Anyone finding themselves in South America during the month of February should plan on taking in the excesses of the Carnaval season. And what better place to abandon oneself–It is the midst of Summer down here. Hot weather and hot blooded locals stoke a bonfire of a party in these southern climes. Carnaval marks the final festivity of excess before passing into the Lenten season. The word Carnaval stems from the Latin “Carn-aval” which translates: to avail from meat. Catholics are meant to get all the piss and vigor out of them before the 40 days of abstinence of the Lenten season where they remember the crucifixion of Christ by refraining from pleasures of the flesh and flesh itself. One pictures the famous scenes of Mahdi Gras in New Orleans—beaded necklaced, costume wearing revelers filling Bourbon streets and drinking themselves silly on Hurricanes (Who can forget the Peter Fonda’s and Dennis Hopper’s acid-induced scenes of this party in Easy Rider). And the most famous scenes in Rio where fabulously dressed dancers parade in a spectacular flotilla accompanied by the sounds of feverish Samba music. So it is that we look south when we seek a good party, from New Orleans with it’s Franco, Afro-Carib tradition to Brazil with its Afro-Latino mix, we expect it to get a little hotter the further south we go and hotter still for the Latino blood in the mix.

Ecuador is no stranger to excess either. One can definitely find a great Carnaval party in any country lying exclusively within the tropics. There are regional spots that host popular festival where the locals wear disguises with colorful masks and dance to the rhythm of lively music. Each spot elects the Taita Carnaval (Father Carnaval) who will head the festivities and lead the parades in each city. Guaranda (Bolivar province) and Ambato (Tungurahua province) host the most famous festivals. These Andean locales provide parades of colorful costumes where revelers party hard and nobody is immune to the onslaught of water balloons and water cannon fire. Expect to be drenched.

Many city dwellers flock to the coast for this occasion as well. The Quitenos in the north will mostly head to the popular beach resort town of Atacames (Esmereldes province) and the Guyacos in the south will head to Montanita (Santa Helena province). Since this is the heart of the temporada (high season) the days will be full sun. Sun worshipers will spend the days shaking off their hangovers under beach umbrellas and bathing in the warm Pacific waters. The nights are spent reveling. Streets are filled with drinkers and the right colorful outfits of the Andes are replaced for lesser attire—bikinis and bare skin.

Where to head to? What do you want? Culture vulture or sun worshiper? Both will yield good times–just a different flavor of Ecuadorian culture. One thing for sure, Ecuadorians know how to party. There is abandon in anyplace you go, though expect to pay for the fun. Hotels and hostels can double, triple, even quadruple the price for a room and you’ll feel lucky to have even gotten a place as you watch the countless hordes of holiday makers being rejected in droves. Most rooms book weeks, even months in advance, so keep this in mind as you make your plans. So come with an open heart, an open mind, and an open wallet and lose yourself in the abandon of Ecuador during Carnaval.

Related posts:

• Muddy Good Fun–Carnaval in Chota
• Historic Hacienda Stays—Half the fun is getting there
• Celebrate Simón Bolivar's Birthday in Guayaquil
• Fiestas de Quito–an truly Ecuador Celebation with a bit of Spanish tradition
• Discount Shopping Near the Malecon – La Bahia Market

Tags: Culture, Ecuador Carnaval, Ecuador Carnival, History of Carnival