Author: Journeyman Jack Ecuador

I got an interesting article from an “expert” forwarded to me this week about how great Playas, Ecuador is.

Insert YAWN here.

My response…

Are you serious? Have you actually been to Playas?

Spent significant time there? Done business there?

I have.

Trust me, there are much better options on the Ecuador coast for investors in 2014.

Sure, Playas looks good on paper… a small beach town near the big malls, hospitals and international airport of Guayaquil, the biggest city in Ecuador.

But the truth is… Playas was the place to invest… 5-6 years ago.

Not now.

Its still the crappy place it was then… but at least then it was CHEAP.

If you´re going to sell me a turd, it better be cheap!

The truth about Playas circa 2014 is that the town is still unattractive, lacks infrastructure for a comfortable expat existence same as it was 6 years ago.

The beach is not attractive comparatively to many other beaches in Ecuador. The beach is horrendously big to the point of just walking across it reminds me of crossing the Sahara desert by foot.

The water. Well, its murky. Playas is situated right where a huge dirty river delta meets the ocean. Its also a bit choppy for comfortable swimming yet the waves aren´t that nice for surfing.

The beachfront… overpriced and all developed due to all the money the wealthy Guayaquil folks have poured into the place.

I know these people. To them, all they know for beaches are Playas, Salinas and the new kid on the block, Montanita. Thats where their beach universe ends.

Nowadays, for a beachfront property in this area you are looking at a six figure investment for even a small house on a tiny lot.

I know of one 3 bedroom 2 bath place beachfront but still far from the water due to the boardwalk out front and big beach that sold for a bit over $100k. Another 2 bedroom crumbling place I know of two blocks back sold for $40k.

Go to the north or south of the city and prices go up even more as many Guayaquil folks have their beachfront villa there.

Playas is actually the same distance to Guayaquil as Salinas in travel time although on the map it looks closer. You´re still looking at 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours but the buses that service Playas are chicken buses compared to the nice air conditioned ones that service Salinas.

Unlike most coastal Ecuadorian towns Playas is so spread out you better have a car to live here!

Also, for land or property purchases the municipal in Playas is a royal pain-in-the-arse if you´ve had the displeasure (like myself) to have to work with them.

Other municipalities on the coast like in Manta, PortoViejo or even Santa Elena (Salinas) are MUCH nicer and more efficient.

The seafood is good, but so is it in about anywhere else on the coast of Ecuador.

Basic services like water, electric and Internet… iffy at best. In other words they come and go. Much better on a lot of other beaches in Ecuador.

Also, in Playas, you are REALLY far removed from everything.

Think REMOTE.

You are still an hour to an hour and a half from the next nearest town or city.

In the winter months of January, February and March it rains a lot… its humid and boy are there a lot of mosquitos. Place reminds of Guayaquil (where I lived for about a year.)

Playas also lacks the nice onshore breeze the rest of the more west facing Ecuador coast gets.

Its true the sun comes out more here than on other beaches in Ecuador but I also find it more intense, burning white skin like eggs on a skillet. Plus with the beach so wide theres no where to take cover.

As for Playas, leaving it off your beach property hunting itinerary is a good bet.

The “value” price-quality just isn´t there.

So where is a great investment on the coast right now?

Stay tuned to this newsletter and soon you´ll find out.

And to learn how to find the unpublished property deals no one else knows about, subscribe to my weekly Ecuador Insiders Newsletter below, you can unsubscribe at any time:

I’ve been there, man.

I still remember that day about 2 years ago.

I had a chance to buy a whole mountain with an oceanview behind the quaint little coastal town of Olon, Ecuador.

For $4,000 dollars.

But I passed.

It was rainy season.

And when my Ecuadorian friend and I started walking towards the lot, we didn’t make it cause the road was SO muddy access was impossible.

In fact, some of the cheapest lots still out there are ones that are currently not accessible.

So how much does it cost to cut or lay your own road in Ecuador?

Well, this week I talked to a friend of mine who bought a beachfront mountain himself in Ecuador and cut his own road near Jama on the north coast.

He said upon purchase of his lot he had to cut a 250 meter (820 ft) road just to access his property.

