Ecuadorian Coast

After one night in Puerto Lopez, I went to the Machalilla Park, where you can enjoy three different beaches and different point of views for a day. 

The Park is located between the city of Puerto Lopez and Machalilla, where you can sleep. So, you can take the bus from Puerto Lopez you have one by hour at least, and you need half an hour to go to the park. Don't forget to ask directly to the driver to stop you at the entry of the park.

When you arrive at the entrance you have to show your passport, give your name, your surname and your nationality. After that you can start to enjoy the little hike to see the three beaches and the two points of views.

You have two choices, you can go directly to the beach Los Frailes and after doing the hike to discover the others beaches or you can start by the hike to see the points of views and the others beaches and finish by Los Frailes to take a swim, it's a really big beach so it's more comfortable to install yourself. 

I advice to go in the morning because there are less people so you will discover this place as if you were the first person to discover it. And after the little walk and has discovered everything you can enjoy your day at the beach Los Frailes who is so big that people will not bother you.

I really enjoyed this place because all of beaches are really beautiful and really natural, not modified by humans. You will see a lot of birds, some fish and you'll have beautiful points of views and beaches with a water blue turquoise. 

Salango is a little city with a really long beach who is really beautiful and deserted, so you can enjoy your day in peace. There is not a lot of thing to see in the city, you can take your lunch in the city before to go walking on the beach and taking a swim. The beach is three km long so you can have a little walk until the end of the beach where you have big cliffs towering over you. I really enjoyed this place because you feel really alone on the beach between birds. I advise you to pay attention to the current when you go swimming. 

San Lorenzo is a little city where you can enjoy alone a beautiful long beach, and explore some paths to have a beautiful view on the ocean and on the city. You can sleep in the city, but hotel are expensive, you can also stay at Manta and go to San Lorenzo by collective jeep who isn't expensive. You can take the jeep just next to a market in Manta, but if you don't know where it is ask people. 

After one hour of jeep you will arrive at San Lorenzo, I advice you to arrive early in the morning to walk to the mirador and enjoy the view on the ocean and the village, and after go to explore some paths who go more in the land but offer a really beautiful view on the city before the sun hit you too hard. After this walk you can eat in front of the ocean in restaurant who are just in front of the beach. 

To relax you can enjoy your afternoon on the beach before to go back in Manta. At some periods during the year, you can see in the night some turtles who are going to lay their eggs in the sand. But don't disturb the nature !