5 places to visit near Puerto López

Puerto López is located in Manabí, Ecuador, about 8 hours by car or 11 hours by bus from Quito leaving Quitumbe. On the boardwalk there are restaurants, bars, places to have cocktails and agencies that offer tours to several nearby destinations.

We were invited to visit Salango Island, Los Frailes, Agua Blanca and its surroundings where we carried out several activities. We took a boat ride, snorkeling, ate delicious local dishes and then relaxed in the sand. We couldn’t visit Isla de la Plata but we will return for whale season between June and September.

LOS FRAILES

It is one of the most attractive beaches in Ecuador. It is located within the Machalilla Park, about 10 km from Puerto López. A lot of people go because it is beautiful and because the entrance is free of charge. The cool thing is that everything is nature, there are no large buildings or houses or cabins nearby (except the bathrooms and showers), it is worth visiting. To get there, there are buses that leave you at the entrance of the place or taxis that leave from the center of Puerto López that take you to the parking lot of the beach.

SALANGO ISLAND

If you walk along the Malecon of Puerto López, a lot of people and operators offer tours to the island, they are similar in activities and price (it costs around $20 or more). With the camera ready we embarked and put on the life jacket to sail for 20 minutes to the island. On the way we saw some blue-footed boobies and other small birds. Upon arrival, the yacht stopped, we took off our vests and jumped into the water for snorkeling and kayaking. 45 minutes later we got tired and went to the island’s beach to rest for a while before returning to Puerto López.

AGUA BLANCA – THERMA

We want to recommend this place, it is in the Machalilla Park, 10 km from Puerto López. You can arrive by bus or taxi leaving from the center. Admission costs $ 5, includes a guided tour, hiking and visit to the thermal pool.

ISLA DE LA PLATA

We couldn’t visit it because we didn’t go in whale season. But if you plan to go, the ideal dates are between June and September.

VIEJAMAR HOSTAL

To get to the Viejamar Hostal it takes about 15 minutes from downtown. Just outside there is a huge, quiet and flat beach with good waves and few people. To get here there are buses or taxis that leave downtown. The stay includes breakfast, the place has a pool, hammocks, small bar, and kitchen to prepare your meals (although it is richer to try the dishes on the boardwalk).