Manta Expedition – Port Trips

(For International Cruise Ships)

Duration – Full day (8 hours, including Typical buffet Lunch)

Visit Manta that is developing to become main transference seaport in South America. Almost right at the equator is famous seaport of Manta. It is known since pre-Columbian times for inhabitant’s first sailors of America.

Its name comes from the “sails” or Mantas they used in their rafts. Nowadays is heading to become main transference seaport for trade between South America and Asia.

But the charm of Manta is not because of trade, it is because of its perfect location almost at the equator, its pleasant tropical temperature, rich cuisine made inhabitants famous all around Ecuador,

Panama huts became a status symbol since Roosevelt made them popular in Panama. Nowadays Montecristi home of former President Eloy Alfaro is housing Ciudad Alfaro a contemporary location where our new constitution is been written.

Rates

Each 36 passenger bus (full day 8 hours) cost now US$ 450
Each certified Tour guide is US$ 75 for this particular route (each route is different)
Lunch is from US$ 22.9 to US$ 38.9 (Beverages are not included
Entrance fees to sites of interest US$ 5 per person

Operation fees, management, licenses and taxes are 30% of all cost together.

Unspoiled Beaches and Archaeology

Located along the central part of Ecuador’s Pacific Coast, Manabi is known for its beautiful beaches, quaint fishing villages, commercial centers such as Manta, which is the country’s second largest port, and Machalilla National Park, with its rich vegetation and varied species of fauna. It also produces many handicrafts and is known worldwide for its pottery and panama hats. The Province’s climate is dry- to humid- subtropical, with an average temperature of 25 degrees centigrade. There are t wo domestic airports and an international cargo airport, as well.

Sandy beaches - Take your pick

San Vicente, San Jacinto, San Clemente, Puerto Cayo, Puerto Rico, Puerto Lopez, Crucita, Canoa, Cojimies, Pedernales, and Jaramijo are all lovely beaches backed by fishing villages. These beaches stretch over 300km along the coast of Manabi. Frequented year-round, Manabi’s resorts offer peace and quiet as well as delicious, uniquely coastal cuisine. The surrounding vegetation is made up of mangroves, thickets, and woods. Villages such as Puerto López and Pedernales have become resorts with good hotel infrastructure and act as departure points for trips to places like Machalilla National Park. More isolated hotels and ecolodges made of cane and other locally produced materials are also popular tourist destinations.

Towns - History, Customs, and Handicrafts

Manta, the country's second largest port, with its extensive hotel facilities, is Manabi's major city. Its main beach, Murciélago, has a modern boardwalk with a variety of restaurants offering local culinary specialties and the region's most delicious drinks. In recent years, it has become a popular stop for international cruise liners sailing from the Caribbean to Latin America. The city has several bars and discotheques, which are often frequented by tourists, especially on the weekends. In October, Manta welcomes dozens of performers who come to the Chusig Theater for the International Theater Festival.

Bahía de Caraquez also has many first-class hotels and places to relax and enj oy you rself. Many people chose to take a short boat ride across the Chone River to enjoy a day in neighboring San Vicente. Alternatively, you can enjoy the beaches in Bahía ,.stroll along the boardwalk, or perhaps head off to a secluded beach such as Boca Brice?o or El Matal. Other places of interest include the Río Chone estuary, with its islands Corazón del Sol and Fragatas, the Central Bank's Museums, and the House of Culture.

Montecristi - History Among Hats

This village is internationally renowned for the high quality of the “Panama Hats” they produce (yes, you read correctly, Panama Hats are and always have been from Ecuador and not from Panama). Lying at the foot of a large hill called Montecristi, the small town of the same name has many attractions such as Eloy Alfaro’s (an ex-Ecuadorian President) house, the Hermanas Largacha Museum, and the Monserrate Sanctuary, where thousands of Ecuadorian and foreign pilgrims traditionally flock, especially on the weekends. Another place of interest is La Pila, whose artisans make a variety of sculptures and replicas of Pre-Colombian ceramics. In addition to hats, these artisan centers display other handmade crafts made of different types of straw and iron.

Machalilla National Park - Archaeology and Virgin Beaches

With its unspoiled, white beaches; its leafy, endemic vegetation; and La Isla de la Plata, where some of the Galapagos species thrive in abundance, Machalilla National Park is visited all year round by both local and foreign tourists. The main season is from June to October, which is when the whales come from the Antarctic to br eed in the region. Situated 80 km Portoviejo, the Park is also home to sites of archaeological interest such as Agua Blanca, with its remains of the Machalilla culture. Salango Island, where endangered species such as the anteater have found shelter, is also worth mentioning. south of the town of

Cuisine

Made of fish, shrimp, or shellfish, Ceviche is one of Manabi’s most mouth delectable specialties. In general, all types of seafood are very popular. But what you can find on the table on a daily, both for locals and tourists, are fish viche, made with peanuts, and sancocho, a loca delicacy made with plantains and fish. In Puerto Lopez, spondylus ceviche, a dish prepared from the spondylus shellfish, is also quite popular.