The Pearl of the Pacific and the best sunsets: Guayaquil and Montañita.
Get to know Guayaquil and spend some days on the beaches of the Spondylus Route watching spectacular sunsets. The beaches that you will know are Montañita and Los Frailes, which is within the Machalilla National Park. While Montañita is known for its parties and for surf, Los Frailes is known for being one of the most beautiful beaches in Ecuador.
The prices that appear per day are referential and correspond to the sum of activities that were made that day
The first thing you have to do in Guayaquil, is touring the Malecón 2000 (2.5 km). Near the Malecon there is the Municipal Palace, the Governorate Palace and the Administration Square. At sunset, take a trip navigating on the Guayas River! The boats leaves from the dock of Sucre Street and have different schedules (the tickets are bought on the same boardwalk). At night, walk to the Malecón del Salado to see the Velero Bridge illuminated.
Start your day on Santay Island. The island is 800m from Guayaquil and to go you have to go to the Molinera and cross the pedestrian bridge. There they rent bicycles. Bring water and walk as early as possible (open at 6am); It is a walk of several kilometers and the heat in Guayaquil is criminal so I recommend to rent a bike. In the afternoon, go to Cerro Santa Ana: there are 444 steps that are worth climbing. Then, walk through Las Peñas neighborhood.
From the Guayaquil terminal there are direct buses to Montañita (it takes less than 3 hours). After you have settle in your accommodation, go and relax a while on the beach, walk to the Sanctuary of Olón (2km away). In the evening, walk around Montañita: not only to go out partying, but to see the crafts and shows that are on the streets.
To know another beach, go to Ayampe for the day (it is 30 minutes from Montañita). Unlike Montañita, Ayampe is a quiet beach, with few people and perfect for surfers. Rent a surfboard and have fun like never before. Stay until sunset, so you can see how the sun is hidden next to Islote de Los Ahorcados.
This day it’s time to go to one of the most beautiful beaches in Ecuador: Los Frailes! Arriving from Montañita takes between an hour and a half to two hours. To go, you have to take a bus that goes to Manta or Jipijapa (but be sure to ask the driver if he goes through the Machalilla National Park “). The bus leaves you at the door of the National Park and from there you can do the 3km walk to the beach or go by motorcycle taxi.
Go back to Guayaquil! Take advantage of the afternoon to visit the Parque de las Iguanas and the Cathedral of Guayaquil. If at night you have time, you can go back to the Malecón 2000 so that you see it illuminated.
The lodging that is shown in the list of each night is recommended by the traveler, you can find more similar options. The cost is per person in a double bed room.
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The best time to go to Guayaquil is from May to November and the best time to go to the beaches is from December to April.
If you want to go to a bar in Guayaquil, I recommend Diva Nicotina, La Paleta or Arthurs.
If you go between June and September, go to Puerto López (1 hour from Montañita) to see the humpback whales.
If you are not interested in the atmosphere of Montañita, you can stay at Playa Olón (3km away).
If you do not know how to surf, you can take a class in Montañita or Ayampe. The two-hour class costs approximately USD 20.
To take the bus from Guayaquil to Montañita, you have to book it in the same terminal. There are several transport companies that offer the service.
Some important information on how to get to Montañita can be found here.
When you go to Los Frailes beach, bring water, sunscreen, sunglasses and something that makes you shade. Also bring your passport or identification.
Go to Los Frailes as early as possible because the park only opens until 4pm!
