The 2nd best beach in Ecuador to find cheap beachfront property

Today’s pick is probably not on your Ecuador beach property house-hunting itinerary.

But it is one of the sunniest beaches in Ecuador (by far).

Has very little humidity nor insects (comparatively).

Is within an hour and a half of an international airport and first-world style hospitals.

Has great, empty waves for surfers.

At night, you can see stars, lots of them, and like in many small towns, hear a pin drop. (Ok, almost.)

And is only minutes from an already well-known Ecuador beach town and a new, large SuperMaxi mega-shopping center.

And did I mention the forgotten beachfront lots that are cheap… very cheap.

Welcome to todays pick… Engabao.  

In Engabao you’ll feel like you’re on the edge of the world.  Not many people here.  There are a few hostels though that cater to the surfers that seasonally migrate to these shores.

Only 15 minutes northwest up the coast from Playas, you’ll feel a lot farther away.

Heading north away from ‘town’ a few folks have already ‘seen the signs’ and have bought in and erected vacation homes for sale.  But vacant, often abandoned beachfront lots can be had, and had cheap, recently, I’ve seen smallish 250m2-1000m2 beachfront lots for sale in this area anywhere from $15-30 USD per square meter while beachfront land in other areas of the coast often command $60-150 per m2.

Surf is the key for a town to have explosive growth potential.  Discos, hotels, restaurants and other amendities can be added later.  But a town either has surf or it doesn’t.

Don’t look far for an example of a town on the Ecuador coast that started with not much more than a decent surf, that exploded in a matter of 2-3 years since about mid-2009 as it got discovered by both the local and international travel community (Montanita).

And while Montanita is 3 hours from the nearest major city and international airport (Guayaquil) this town is only about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours away.

Now, I don’t expect this place to explode, not overnight anyway, it’s too raw just like the last pick, Chanduy.

And frankly, its not for the mainstream expat looking for the standard services (just yet) and put down roots.

But it is an interesting investment option.

Now, Engabao does have its disadvantages… like (lack of) population, (lack of) basic food options, spotty basic services (water, electricity, internet), the dry, desert-like moon-scape, and the access road from Playas is 20 minutes of pot holes.

But that’s why its cheap.  And as of now, there is inventory for sale, and potential indeed is here.

After all, what else would you expect from a cheap, low priced, undiscovered beachfront option!