Naranjal is the opposite of the high Andes. Down on the coastal plain of southern Ecuador, the air is hot and humid, the land is green and flat, and the farms grow bananas, cacao and, increasingly, shrimp in ponds along the estuaries. Yet the same Inca road system that crosses the mountains near Cuenca came down to this coast, and the segment at Botija Paqui is a stretch of it that UNESCO lists among the Qhapaq Ñan sites. The road was both a highway and a statement, linking distant provinces to the empire's heart.
The valley that leads down here from the Andes gives a feel for the sudden changes of climate in Ecuador. In a few hours you can descend from cold, windy páramo through cloud forest to tropical lowland, passing banana plantations and cacao groves, with colours and smells changing at every turn. Naranjal itself is a farming town, and cacao beans from this region are exported for chocolate. The lowland rivers carry mud and rain from the mountains, and floods occur in the wet season.
Riding down from the mountains is a joy, with long descents, tight bends and views that open dramatically as you leave the cloud. Surfaces on the main road are generally good, though landslides can close sections after heavy rain and trucks loaded with bananas grind up the hills. On the plain, the road is straight, hot and busy, with heavy traffic, motorbike taxis and market stalls. The best time to ride is the dry season from June to November, and the wet season from January to April can be difficult.
Naranjal has fuel stations, shops and restaurants, and you should fill up before heading into remote country. Eat a plate of encebollado, a fish and yuca soup with onions that Ecuadorians swear cures hangovers, or fried plantain with fresh cheese. Take water and sun protection, and ask locally before walking on any stretch of the old road, since access can be through private land and the surface may be overgrown.