Surfing Ecuador. Best surf towns for backpacking.

To get to Salinas, you have to get first in the Guayaquil terminal and buy your ticket to Santa Elena (the main city). Buses start at 4:00 am and it´s a 4 hours ride.

In Santa Elena terminal, you have to get out to the entrance and ask for a local bus o taxi to Salinas. 3 bus lines goes to salinas, ask for the short one (40 minutes ride).  (Same for the way back).

Salinas can be seen like the Ecuatorian Miami because of its luxury building residences own or rent by the Guayaquil and foreight richest turists.

However Salinas count two campings for your tent or cabins but not in front of the beatch so try a wild-camping like we did for a better view.

Salinas just open its beatch activities few months a year (between january to march) and a lot of ecuatorians  get there to celebrate the carnaval. You have to go before the carnaval starts if you want to have all the beatch for yourself.

Getting in Olon by bus, the village of Olón is really small and full of foreight lovers so don´t worry if you´re not good in spanish, you will find your best help, asking any information.

Actually we spent our time chilling on the beach by day and walking to Montañita to spend our nights in the crazy Montañita (really known for its non stop parties.

(If you don´t want to walk, local buses or turistic train are dooing the ride).

In Puerto Lopez, you have a lot of tours from 30$ including Wales Watching, 2 hours walking tour of the Isla de la plata and 30´mins snorkeling near the island surrounded by turtles, colourful fishes and corals.

Puerto Lopez is a small fisher village always bigger than before: you could find hostel, international restaurants on the pier, locals one in the village behind, pizzerias ... and bars/discos for the night.

Los Frailes are a protected area near Puerto Lopez (We went there hitchhiking bus buses or taxis do the ride). The walk trekking inside is about an hour, bring a lot of water and good shoes and remember: on summer it´s really sunny.

What can you find there: 

Empty white sand bay beaches, the last one is the best to swim ! 

Beautiful panoramics view to take your best pics.

Wild faune: You can find all the species from Galapagos Islands like iguanas for example.

Canoa is smaller than Puerto Lopez, actually it doesn´t have a lot of activies but its energy is really "hippie" that´s why we recommend it to by your best local handcraft.

Hostel or agencies propose surf lessons and tours.

To get to Canoa, you have to take the bus for "San Vicente" fisrt and then get to Canoa by local bus.

Canoa is a unique place in Ecuador, it´s  a small fishing village, surrounded by camps all around but if you take a walk or bicycles you can find its incredible black sand beaches and islands, connected in a few minutes by boat!

The best you can do is: enjoy an amazing night swimming surrounded by lighting planktons!

The bus ride to Canoa is from "Atacames" first (2 hours ride by bus).