Esmeraldas is a coastal city in Ecuador, It has one of the most popular beaches in Ecuador. Thousands of tourists come to Esmeraldas to enjoy the beautiful warm tropical weather, not cold at all and not too hot. You can swim in the ocean and enjoy big waves, The beaches are not as fancy as those in Hawaii or Miami, but that is what makes the Esmeraldas beaches more cozy.
Understand
Esmeraldas is the wettest coastal province and summer is simply less rainy than the rest of the year. Most days in Esmeraldas is bright sun, with a tropical shower in the afternoon and at night. January-February are the best months to visit Esmeraldas, as they receive the most sun. They are also the hottest months. The northern coast and tropical forests of Esmeraldas receive more rain than the southern beaches and savannah.
As of October of 2019, the US State Department has given Esmeraldas a travel advisory level of "Do not travel".
Get in
By plane
- Colonel Carlos Concha Torres Airport (IATA: ESM), 0.978611°, -79.626667°. TAME, the national airline of Ecuador ceased operations leaving Esmeraldas with no commercial air service.
By bus
Trans Esmeraldas station is by the main park.
- Ambato, (8 hr, $6.50)
- Bahía de Caráquez, vía Santo Domingo ($6.80)
- Guayaquil, every hour (8 hr, $5.80)
- Manta ($6.80)
- Muisne, every hour (3.5 hr, $1.70)
- Portoviejo ($2.90)
- Quevedo (6 hr)
- Quito (5-9 hr, $7)
- San Lorenzo, daily (6 hr, $5.50)
- Santo Domingo, (4 hr, $2.50)
- Suá, Same, and Atacames, every few minutes
- La Tola (3.5 hr, $1.80)
Get around
See
Go to Súa. It is an important fishing village with several species of seabirds. There are also basic whale watching tours offered from June-September.
- Museo Regional de Arqueologia, Piedrahita 316, 0.96543°, -79.65189°. Tracing the history and culture of the area with a special focus on blacks. 2020-11-05
Do
- Malecón de Tachina, 0.96238°, -79.63087°. Little overlook on the Rio Esmeraldas. Not the prettiest spot but it gives one an interesting view of the coastal topography and the city of Esmeraldas. 2020-11-05
- Playa de las Palmas, 0.9912°, -79.6594°. Esmeraldas municipal beach, with a boardwalk and food court. There are often oil tankers offshore, but, hey, it's a beach. 2020-11-05
Buy
- Cayapa Basket Market.
- Más por Menos Supermarket. Imported goods.
- Tolita Artefacts.
Eat
On the coast of Ecuador, you can get seafood at good prices. For $6 you can get a nice dish of delicious spiced rice with shrimp and fried green plantain or you can get a ceviche for $4. You can get a nice fry fish with beans and rice or a hot seafood soup. If you have not eaten lobster for a long time, here is your chance, as you can get a delicious spiced lobster for $12-15.
Restaurants
- Los Alamos.
- Balcón del Pacífico.
- Budapest.
- Chifa Restaurante Asiático. Chinese.
- La Marimba Internacional.
- Las Redes. Seafood.
Drink
Enjoy party nights in Atacames, a city 20 min away from Esmeraldas. In Atacames you can find different kiosks with very loud music making natural juices, margaritas, piñas coladas and more. There many clubs there to go out dancing. Salsa, merengue, reggeaton, etc., just for $2.
- Bien Colado. Cocktails 2017-07-20
- Scala. Disco-bar.
Sleep
- Hotel Las Palmas, Avenida Kennedy (across from Playa de las Palmas), 0.98975°, -79.65979°, +593 99 556 5066. It's an okay beach hotel with a restaurant/bar, but it might get kind of loud and cost a bit. $64
- Diana, +593 6 27923. Allows stays of one month or more.
- Hostal El Cisne, +593 6 721-588,+593 6 723-411.
- Hotel Estuario, +593 6 720-393, +593 6 721-399, +593 6 724-798.
- Hotel Tahiti (Hotel Tahiti), Atacames. A hotel with normal rooms. Has a pool and is on the beach. From $15
- Mompiche Beach Lodge. 70 hectares of tropical forest along the Bay of Mompiche and its nearby surroundings, with natural attractions which have been preserved intact over time.
- Zulema 2, +593 6 726757.
- Hotel Perla Verde, Piedrahita, 0.96533°, -79.65306°, +593 6 271 2841. Downtown Esmeraldas has a very gritty feel, but this is quite a homey hotel with restaurant/bar, rooms with Latin America decor, and a modern exterior. $55 2020-11-05
- Olan's Hotel Group, Eloy Alfaro & 9 de Octubre, 0.96571°, -79.65541°. Corner urban hotel with wifi, bar, a/c. $54 2020-11-05
- Hotel Soberao, Via del Pacifico, 0.98453°, -79.60225°, +593 98 243 1561. Beachside hotel with a pool with rooms looking out on the ocean and on-site restaurant. $44 2020-11-05
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