The Pacific’s pool
Ayangue is an Ecuadorian small coastal town, located in the Santa Elena province, about 2 hours and a half from Guayaquil by car. It is part of the well-known “Ruta Spondylus”, which covers the beaches of the Esmeraldas, Manabi, and Santa Elena provinces.
While not amongst the most visited beaches in the country, I would definitely place Ayangue within the most beautiful ones. It is small bay, with the shape of a horseshoe, making its sea calm and its waves gentles. These attributes have earned Ayangue the nickname of “The Pacific’s pool”.
What to do in Ayangue?
Besides enjoying a relaxing beach day, you can practice diving and snorkeling in a front islet called “El Pelado”. Some of the fauna you can find there are sea-lions, sea turtles, reef fish, blue-footed boobies. From June to September, you could also go whale watching.
You can arrange these visits with local operators, which will take you on boats.
If you are an experienced swimmer, you could participate in an open-water competition, usually held in March or April.
And of course, as in any other coastal town, you can delight yourself with the tasty local gastronomy, mostly based on seafood and green bananas.
How can I get to Ayangue?
Depending on your budget and on your departure point, some options might be more suitable than others. If you are already in Guayaquil, you could either take a taxi or a bus. Because of the stops, the trip on the bus generally takes longer.
You could also rent a car, which will give you the flexibility to make more stops and freely cover other beaches on the way.
If you are in Quito, you could take a flight to Guayaquil, and then a taxi or bus to Ayangue. Or you could directly take a bus from Quito’s north bus terminal to Guayaquil, and then another bus to Ayangue.
Where to stay?
There are many options available, it will depend on your budget and how close to the beach you would like to be. You can choose between direct bookings with the lodging supplier or the use of platforms such as booking.com and Airbnb.
I have gone a couple of times to Ayangue and stayed at two different hotels, both on the beach line.
The first time I booked a single room at the Playa Aventura Hotel. In that moment, I paid around USD 50 per night, with breakfast included. The room was kind of small but in good condition. In addition, it was well-ubicated and had a good cost-benefit ratio.
For my second travel, I rented a triple room through Airbnb at a place called “Nautilus Casa di mare”, which belongs to an Ecuadorian Italian couple. The view from there was splendid, and we had direct access to the beach.
Both options were pretty well-ubicated, beach front-line, and just a few steps from the pier, restaurants, pharmacies, and stores.
Another option you have is not staying in Ayangue, but in a nearby town, such as Olon, Montañita, or even Salinas. However, I would suggest this option only if you rent a car, so you optimize your time and secutirty.
Leave a Reply