DESTINATIONS IN ECUADOR - COAST

Here you can find a description of the different regions in Ecuador.

Highlands - Coast - Rainforest - Galápagos

The Coast (costa) attracts every year more tourists with its beaches bordered by coco palms and its all-season warm water. Starting points for trips to the Coast are the seaport of Guayaquil or the smaller seaports of Manta (north of Guayaquil) and Machala (south of Guayaquil).
All three cities are accessible in about 30 minutes by plane from Quito.

Guayaquil - Manta - Machalilla National Park - Machala
what to bring

The biggest city in Ecuador with almost 3 million inhabitants is located in the west of the country and is the most important economic centre in Ecuador. Over 90% of all imports and more than half of the exports are operated via the modern port of Guayaquil - Puerto Marítimo - which has been opened in 1979. Due to the rural migration the city enlarges almost daily and is divided in several districts - to mention here is the quarter of Urdesa with a good international cuisine and great leisure offers. The city owes its name to the Puna-chief Guayas.
The fire of 1896 destroyed the city, which mainly consisted of wooden buildings, almost entirely. The reconstruction in stone gave the city its present design. In 1897 began the railway construction from Quito to Guayaquil via Riobamba and Alausí that finally the agricultural products manufactured in the Andes could be transported faster to the seaport. Today, Guayaquil lives, beside tourism, on banana export and the blooming shrimp industry.
Since the year 2000 the boardwalk "Malecón 2000" along Guayas River is the new pride of the Guayaquileños. Here you can find park areas with several monuments, the new museum of the Banco Central and since shortly an IMAX cinema as well. In the North of the Malecón affiliates the oldest district of Guayaquil: Las Peñas. This artist quarter was the only one, which survived the fire of 1896. Most of the buildings date back to the colonial time and have already been restaurated. You particularly should not miss out on the street Calle Numa Pompilio Llona. Furthermore, Guayaquil offers numerous churches, such as for example San Francisco or La Merced, which have been constructed in 18th century and rebuild after the fire. Beautiful parks invite you to relax, like Parque del Centenario, the biggest square in the centre of Guayaquil with many monuments or Parque Bolívar with the new gothic cathedral on the westside of the Park.

On the oficial site of Guayaquil you will find further information (English page).

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Manta is Ecuador's second major port after Guayaquil and an important business and tourist centre. Manta River divides the city into two parts: the commercial city centre in the west and the east with many hotels and restaurants.
The promenade stretches over a bridge into the city centre where you can find the huge statue of a Manabí fisherman. If you like early mornings, then you can watch the fishermen returning to the port and selling their catch of the day.
In the museum of the Banco Central, you can learn more about Manta culture. After a pleasant and eventful day you can relax on the Playa del Murciélago in the west of the city or on the nice beach of Playa Córdoba in the north.
Furthermore, Manta is an ideal starting point for trips, for example to Montecristi, 'capital of the panama hat' or to Machalilla National Park.

Please click here to get more information about Manta (in English).

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The fishing village Puerto López with its 10.000 inhabitants has experienced in the last few years a relatively touristic upswing and keeps many a visitor often longer in this pristine ambiente. The village is the centre for ecotouristic activities in this region and frequently serves as starting point for visiting Machalilla National Park. That sole coastal National Park was founded in 1979 and covers 55.000ha protected area, including coastal parts, 40.000ha dry and cloud forest as well as two islands in a 20.000ha large sea territory.
Here you can find numerous parrots, frigates, pelicans and boobies. The lonely beach of Los Frailes is worth a visit too.
At the shore it is worthwhile to visit the Isla de la Pata, which is home to several Galápagos-animals, such as the blue- or red-footed booby, and is therefore often called "Little Galápagos". Highlight of a stay in Puerto López is between June and September when you can watch the mating humpback whales.

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Machala is the capital of the El Oro banana region and can be used as stopover heading to Peru or coming from Vilcabamba to Guayaqyil. Beside visiting a banana plantation, the beautiful beach of the Jambelí peninsula is worth a visit. Definitely worth seeing is the stone forest of Puyango about 100km South of Machala, which is one of the biggest worldwide with 2600ha. Here you can find stone trees and other animal and plant fossils out of prehistoric time.

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WHAT TO BRING

• backpack or small daypack
• lightweight long pants (quick drying material preferred; avoid jeans)
• long sleeved cotton shirts
• short sleeved cotton t-shirts
• shorts
• light wind breaker
• sweater or fleece jacket
• pair of comfortable walking shoes
• sandals or thongs
• underwear (avoid synthetics)
• hat (suitable for both sun and rain)
• water-proof poncho
• bathing suit
• eye glasses/contact lenses (extra pair, if possible)
• sunglasses with a strap
• sun block lotion (SPF 30 or 45 is recommended)
• insect repellent
• personal first aid kit
• anti-malaria pills
• tampons or sanitary napkins
• self-sealing plastic bags
• Swiss Army knife
• reading material
• small notebook and pen or pencil
• sewing kit
• water bottle
• binoculars
• camera
• dry bag for camera equipment

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