It extends through the provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabí and Guayas, reaching the Gulf of Guayaquil in the south, and the foothills on the Andes in the east.

[3] The ecoregion covers the coastal plain and reaches into the foothills of the Andes to the east up to an elevation of about 800 metres (2,600 ft).

[1] The forests have many endemic species of plants and animals found only locally on mountain ridges or narrow strips of land.

The forest has a dense canopy that exceeds 30 metres (98 ft) in height, and has many lianas and epiphytes, including many endemic species.

[2] Emergent species, which may exceed 60 metres (200 ft) in height, include the strangler fig (Ficus dugandii).

Large, dominant canopy trees include Brosimum utile, Carapa guianensis, Guarea kunthiana and Virola dixonii.

Other trees include Clarisia racemosa, Matisia coloradorum, Pourouma chocoana, Pouteria species, Pseudolmedia eggersii and Symphonia globulifera.

[2] Other endangered mammals include Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii), equatorial dog-faced bat (Molossops aequatorianus) and Geoffroy's spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi).

Species found in the most humid areas include the Baudo guan (Penelope ortoni), Berlepsch's tinamou (Crypturellus berlepschi), blue-whiskered tanager (Tangara johannae), brown wood rail (Aramides wolfi), crowned woodnymph (Thalurania colombica), El Oro parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi), El Oro tapaculo (Scytalopus robbinsi), indigo flowerpiercer (Diglossa indigotica), long-wattled umbrellabird (Cephalopterus penduliger) and scarlet-breasted dacnis (Dacnis berlepschi).

[2] Endangered birds include banded ground cuckoo (Neomorphus radiolosus), Baudo guan (Penelope ortoni), Esmeraldas woodstar (Chaetocercus berlepschi), great green macaw (Ara ambiguus), grey-backed hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis), grey-cheeked parakeet (Brotogeris pyrrhoptera), rufous-brown solitaire (Cichlopsis leucogenys) and slaty becard (Pachyramphus spodiurus).

There are fairly well preserved narrow strips of forest parallel to the mountains in the north, but these are being damaged by settlements and indiscriminate logging.

There is some protection in the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, and the highlands from 400 to 900 metres (1,300 to 3,000 ft) are within the Machalilla National Park.