Historical ruins of Ecuador are a must see.
What is the climate like?
The coast of Ecuador has 2 seasons: wet and dry. The rainy season is approximately December – March and paradoxically this is also the sunniest time of the year (think morning rain with the sun coming out full force in the afternoon). The dry season is typically overcast yet still warm although there are also many days of full blown sunshine. Temperatures year-round are 70-90 degrees F. In our house in Crucita, we are very comfortable year-round with the windows open to let in the ocean breeze or with the ceiling fan on. To get an idea of average monthly temps for the region you can go to www.wunderground.com and type in Manta, Ecuador and then look for the monthly averages.
What are the beaches like?
The beaches around San Jacinto and Canoa are great! Sandy, flat and lots of it, even during high tide.
Can you swim in the water?
Yes-the waters are swimmable year-round.
What about access to potable water?
Water access: Each home typically has a cistern that is filled as needed by a water truck. It costs about $30 to fill a 8 cubic meter cistern. From the cistern a water pump is used to deliver water to the home under pressure. The water comes from a treatment plant but precaution is advised and the water should not be considered potable! You can readily purchase bottled water. Or what we do in our home in Crucita is we have a filter on our kitchen tap that we use for our drinking water.
What about access to electricity?
Access to electricity: Currently all our properties have ready access to electricity.
What voltage is used there?
The voltage used here is 110V (same as U.S.). For higher loads, like air conditioning, 220V is available.
What about internet access?
There is an satellite-based internet installation company that charges $50/month for “broadband” which is not the broadband as we know it in the US but nevertheless is functional. Samuel, the owner only charges the monthly fee when you’re in town. When we leave for months at a time we let him know in advance and we aren’t charged. He comes and sets up the system and provides free maintenance if needed.
What do you do for a phone there?
Landlines for telephones are becoming a thing of the past here. Nearly everyone has a cell phone which you can purchase for as little as $30 and then use prepaid calling cards (no plan or contract is required). There are 2 main companies: Porta or Moviestar. Cell phone coverage for both companies tends to be very good around the country.
Is there road access?
Currently all of our properties have road access.
View of the mountains from the city tops.
Do I need a visa to visit Ecuador?
All you need is a valid passport which entitles you to 90 days in country as a tourist. You can request an extension of another 90 days. You can also apply for residency.
How do you get there?
You can arrange an international flight into either the Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE) airport. Arriving from Quito: You can take another flight into either the Portoviejo (PVO) or Manta (MEC) airport. These flights are ~30 min in duration and ~$75 each way. There are sometimes flights in Bahia de Caraquez (BHA) but these are only during major holidays. From either PVO or MEC it is less than a 3 hour drive. You can take a bus, rent a car, or hire a taxi. From Guayaquil: There are no flights to nearby cities from Guayaquil. It is roughly a 6-8 hour drive either by bus, rental car, or taxi. We are happy to help you make travel arrangements to come view any of our properties (and no, we wouldn’t charge you a fee!).
How far is it to the nearest city?
The nearest major cities to San Jacinto are Bahia de Caraquez and Portoviejo. From Canoa, the closest major city is Bahia de Caraquez.
Where are the closest airports?
There are three airports within 1-1.5 hours from the San Jacinto to Canoa areas: Manta (MEC) and Portoviejo (PVO) have daily flights to/from Quito. The airport at Bahia de Caraquez (BHA) currently offers flights only during major holidays. For more info on how to arrive to visit our properties, see Answer 21.
What airlines fly from the U.S. to Ecuador?
Delta and American have regular flights to Ecuador. Latin American-based airlines like TACA and LAN-Ecuador are very good and actually tend to provide better service.
Can I rent a car in Ecuador?
Yes, you can rent a car at most airports in Ecuador but it is more expensive than in the U.S. Another option is to hire a driver to avoid having to deal with the chaos of city driving.
What does gas cost there?
Gas prices are regulated by the government and amount to $1.48/gallon.
Are there hospitals nearby?
There is a medical clinic in Charapoto (about 10 minutes from San Jacinto). There are hospitals in Rocafuerte (30 min from San Jacinto) and in Bahia de Caraquez (about 40 minutes from both San Jacinto and Canoa). Both Guayaquil and Quito have modern hospitals. We used Hosptial Metropolitano in Quito and were very impressed.
Quaint Ecuadorian farms are where many of the locals live.
Are there any vaccines that are necessary?
There are no required vaccinations but for safety’s sake, it’s a good idea to have vaccinations for Hepatitis A/B and typhoid. Malaria is not an issue on the coast (except in the Esmeraldes Province in the north). However, if you plan to spend time in the Oriente (the lowland jungles) you should consider getting a Yellow Fever vaccination and purchasing anti-malaria meds.
Are there lots of mosquitoes and other bugs?
Bugs aren’t a real problem (especially compared to other places we’ve lived, like Florida!), especially with the consistent onshore breeze in the area. Bugs, including mosquitos, are virtually absent in the dry season. In the rainy season mosquitoes do appear. Nonetheless, the mosquitoes really are nothing though compared to other places we’ve lived (like Florida!).
Is there good fishing?
Yes-there is definitely good fishing (and eating)! Sea bass, mahi-mahi, tuna, marlin, snapper, etc.
Other than fishing, what other activities are around?
Other nearby outdoor activities include surfing, paragliding, horseback riding, sea kayaking, whale-watching. We’ll be expanding on these soon so check back!
Wide Ecuadorian beaches allow a lot of sunbathing room.
When is whale watching season?
Humpback whale-watching season is from June-October.
