Archidona, Ecuador

Archidona is a colonial town, founded in 1560, north of Tena, Ecuador in the Napo Province. Archidona still serves as one of the region's main missionary outposts. It's also a business and social center for the small Quichua communities in the vicinity.

Archidona's festivals attract people from all around and several times throughout the year there are Quichua beauty and culture pageants, in which contestants, drawn from the many Quichua communities in the area, compete for the title of "Queen of the Quichua". The pageants are a unique opportunity to hear Quichua spoken and sung and to see some very old dances and customs. There are several eliminatory rounds and the finale is usually held in April. Monkeys roam freely and there is a bar/restaurant serving pool side beer and chifles with aji.