Salinas de Bolívar

The small highland town of Salinas de Bolívar is not to be confused with the larger beach town of Salinas. While lesser known, Salinas de Bolívar is a fascinating success story of sustainable community development and is worth a visit for those interested in how community cooperation can solve the problems of poverty or who simply love good chocolate and cheese and the tranquility of a small town.

History

The town of Salinas gets its name from the mineral waters that flow through it and the corresponding salt mines used to collect the salt from the waters. Due to its mineral riches, Salinas has long been a town of importance since even before Spanish colonization when indigenous leaders often sought to use the salt mines. Following colonization use of the mines passed to the Cordobés family as part of their hacienda. They charged members of the community to extract salt from the mines. However, in the 1970s the local Catholic Church began to redistribute the land even before widespread land reform occurred in Ecuador. This once again returned the salt mines and the Cordobés family’s land to the townspeople, prompting them to return to their traditional system of community cooperation in order to leave the state of poverty in which many similar highlands towns found themselves at the time. The community began working the mines and also began several industries, such as cheese and chocolate factories. Today, the Salinerito brand is well-known in major supermarkets throughout the country and the profits return to Salinas to benefit all townspeople.

How to get there

From Quito, take a bus from the south terminal, Terminal Quitumbe, to the town of Guaranda via Ambato, a 4-5 hour ride which costs between 4 and 5 dollars. Buses leave regularly from Quito to Guaranda, so you can easily buy tickets in Terminal Quitumbe before you leave. Once in Guaranda, take another bus to Salinas. Buses leave several times a day from Guaranda to Salinas. The ride from Guaranda to Salinas only takes about 2 hours and costs about 1 dollar.

When to go

The main attractions in Salinas are the fair trade factories, which are open all year round, meaning that any time is fine to visit the town. However, if you are interested in visiting the salt mines and seeing how the locals extract salt from the mines, you should go during the summer months, which are from July to October. Due to the increase in rain, it is impossible to work in the mines during the winter months. Also due to rain, outdoor activities, such as hiking, fishing, and horseback riding are better between July and October. Therefore, while it is possible to visit Salinas any time of the year, the best times are between July and October in order to have more possible activities and less rain.

Attractions

• Factories – While in Salinas, you should definitely try to make it to at least one of the fair trade factories where the town’s famous cheeses, chocolates, salamis, and sweaters are made. There, you can learn about the community’s fair trade system and sample the products. All factories can be visited Monday through Friday. You can buy products directly at the factories or at the shop “Tienda El Salinerito” right off the main square.

• Salt Mines – The famous salt mines are located just outside the town and can easily be visited by tourists. Visitors can observe how the locals extract salt from the mines and can even collect their own salt. Work in the salt mines takes place during the summer (July to October) because the winter seasons are too rainy causing the waters to have too low a level of salinity in order to collect salt.

• Archeological Museum – Salinas offers a small archeological museum, which tourists can visit to see and learn about ancient artifacts discovered in the area, as well as learn about the previous cultures of the area and how these relate to the current population.

• Intercultural Center Matiaví Salinas – The recently opened intercultural center offers visitors the opportunity to sample the local cheeses, chocolates, and other food products made at the fair trade factories. In addition, the center has spaces for cultural demonstrations and exhibits, so you can check out what is on display at the time.

• Hiking – Salinas is very much a small, rural, Andean town, meaning that there are plenty of opportunities for hiking and nature exploration on your visit. Simply ask a local or your hostel owner to recommend a guide or point you in the right direction and spend time hiking through the mountains and taking in the beautiful landscapes.

• Sport fishing and horseback riding – In addition to hiking, local guides are also happy to organize trips to take you sport fishing or horseback riding. Ask around in town, and the townspeople will be happy to see that you find what you’re looking for.

Where to stay and eat

Don’t expect luxury accommodations in Salinas. Most of the lodging available is in the budget range. Your best bet is a place called El Refugio located just two blocks from the main square and offering hot showers. There is also a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the hotel.

Most restaurants can be found right on the main square. A good one to try is called Scrop and is one of the nicer restaurants in town with a TV in the corner. At night, tables are pushed to the side and the restaurant is transformed into a bar with dancing.

Budget

Food and lodging in Salinas are both decently priced. Travel from Quito by bus should cost about $6.50 to $8.00 per person one way. From there, costs depend on the activities in which you choose to partake.

All in all, Salinas de Bolívar is a very interesting little town offering an escape from the city and an interesting look into sustainable community development.