Central & South Coast - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 292

South of Bahía less than an hour is Chirije (chee-ree-hey), one of the
newest and nicer eco-archeological parks along the coast. In addition
to miles of untouched beaches, there are 588 acres of tropical dry for-
est with trails for hiking, birding and horseback riding, as well as ar-
cheological excavations of pre-Incan culture and an on-site museum.
East along the Río Chone is the city of Chone and the nearbywetland
known as Ciénega de la Segua , with prolific birdlife. Heading
north, across the Río Chone from Bahía, just over 10 miles from San
Vicente along pristine beach, is Canoa . In addition to great surfing,
there are other community efforts worth visiting in the area. In fact,
you could easily spend weeks around Bahía having a blast.
Machalilla National Park
Heading south from Manta or Portoviejo, the main road through the
small city of Jipijapa continues on to Guayaquil or west back to the
coast near Machalilla National Park and Puerto López. The park is
unique in Ecuador because it is the only coastal national park and be-
cause of the habitats it protects, including rocky coastline, sandy
beaches, scrub vegetation, and tropical dry forest, as well as cloud for-
est habitat, archeological remains, and an area off the coast that en-
compasses Isla de la Plata. Overall, the park covers about 138,000
acres on land and water.
Primary access into the park is from the south on the coastal road, or
via the road fromJipijapa to the northeast. Most foreign travelers en-
ter fromthe south, fromthe eco-resort, Alandaluz, or one of the beach-
front communities farther south. The park entrance fee is $20, which
provides a pass to reenter for several days. This is ideal - and neces-
sary - if you want to explore the mainland and participate in offshore
activities such as whale-watching or visiting Isla de la Plata. You can
pay the entrance fee at the entrance station a fewmiles north of town
or at the park headquarters in Puerto López, where there is also a
small but informative museum.
One park highlight is at the Los Frailes beach area. To reach it takes
a good hike through tropical dry scrubland, which keeps many people
away, but those who make the trek have one of the nicest beaches
around all to themselves. From the main road through the park, in-
quire about the pullout or ask the bus driver to drop you off at the
trailhead. Itmay not look likemuchmore than a coastal desert at first
(bring plenty of water), but the trail soon meets coastal cliffs, nesting
seabirds and lovely sandy beaches. Intermittent rocky areas provide
tidal pools and good snorkeling opportunities.