Samborondón

Samborondón is one of the cantons of Guayas province in Ecuador.

The name Samborondón comes from Saint Brendan, in spanish San Borondón. The name of the Saint was commonly used in Spain and subsequently in Latin America for towns and villages.

Its proximity to the country's largest city, Guayaquil (merely crossing a bridge), means that many of its residents work in that city.

The name Samborondón in general usage, often refers to the downtown area of the canton. "La Puntilla" is a peninsula between the rivers Babahoyo and Daule (At the Guayas River formation). The area is known as one of the most exclusive residential and entertainment districts in Ecuador, boasting many Gated Communities ("urbanizaciones cerradas") and several retail developments like schools, the University UEES, shopping centers and the Parque Histórico, a botanical garden and zoo of the local fauna and flora with reconstructions of historical buildings which is a main tourist attraction. Samborondón is known as the home of many of the rich and powerful of Guayaquil, including banana magnate and for many times presidential candidate Álvaro Noboa, Ecuador's richest man.

Samborondón is also home to the more exclusive night clubs of the city of Guayaquil and there are also three restaurants-complex with luxurious and innovative cuisine, that otherwise are not found in the city. 2007 was a new branch of the "Kennedy Hospital", a local Private Hospitals chain, finished and is since then in usage. The local shopping center, "Riocentro Entrerios" has many retail stores, a hypermarket, a food court and a cinema. As of 2008 a new shopping center is being constructed.

Samborondón does not have any hotels because of it's residential character. Though its close proximity to Guayaquil (5 minutes by car, pedestrian access prohibited on the bridge) makes this unproblematic for the visitor, except on peak hours (7-8 a.m and 4 - 7 p.m.)

Links

* [http://www.samborondon.gov.ec/ Local government of Samborondón]
* [http://www.uees.edu.ec/international/index.htm University UEES]
* [http://www.parquehistoricoguayaquil.com/principal.html Parque Histórico de Guayaquil (spanish)]