Esmeraldas
In the north of Ecuador, the province of Esmeraldas has beautiful, welcoming beaches which receive visitors all year round. 30 km. from Esmeraldas, the provincial capital, lies Atacames with its extensive hotel infrastructure. Along the seafront are the main restaurants offering delicious traditional food and on the beach small bars offer tropical drinks made from coconut milk and other delights. You can also go for a stroll and buy, or just admire ,handicrafts and objects made of coral and shell. 5 km. further on is Súa, a peaceful fishing village which also offers accommo-dation and tasty food. The main ingredients are seafood and coconut. In this province they prepare delicious fish, shrimp and crab in coconut sauce.

Same, 10 km to the southeast, lies among palm trees and crystal clear water. 48 km. from Esmeraldas is the island of Muisne, with its calm waters. Other beaches famous for their hospitality and well-developed tourist infrastructure are Tonchigue, Playa Ancha, Tonsupa and Castelnuovo. There are also a number of beaches to the north. One of these is Playa de Oro, characterized by the last remains of the Chocó forest, situated 60 km from Borbón. Others are Camarones, Colope and Rio Verde, lying 30, 35 and 43 km. from Esmeraldas respectively.

Manabí
Cojimíes, Tabuga, Punta Blanca, Punta Ballena, Canoa, San Vicente, Pajonal, San Jacinto, San Clemente, Crucita, Camarones, Jaramijó, Puerto Cayo, Piqueros and Puerto Rico, among others are beautiful little beaches covering an area of over 300 km. along the coast of Manabi. They are inhabited by fishermen who cast their nets before dawn. They are visited from January to December and offer tranquility, a pleasant climate and delicious cuisine.

Some have hotels built of cane and other local material. The surrounding vegetation is made up of mangrove swamps, scrub and timber areas. Other beaches, such as Puerto Lopez to the south and Pedernales to the north, have become more populated with good hotel infrastructure and are departure points for spectacular destinations such as Machalilla National Park which is home to virgin, white-sand beaches such as La Playita, La Tortuguita and Los Frailes.

Guayas
More than 100 km. from the city of Guayaquil, capital of the province of Guayas, lies Playas, surrounded by shrimp farms and a variety of leafy palm trees. It offers delicious dishes made of all kinds of seafood. Further on, at the end of the Santa Elena Peninsula, 144 km. from Guayaquil, is Salinas. It is a modern city with good hotels, restaurants with fine cuisine and night life.

15 km. to the north, Punta Blanca also offers places to relax and enjoy the warm water. In Montañita, high waves allow visitors to enjoy the changing sea. Manglaralto has shrimp larva farms. Other famous and much-visited beaches are Anconcito, Ayangue, Olón and Punta Carnero

El Oro
The archipelago of Jambeli is a beautiful, peaceful group of small, welcoming islands surrounded by green mangrove swamp. A short distance from the coast, it offers quiet, small, clean beaches, with plenty of vegetation, frequently visited by those who live in the south of the country. Access is from Puerto Bolivar, crossing the sea on picturesque boats. Small hotels and colourful restaurants provide basic services for travellers. Very close, on the Island of Santa Clara, the country's largest bird sanctuary, a deserted beach stretches long and far, attracting scientists and foreigners interested in its birdlife.