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Today, I’m checking in from Puerto Cayo, about an hour south of Manta where i have one house and a few lots for sale.
And holy sh#t it’s hot as I type this the beads of sweat roll down my fingers.
This time of year on the coast (from January to March) it rains almost everyday, then the sun comes out and is super hot and humid.
Yet from about June on through to November-December it can get quite brisk (by Ecuador standards) and overcast everyday yet it doesn’t rain at all.
But for me, the BEST time to visit is April-May. You have the sun and the sapphire blue water without so much rain and humidity and heat.
That’s when I’d plan on spending more time on the coast!
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Working with tourists and new arrival expats in Ecuador on a daily basis at my hotel near the airport in Quito, It never ceases to amaze me how everyone comes to Ecuador for an adventure, thinks they are adventurous yet are quick to follow the same beaten path of everyone else.
Same goes for when they rent cars and drive in Ecuador.
For instance…
-From Quito to the coast, most go through Alaog-Santo Domingo- Chone. Lame and dangerous (lots of trucks, traffic and landslides.) And for anyone who has passed through Santo Domingo, you know it’s a sh#t hole.
1. Instead, go from Quito through Mindo, Los Bancos, and on to Pedernales (or cut down to Chone/Bahia). Much more scenic, less traveled, no trucks, with nice pit-stops along the way like the middle of the world monument and Mindo. (Almost takes the same amount of time, maybe one hour longer than S. Domingo route).
-From Quito to Guayaquil, most go once again through Santo Domingo and on down through Quevedo and Babahoyo.
2. Instead, go from Quito through Latacunga on down through La Mana-Quevedo-Babahoyo. The descent is breathtaking, be sure to do it in the daytime, and the road is good and there are almost no trucks or traffic.
-From Quito to Cuenca most go straight down the pipe through Ambato, Riobamba then Alousi. HORRIBLE way to go. No places to eat. Always foggy, very curvy and dangerous, lots of trucks.
3. Instead, go the way NOBODY goes, but I just did, and it was great. Go from Quito to Ambato, then on to Banos then on to Puyo in the Amazon region and on down to Macas and then over to Cuenca. Took about the same amount of time as the normal route mentioned above (7-8 hrs), yet NO traffic, NO trucks and NO fog. Plus, much better scenery and more good food options along the way. The road is new, great and straight for most of the way! For a long time the road was bad so I think that is why most Ecuadorians don’t use it. You can even see orchids along the sides of the roads as you go.
Now you too can go the road less traveled by in Ecuador.
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I know, I know…
You don’t do mud, mosquitos, humidity, or ‘getting dirty’ in general.
Thus, visiting the Amazon doesn’t interest you.
But Ecuador offers something NO OTHER SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY OFFERS. And combine this with a fun activities from campingfunzone.com and you have trip which will be memorable for years.
Ease of access to the Amazon. it’s right there, you can drive right in (no flights needed)!
Just 3 Hours by car from Quito (the capitol city) and you are in Tena and then Misahualli, where the paved roads end and the full-blown Amazon jungle starts.
Compared to other South American countries, to experience the Amazon you don’t have to fly in and spend 5 days without internet (unless you want to).
The other day, in Quito, I said, “hey, I got a free day, let’s go to the Amazon.” And off we went. Once there we went deep in by canoe and spent one night there and were back in Quito by the next afternoon!
Once in Misahualli we took a motorboat on the great Napo River (that empties into the Amazon). Met with natives, visited an indigenous community, got spiritually cleansed by a local Shaman (holy man)…(for now, passed on the Ayahuasca, although may consider it in near future)
…saw dozens of species of monkeys, toucans, an anaconda, a leopard, alligators, and parrots. Had the opportunity to eat worms off the grill (which I declined), instead ate a whole local Tilapia lunch for $3.
Plus, a highlight for me was when I met a cool local who explained to me about current and ancient hunting techniques in the jungle by the natives.
My advice if you go is to give yourself at least two days, and right in the port you can hire anything you want to do. There are a few agencies you can hire activities like day canoe trips into the Amazon, indigenous village visits, tubing in nearby rivers, or a visit to the local Amazonian animal rescue center.
Wait until you are there to book your accommodation as the cheapies are not online. I stayed at one very acceptable place on the river with pool called France Amazonia Lodge and it was like $15-18 per person.
Anyway, definitely a great day (or two) trip from Quito most foreigners NEVER DO because they think going to the Amazon requires a large time and monetary investment like in most other countries.
And for the $100 (per person) all-inclusive 4 day Amazon trips including all accommodations (some camping), transportation by motorboat, guide and food which leave from Misahualli ask at the agencies in the port, they can set it up, try Ruben at the N Pakcha agency in the port 0983276201 NO EMAIL, although I have NOT used him, and have NO affiliation with him, just talked to him at his office there.
A river in the Amazon.
A Tapir
A Shaman or local witch-doctor if you will?
Hotel France Amazonia where I stayed, nice place, about $18 per person.
“I didn’t know Ecuador had anything like this!” My Ecuadorian friend said upon arrival.
“Me neither,” I responded.
It was a couple weeks ago, and we had just arrived to BY FAR the nicest beach I’ve ever seen in Ecuador.
Portete.
I know what you’re saying, where?
It’s small, and undeveloped, but I’ve visited over 80% of the Ecuador coastline and walked maybe 40%, and its the best.
Truely caribbean-esque white sand, turquoise water with nothing but palm trees in sight.
Portete is a small island just off shore a few kilometers south of Mompiche on the north coast of Ecuador about an hour or so south of Esmeraldas.
You park your car in a guarded lot and then catch a small motorized dingy a few minutes to the island. To your right you will be able to see the all-inclusive luxury resort De Cameron and straight ahead the palm-fringed islet.
You’ll think you were in the Caribbean, or southeast Asia as most Ecuador beaches don’t have this feel.
There are places to eat as you can see in the pic below by the shrimp lunch I had right on the beach there for $3, but to sleep I’d stay in nearby Mompiche where you can find decent rooms with AC and WIFI for around $15 per person.
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One local community I visited.