Central & South Coast - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 282

For quieter beachside attractions, Olón , a fewmiles north, has a long
stretch of white sand and surf, though there aren't any recommended
hotels here. Ayampe , several miles farther north and near the pro-
vincial boundary at the Río Ayampe, is an exceptionally nice resort on
the cliffs overlooking the ocean (see Hotel Atamari, page 296).
Manglaralto
South of Machalilla National Park and Puerto López, and near the
beach resort of Montañita, is the small fishing community of
Manglaralto. Walking along the beach between the two villages
(when there is a beach) is a great way to explore the coast. From
Manglaralto, it takes an hour to half a day, depending on how much
time you spend swimming, bodysurfing, or just chasing after washed-
up shells and sand crabs. In Manglaralto, you won't see sunbathing
Westerners, but youwill find local Ecuadorians fishing or swimming.
Accommodations inManglaralto include HosteríaMaraKaya , with
simple but very clean double rooms, including mosquito nets over the
beds, private baths, and heated showers (don't hit your head on the
electrical device). This hotel is the home base for Earthwatch projects
heading into the Loma Alta Cloud Forest (see Trekking the Loma Alta
Cloud Forest , page 285). You can also inquire with Pro Pueblo ,alo-
cal community development organization, about local ecotourism ef-
forts, including Loma Alta. Along the beach, the open-aired Las
Tangas restaurant offers delicious seafood and a pleasant atmo-
sphere. If it looks deserted, just wait or ask around. They always seem
to open just as people arrive.
Manglaralto can be reached by bus or car from La Libertad in the
south or Puerto López in the north via the only major road along the
coast. It's just a couple of miles south of Montañita.
Salinas & the Santa Elena Peninsula
About 1½ hours south of Manglaralto and a couple of hours west of
Guayaquil (95 miles) is the popular resort town of Salinas, located on
the Santa Elena Peninsula. With under 25,000 permanent residents,
this coastal resort city - referred to as the Miami of Ecuador - booms
with affluent Guayaquileños fromJanuary to April, especially during
weekends and holidays. The rest of the time, Salinas feels like a high-
rise ghost town.
Oil development, which stimulated the city's original growth in the
1930s, now cowers quietly in the shadow of tourism. Many middle-
and upper-class city dwellers that regularly flock to Salinas rent out
their own apartments, hotel suites, or family homes. The beaches