Discover the 13 beaches of Manta
Manta is a city in Ecuador, known as the first fishing port of the country and an international port on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, where thousands of people come to visit its beaches. What many do not know is that Manta has not only one beach, but 13 beaches, each with its own charm, and not far from a rainforest where you can hear howler monkeys.
How to get to Manta
There are different ways to get to Manta, if your location is Quito, you can take a bus that takes between 7 to 8 hours, if you go by car it can take about 6 hours. If you come by plane, it is between 30 to 45 minutes from Quito. If you are in Guayaquil, the time is much less, about 3 hours by bus.
If you are in Portoviejo, the time is about 45 minutes.
What to do in Manta
Now the good stuff, what to do? Definitely the beaches are one of the attractions that the city has, but many only come to one or two beaches because they do not know the others that are very close and offer different activities.
Visit the 13 beaches of Manta
Manta is a city that grows towards the south and has several beaches near Portoviejo. I will mention in order from north to south the beaches you can visit:
- Los Esteros Beach
- Playita Mía
- Tarqui Beach
- El Murciélago Beach
- Barbasquillo Beach
- Piedra Larga Beach
- San Mateo Beach
- La Tiñosa Beach
- Santa Marianita Beach
- Ligüiqui Beach
- San Lorenzo Beach
- Las Piñas Beach
- Santa Rosa Beach
Discover the local beaches of Los Esteros, Playita Mía and Tarqui.
The beaches of Los Esteros, Playita Mía and Tarqui are located in the north of the city, very close to the airport of Manta. It’s easy to get there and to park your car.
They are very popular with the locals, who usually spend their afternoons there. In Tarqui Beach there are several typical restaurants with prices much more affordable than those of the Murcielago Beach.
An early morning visit to the Tarqui seafood market is also very interesting.
In this place you will also find the Manta shipyard, where you can watch the construction of ships.
Enjoy the popular beaches of El Murciélago and Barbasquillo.
The beaches of El Murciélago and Barbasquillo are the most popular, and most of the people who visit them live or stay in the center of the city.
El Murciélago beach has restaurants and a plaza where you can buy handicrafts. We recommend caution when entering the sea due to its currents. Its waters are ideal for water sports such as surfing (board and bodyboard), windsurfing, kite boarding, sport fishing, among others.
Relaxing at Piedra Larga, San Mateo, La Tiñosa and Santa Marianita Beach
The beaches of Piedra Larga, San Mateo, La Tiñosa and Santa Marianita are located on the same route to the south or to Puerto Lopez following the coastal route or the Spondylus route.
You can take a mini tour and visit them all, have a cocktail at Piedra Larga, enjoy La playa San Mateo and La tiñosa, and enjoy the sunset at Santa Marianita. I assure you, they are very different, but you will always find food and lodging.
Peace and tranquility on the beaches of Ligüiqui, San Lorenzo, Las Piñas and Santa Rosa.
If what you want is much more tranquility, away from the noise of the city and much more relaxed, the beaches of Ligüiqui, San Lorenzo, Las Piñas and Santa Rosa are ideal. But wait, before you get to these beautiful beaches of Manta, you will pass through a spectacular place: The Pacoche Forest.
Visit the Protected Forest of Pacoche
The Pacoche Forest has a microclimate that can be tropical at the beginning of the year and very cold. It is like being in a magical forest. There you can go hiking, go into the forest to listen to the howler monkeys and observe different animals typical of the place. It may be foggy in the forest of Pacoche, but in a few minutes you will find the beaches with a very different climate.
The weather in Manta
Manta has a different climate, due to its geographical location there are factors that soften and change the climate and make it much more pleasant. But if you want sunny weather, we recommend the months of December to February, which is the beach season. The months like April and May tend to rain, the other months you can have cloudy and cool or sunny weather to enjoy those fabulous sunsets.
To learn more, please read our article on Weather in the Beaches of Ecuador
Where to stay and sleep in Manta
There is no need to worry about hotels in Manta. There are hotels of all prices and comforts.
See the best hotels in Manta in our article or if you prefer you can also see the hotels in Booking and choose as you like.
Restaurants and gastronomy of Manta
Places to eat and the style you are looking for can be found in every corner of Manta. Manta is a city of gastronomic diversity. Whether you come as a backpacker or on a cruise ship, you will always enjoy a varied and delicious meal.
Recommendations
Manta is constantly solving pollution problems caused by the fish processing industry, and some beaches are very close, so we do not recommend swimming there, but this does not stop you from visiting them, as they are traditional and the people are very friendly.