Home to the Amazon rainforest, the Andes mountains, and the Galapagos Islands, it comes as no surprise to discover that Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse countries on The planet – and that is without having referenced its mesmerizing Pacific coastline.
Up and down the country’s pure coast, you’ll track down scenic bays, glorious brilliant sands, and some of the best surfing conditions on the planet. As such, its wonderful beaches are extraordinary to visit, and each has its own unique characteristics. For instance, you can party the entire night at one beach prior to basking in the stunning scenery at another, and a considerable lot of them have astonishing whale-watching excursions on offer.
With more than 2,200 kilometers of coastline for you to explore, Ecuador’s beaches are just ready to be discovered.
10 Picturesque Beaches In Ecuador
1. Ayangue Beach
Sheltered by a picturesque bay that closes in around it, Ayangue Beach is a wonderful place to visit; you’ll usually find heaps of beautiful little fishing boats swaying about in the bay.
Because of its safeguarded nature, the beach’s enticing waters are ideal for swimming in and it is great for families with small youngsters. The sleepy town doesn’t have a lot going on, so it is simply a place to partake in a beach holiday and take in the sun, sea, and spectacular sunsets.
The town has a decent scope of hotels on offer, as well as lots of extraordinary nearby restaurants, however, you won’t track down a lot of in the method of nightlife. With its delightful setting, nonetheless, most individuals are content to take in the exquisite scenery while basking in the glorious sunshine.
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2. Tonsupa
Situated in Atacames – one of the most well-known beach resort towns in the nation – Playa Tonsupa is lined by lots of tall structures, hotels, and restaurants, and is perhaps of the best beach in Ecuador with regards to the facilities on offer.
Chiefly taking special care of locals and domestic tourists, it is a laidback and unpretentious place to visit. There are lots of excursions for visitors to choose from, with whale-watching being the most famous.
Atacames has some magnificent nightlife for you to explore. Its restaurants and cafes serve up some delicious seafood dishes, which are ideal following a difficult day spent relaxing on Playa Tonsupa.
3. Canoa Beach
In the event that you’re searching for a peaceful escape amidst some lovely scenery, Canoa Beach is a decent choice as it is perhaps of the least evolved town along Ecuador’s long coastline. That does, nonetheless, imply that you won’t see as a lot of in the method of shops, hotels, restaurants or tourist facilities.
What you really do get is a wonderful, off in an unexpected direction experience. The impressive cliffs that line the beach just add to its scenic appearance, while the goliath waves that pound the coast make for some splendid surfing.
The beach – which is the longest in Ecuador at more than 17 kilometers – is exceptionally level and expansive, which makes it ideal for kicking back and unwinding; you can also take a surf lesson or yoga class on its brilliant sands.
4. Olon Beach
Increasingly famous amongst the two locals and tourists as word spreads about its brilliant features, Olon Beach has vast swathes of brilliant sands for you to relax on, as well as some of the best waves in Ecuador on the off chance that you’re into surfing.
Found just north of Montanita, it offers up a significantly more loose and more tranquil experience than its noisy neighbor, and its footpath has lots of restaurants and convenience options that take special care of all budgets.
Notwithstanding its beautiful scenery and loosened lifestyle, Olon Beach has some awesome excursions for visitors to participate in, with whale-watching and hikes to the lovely waterfalls close by being amongst the most famous.
5. Playa Puerto Lopez
Surrounded by the superb and wild Machalilla Public Park, Puerto Lopez is the doorway to its spectacular normal sights; as such, it is a well-known destination for tourists to the country.
The sleepy fishing town lies alongside a lovely beach, and its scenic setting just adds to the splendor as rough hills stretch away into the distance. Little fishing boats lie along the shore and visitors can book to go on an outing to the close by Isla la Plata, or orchestrate to go scuba plunging, snorkeling, or even whale-watching along the coast.
Puerto Lopez and its fantastic beach have lots of restaurants, bars, and hotels on offer, and its casual speed of life makes it a nice stop before you dive into the wonders of the public park.
