ruta del sol

Explore the Sunny Pacific Coast of Ecuador. . .

This Study and Travel program (photos above) is centered on the fishing town of Puerto Lopez on the Pacific coast in the province of Manabí. During your stay there you will visit a village located in the dry forest of the coast along with an archeological site of the Manteño period, explore a prisine beach in the Machalilla National Park, have a chance to see whales during the summer season, and travel down to the surf capital of Ecuador, Montañita in the province of Santa Elena.

Some of the highlights . . .

  • Visit Agua Blanca village with its sulphur lagoon and archeological site
  • Explore a dry forest reserve
  • Visit Los Frailes beach in the Machalilla National Park
  • See the fishermen bringing in their catch on the beach
  • Enjoy the delicious sea food of the coast
  • Relax on beautiful beaches
  • See whales breaching (July to September only)
  • Try surfing in Montañita and enjoy the party atmosphere!

The program finishes on Friday after classes in the morning, and you can either return to Quito by overnight bus or stay on to enjoy other options like an all day visit to the Isla de la Plata, known as the "poor man's Galapagos" as some of the same species also live there or Salango island for snorkeling.

The stretch of coast in Manabi and Santa Elena has a long history of settlement dating back thousands of years to the early Valdivian culture. Agua Blanca is the site of archeological remains and a small museum devoted to this culture.

"This was a great week! Thank you Yanapuma. I loved the laid-back ambience of the villages along this stretch of coast, and especially the fresh fruit juice bars along the sea front in Puerto Lopez. Another highlight was Agua Blanca and its beautiful forests and sulphur lagoon for swimming in."

Click to contact us for a more detailed itinerary