First, he had to hire a dozer with driver that for $90 a day cleared off the shrubs and top soil to make the road. The dozer worked for about 11 days. Total $990.

Then, he had to buy rocks to cover the road.

$35 per truck load. Each load brought rocks for 8 cubic yards.

For his 250 meter road he needed 200 truck loads. Total $7,000.

Then after the rocks where placed he had to hire a dozer again for 3 days to compact the rocks. Total $270.

That’s it!

He had his road and his property just doubled in value for $990+$7,000+$270= $8260!

One tip he mentioned for anyone having to cut a road in Ecuador is to make sure they make the road with a crown shape so the water runs off along the sides and not overtop it.

And to learn how to find the unpublished property deals no one else knows about, subscribe to my weekly Ecuador Insiders Newsletter below, you can unsubscribe at any time:

I´m spoiled.

I´ve been in Ecuador, a tropical mountainous country, too long where you can pick the elevation for you.

And wherever you pick has the same climate all year round.

For instance, where I live in a valley of Quito the elevation is 2398 meters (7867 ft) above sea level.

The climate is just perfect for me with the downside that I need to always keep a dehumidifier in my bathroom. I’m fine with that.

23-27 C (73-80 F) in the daytime, 15 C (59 F) in the night all year long.

And there´s no mosquitos.

Too high.

However, the next town over is 50 meters higher at 2450 meters (8038 ft) which is about 3-4 F cooler and is too cold for me!

But the town on the other side of where I live back towards Quito (Tumbaco) is about 150 meters lower than where I live at 2268 meters (7440 ft) which is WAY too hot for me, particularly at night when the temperature only dips to around 20 C (68 F). And the mosquitos start coming out!

Now, Quito city proper which is about an hour from me to the east, forget about it, WAY too cold for me. It is about 400 meters higher than where I live at 2800 meters (9186 ft) and WAY TOO COLD. Especially at night or when its raining when Quito drops to 9 C (48 F). Thats cold, especially when most homes dont have heat installed.

So if Quito, Cuenca or Loja are too high and cold for you, try the surrounding areas where you just might find your perfect altitude!

For instance, warmer, lower areas near Quito include… The Valley of Los Chillos, Cumbaya, Tumbaco, Checa, Pifo, Puembo, Tababela and more.

Warmer areas near Cuenca include… Paute, The Valley of Yunguilla, Gualaceo, Chordeleg.

Warmer areas near Loja include… Zamora, Zaruma, Malacatos, Vilcabamba.

And to learn how to find the unpublished property deals no one else knows about, subscribe to my weekly Ecuador Insiders Newsletter below, you can unsubscribe at any time:

Trust me, I´ve been there.

I mean, living in a small town on the coast of Ecuador.

The town (Manglaralto) was 4 km from Montanita and had a total of 3 streets parallel to the ocean with about 20 streets perpendicular.

Tiny.

You know, I didn´t really need or want a car.

I could use the frequent/cheap buses for long distances.

Plus, with car prices double or triple what im used to in the US, I wasn´t in a hurry to buy one.

But walking 20 minutes just to buy some fish or veggies can get tiring.

So… let me introduce the ideal vehicle for an expat on the coast of Ecuador… the motor-bicycle.

Literally, its a BICYCLE with a little motor on it and a half gallon gas tank.

You can pedal it like a normal bike if you feeling like getting some exercise or turn on the little motor and away you go.

The max speed with the motor on is 40 km per hr (25mph).

Did I mention you can get 100 km (62 miles) to the gallon!?

And don´t worry about parking, just chain it up (its a bike)!

Got groceries? Put a basket on it.

And no special licenses or insurance needed (so the local policia tell me).

Did I mention one of these little motors put on your bicycle in Ecuador only costs around $250?

Obviously not great for long distances or highway riding but great for zipping around your little beach town.

One place you can buy one I know of in Ecuador is in the suburb of Quito called Tumbaco. The shop is named Taller Turbo and one contact number is 02 2373946.

But they sell them on the coast too.

And by the way, all the cool kids have one.

And to learn how to find the unpublished property deals no one else knows about, subscribe to my weekly Ecuador Insiders Newsletter below, you can unsubscribe at any time: