Can you help me? The flight is booked already. Two beautiful weeks in Ecuador. Not my first visit to Ecuador but the last time we stayed in Cuenca for three weeks...
We fly into Quito and have accommodations at a fantastic 5000 square foot 18th century home in the historic district of the city for the first four days. This home has a chapel right inside the home. I am so excited. There is also a roof top deck... so Quito is settled.
The final week we will be staying at Casa Ordonez in Cuenca. We really liked Cuenca and Alberto is such a fantastic host that this was a no brainer for us.
Now the dilemma... we need to fill in the 3/4 days between Quito and Cuenca. We want to see the coast so our first thought was to fly from Quito to Manta and use Manta as our base camp and just bus or taxi around, go north the first day, go south the second day, and relax in Manta for the rest of the time. Then we would fly from Manta to Cuenca. Seemed simple but...
I am being told that Manta isn't all that great and that I should stay in Bahia... use it for our base camp. Anyone know this area??? My other thought was we could fly into Manta and just bus down the coast to Guayaquil, stopping and visiting a new place each day and then bus or van over to Cuenca. That sounds like a great adventure but is this possible? Someone has also told me to be careful on the coast buses as they are constantly being robbed... I am not a fan of fear mongering but I am also a careful man...
I would be grateful for any help and opinions? Thanks in advance...
http//www.ecuadorgeorge.com
Ecuador Travel.... Please.... I Really Need Your Help...
Ecuador George:
I recommend Bahia. I live in a great condo just north of San Vincente, just across the bridge from Bahia. There is a great place in Bahia, on the beach called La Piedro. That would be an excellent base camp to see the coast. To the north is Canoa, an eclectic little surf town that really comes alive on the weekends. Just south of Canoa is FREEDOM bar and restaurant, probably the most unique place I have seen in all my travels. To the south of Bahia there are many small villages along the road to Manta.
If you need more info email me
[email protected]
Agree, bahìa is my fav... iŽm going to miss it...
Thanks for the recommendations.... Still not finding an easy way to accomplish this. Has anyone done the coast coming from Cuenca? Maybe we fly from Quito to Cuenca then take the bus or van to Guayaquil and then up the coast to Salinas and Montanita and end up in Manta... just trying to explore all possibilities...
Ecuador George:
Get in touch with Patricio (the owner) at : [email protected]
He is a wealth of knowledge in all you need to know.
Let me know when you will be in the neighborhood so we can get together and talk.
Leonard
[email protected]
If you have your flight back to US from Quito, I think the best way is to come to Cuenca and then explore the coast.
You can find some private tourist services here in Cuenca that can take you there.
I think you can visit Salinas like 4 hours from Cuenca(many expats live there, very touristic and modern place), then move to Montañita (surfers, bohemian place), Puerto Lopez (whale watching) Puerto Cayo, Manta, Crucita and Bahia de Caraquez.
Like two month ago I travel to the coast and visit Salinas and Montañita, this summer we planning to go to Puerto Lopez.
Vinny
I have to recommend Ayampe. I took a little trip from Cuenca up the coast and Ayampe is tranquil and practically deserted. You can take a cheap short van ride from Cuenca to Guayaquil bus station and then take the CLP bus to Montanita (ask for the direct route)and either stay in Montanita or take the green Manglaralto Bus from there and ask them to drop you off in Ayampe.
We stayed at the Finca Punta Hotel which has great food but it is a bit of a walk to the beach. The Cabañas de la Iguana is right on the beach but is more expensive.
Ayampe is only a short bus ride to Machalilla National Park but Puerto Lopez is closer and I hear that its also a more social place to stay. But if you want to stay at a practically abandoned beach then try Ayampe.
If you go from Quito to Guayaquil then check out Esmeraldas and Jama too.
You can read about my short trip here if you want: heretohomeandbeyond.wordpress.com/tag/ecuador-coast
Hey George;
Bahia is a better choice to stay for your exploratory coastal trip than Manta in my opinion. My wife and I live in San Vicente and we have our business office in Bahia. We have a new tour company that can assist you in touring the northern coast up to Pedernales. We are a RE/MAX office and can assist in locating property for you if that is your desire. Let me know and we will help if we can....all the best and welcome to Ecuador!
We are doing something similar, but this is our first trip to Ecuador! My plan is to fly from Quito to Cuenca, then fly to Galapagos for five days and back to Guayaquil...then rent a car and drive to Salinas and up the coast to Manta...then fly back to Quito. I am so excited and nervous! Maybe we will cross paths...
I suggest you rent a car in Manta and drive along La Costa Del Sol to see the beaches. Be sure to rent an SUV and not a normal car. The mata burrows are large. You need high ground clearance on the roads but the cities and beaches along the way are beautiful. Enjoy the trip.
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