The city itself is prone to flooding after torrential rains and is not very attractive for travellers, though you may find several reserves in the surrounding areas, away from the city. The town is rapidly growing into a commercial hub.

Sightseeing
The "Monumento el Colorado", statue west of the centre of town, personifies well the look and dress code of the Tsáchila people, nicknamed "Indios Colorados", but these indigenous Indians never venture to town in their traditional attire except during special celebrations. The name "Indios Colorados" was attributed to them mainly because they paint their hair red with a vegetable dye. They are spread around eight different areas, from Santo Domingo to Chone, Quinindé and Quevedo, inhabiting a reserve of around 8,000 ha although today they total less than 2,000 in numbers.

Getting there
You can catch a bus to Santo Domingo from Quito and Guayaquil, as well as from Machala, Puerto Lopez, Esmeraldas and Bahía de Caráquez. From the highlands you can get a bus from Ambato, Loja, Lago Agrio, Riobamba and Coca.