Plan on about 1 h 60 min of driving for the 89-mile (144 km) trip from Guayaquil to Salinas, before any stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Ecuador: In Guayaquil: Nueva Prosperina and Pascuales districts, and all areas south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue (areas north of the avenue are Level 3).
- Level 3: Reconsider Travel in Ecuador: Sucumbios, Manabi, Santa Elena, and Santo Domingo provinces.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Ecuador. Advisory issued: Ecuador August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Ecuador: “Some roads are poorly maintained. They may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Distance by road | 89 mi (144 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 1 h 60 min |
| Main roads, in order | E40 |
| Provinces on the route | Guayas, Santa Elena |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 3.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
What the drive from Guayaquil to Salinas is like
E40 (60 mi) carries about 67% of the 89 miles. It runs through 2 provinces: Guayas, Santa Elena. Of the 3 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Guayaquil to Salinas: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–16 | 16 | Guayas |
| E40 | 16–76 | 60 | Guayas, Santa Elena |
| local roads | 76–89 | 13 | Santa Elena |
- Mile 29 of this route: Guayas → Santa Elena (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Guayaquil and Salinas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 11)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 11)
- Museums and history: Museo Amantes de Sumpa (mile 81), Paleontological Museum Megatherium (mile 82)
Cerro Blanco Forest
Owned by Holcim Ecuador and managed by Fundación Pro-Bosque, Cerro Blanco Forest is a tropical dry forest reserve in Guayas Province, Ecuador.
Museo Amantes de Sumpa
In Santa Elena Province, the Museo Amantes de Sumpa has a clay oven used for ancestral cooking classes and a traditional coastal house with its wooden trough and woven mat.
Paleontological Museum Megatherium
Inside the Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena, the Paleontological Museum Megatherium is considered Ecuador's first paleontology museum.
More drives to Salinas
- Babahoyo to Salinas
- Quevedo to Salinas
- Riobamba to Salinas
- Latacunga to Salinas
- Quito to Salinas
- Esmeraldas to Salinas
From Guayaquil to other places in Ecuador
- Guayaquil to Puyo
- Guayaquil to Mindo
- Guayaquil to Otavalo
- Guayaquil to Ibarra
- Guayaquil to Tulcán
- Guayaquil to Pasto, Colombia
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Guayaquil to Salinas?
About 1 h 60 min of driving without stops, over 89 miles.
How far is Salinas from Guayaquil by car?
About 89 miles (144 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Is it safe to drive from Guayaquil to Salinas?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Ecuador: In Guayaquil: Nueva Prosperina and Pascuales districts, and all areas south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue (areas north of the avenue are Level 3)). Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Guayaquil to Salinas?
Closest to the road: Cerro Blanco Forest (forest, mile 11, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Amantes de Sumpa (museum, mile 81, 2 mi from the route); Paleontological Museum Megatherium (paleontological museum, mile 82, 2 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.