Nice Places to Visit

Puerto Lopez:

Little coastal town located only 35 minutes north from Montañita. With a nice and calm ocean beach, it has a nice “malecon” that go all the way through the beach with different places to eat, drink and have fun.

Puerto Lopez beach	The city of Puerto Lopez	Malecón and Puerto Lopez beach

The most attractive activity at Puerto Lopez are the whale watching tours, only between June to September, period that the humpback whales come here to the coast of Ecuador to give birth, reproduce and show their best jumps… a incredible spectacle.

Tens of whales come on this period from the Antarctic looking for warm and calm water, without any risk of danger that can interrupt their activities

Some tips for these tours:

- The price per person goes from US$25 up; four hours that usually departs at 09hr00, another departure at 14hr00, usually include a little snack.

- Bring sun block, hat and a camera.

- Choose a company tour that have life jacket, also that the tour include a short stop where you can practice scuba diving and that include this equipments.

Photo Gallery - Whales in front of Puerto Lopez.

Photos by: matiaspolanco.com  Date: 13/14 Agosto 2008  Boat: Cirial Sur

National Park of Machalilla:

Near Montañita is located the only coastal park in Ecuador, the Parque Nacional de Machalilla. With a total area of 550km2 at land and 20.000 has at the ocean. The most interesting places in this park near Montañita are:

- Isla de la Plata

- Playa Los Frailes

- Agua Blanca

- Isla Salango

This national park takes the name in honour of one of the old cultures that live on this area. Cultures like Valdivia, Chorrera and Manteña live on this zone, taking advantage of this good weather and their extraordinary landscapes where still are some archaeological material.

On the low parts of the National Park of Machalilla, exist a unique dry tropical forest of South America and on their high areas present a much more consistent vegetation, with typical species of a tropical humid weather. From coastal birds to monkey and deer, also have some sea lions and humpback whales. On the high parts of the park there are some species like the baboon and the Coral snake, among other species native for this ecosystem.

Isla de la Plata

(24 kms from Puerto Cayo, north of Montañita).

Well known as the “Poor Galapagos”, cause is a truly natural treasure, much more easy and cheap to get here than the Galapagos Island. This incredible island is one of the most beautiful places of the national park of Machalilla and here they live a big number of aquatic bird, land birds and fishes. Thanks to the transparent waters, you can scuba dive and watch marvellous coral reefs or swim wit dolphins o turtles that usually like the seashore of Isla de la Plata.

There is a possibility of an interesting trekking tours inside the island and admire some the ancient cultures that live there.

Famous is this point for whale watching: eleven species in total generally cross in front of the island between June and October.

Playa Los Frailes:

Many people think that this is one of the most beautiful beaches on Ecuador. Located inside the park, this little beach of crystal waters offer curious rock formations, besides a short walk through a typical dry forest. There is a “mirador” where you can appreciate the greatness of the area and islote Sucre.

Isla Salango:

Perfect for scuba diving, also you can visit a little museum of ancient cultures, a place dedicated to the fishermen at the south, that they where the first to navigate here.