Also read: 11 Best Places To Visit In Ecuador For A Stunning South America Tour
6. Montanita
If you have any desire to join your beach holiday with a pulsating nightlife scene, you can’t beat Montanita, which is especially famous amongst surfers and backpackers. There is an exceptionally inviting and laidback vibe in the small town, and visitors will track down lots of eco-accommodating hotels, well-being food restaurants, and atmospheric beachside cafes.
Situated on the ‘course of the sun,’ Montanita’s beach looks astonishing and is lined by verdant hills and the town’s mix of buildings that spill out along the beachfront. In spite of the fact that it is eminent around the country for its fantastic surf spots, there are also some extraordinary activities for visitors to appreciate; many individuals choose to go paragliding or scuba jumping.
With a young and vivacious atmosphere, Montanita has loads of incredible bars and nightclubs on offer. Following a busy day spent surfing or taking in some rays, most individuals head off to sample some in the event that it’s inebriating nightlife.
7. Playas
Signifying ‘beaches’ in English, it should not shock anyone that Playas is blessed with a wide assortment of them. The town’s primary beach – Playa General Villamil – really stretches for an impressive 13 kilometers.
Alongside Salinas, it is the most well-known resort town in Ecuador; consequently, it has lots of extraordinary restaurants, bars, and resorts for visitors to choose from, with loads of shops for sure. Some portion of its prominence is down to the way that it is the nearest beach town to Guayaquil. At weekends a significant number of the town’s residents escape the city to relax on Playas’ exquisite beaches.
With some of the best seafood in the country, it is definitely worth evaluating some of its restaurants and cafes. Every one of the products are extremely fresh, as the town is home to a flourishing local area of fisherman.
Extremely famous amongst surfers, Playas’ beaches offer up some incredible swells. Alongside swimming and snorkeling, visitors can also pick to take a dolphin-watching tour along Ecuador’s coastline.
8. Tortuga Bay Beach
Showing up, especially in the event that out of a travel list, Tortuga Bay Beach is as charming as they come and is broadly considered to be the best beach in the distant Galapagos Islands.
Lying just a short distance from the port of Puerto Ayora, the sweeping beach stretches endlessly before you, with its white sands sparkling in the sun. Its sparkling Pacific waters are home to a rich assortment of marine life. As such, it makes for some incredible swimming and kayaking; you’ll almost positively run over some marine iguanas, sea turtles, and shoals of bright fish.
Santa Cruz Island has loads of fantastic wildlife and amazing regular scenery for visitors to delight in, and Tortuga Bay Beach is just one of the many highlights that it has to offer.
Related read: 8 Lesser-Known Things to Do In Ecuador For A Lifetime Experience
9. Playa de San Lorenzo
One of the most well-known beach resort towns in Ecuador, Salinas is a pleasure to visit; it has wonderful beaches, energetic nightlife, and a host of fun activities for visitors to appreciate.
Playa de San Lorenzo is at the core of all of this. Its palm tree-lined brilliant sands are ideal for relaxing on, while its inviting waters offer up an expansive scope of watersports, with fly skiing, surfing, and waterskiing being the most well known. Likewise, look at the close the attraction of La Chocolatera Beach, where you can see turtles nesting at specific points in the year.
While the beach can get a piece swarmed during the high season, the exuberant atmosphere is infectious. At night, many individuals head to its fantastic bars and nightclubs following a day spent sunbathing.
With loads of restaurants, shops, and hotels for visitors to choose from, it’s no big surprise that Salinas and its gorgeous Playa de San Lorenzo are so famous.
10. Los Frailes Beach
Lying just toward the north of Puerto Lopez, the gorgeous Los Frailes is situated in Machalilla Public Park; this safeguarded and pristine beach is without a doubt truly outstanding in Ecuador.
Its brilliant sands are wonderful to calmly stroll along, and the scenery is astounding; rough cliffs and naturally shaded hills surround the secluded beach. While it is usually really deserted, it can get very busy during the weekends, as the beach is serviced both by bus and water taxi.
The surrounding public park is home to some beautiful regular sights. You can meander along some incredible trails and paths, which will take you to yet more secluded beaches and lovely viewpoints over the Pacific Sea.