Sea and Stay Part 1

 Manabi  Region Ayampe - Ecuador  

Sea and Stay - Part 1

United Military Travel flew us from 

Washington, DC to Guayaquil, Ecuador in a

 meer 7 hours - ones of the most painless 

flights ever (another reason why we love 

UMT)!  Before our arrival we had arranged for 

a pick up from the hotel we were staying with;

 I highly suggest doing so to ensure safe and

 reliable transportation.

  Ecuador is broken down into providences 

and we traveled north west to the coastal region of Manabi in 

about 3 hours from the airport. 

 You could fly into Manta International Airport for a shorter 

commute to Manabi but the 

airfare is more expensive. 

My husband surfs and I am a beach bum so we chose to make 

Ayampe our 

home base for the entire 10 days, as it is one of the top surf 

destinations in Ecuador.   Ayampe to

 us is more of a holistic community rather than a town - call it a

 village if you will.  

There we stayed at La Buena Vida Bungalows, 

www.surflabuenavida.com, and if you are looking for small

 personal accommodations we highly

 suggest staying there.  The owner's, Keith and Marilyn Keller,

 are from Virginia Beach, Virginia

 and provide you with American style services but in an

 Ecuadorian atmosphere.  You will see 

them and their three kids everyday and probably get to know

 them on a first name basis. Also, 

they have two dogs, Reef and Rusty and a cat named Panko.

  The dogs will be your tour guides if

 you let them and if you give the kitty bacon he will be your best

 friend!

Not a surfer?  That is ok!  

Ayampe also offers yoga, mountain biking, world class fishing, 

and deserted beaches - it just takes 20 minutes to walk around 

the town to find them all :) Also, you 

can walk to the bus stop to go anywhere but we chose Puerto

 Lopez, Montanita, and a private 

beach in a Machalilla National Park. 

If you are a food junkie like me here are my restaurant 

recommendations:

La Buena Vida: Breakfast (which is included in stay) and salad bar for lunch

El Paso:  Lunch and dinner for local food

Finca Punta: Dinner for ceviche and jungle atmosphere

La Orisha's:  Most amazing italian food and pizza in Ayampe

Coming up...Part 2 = Puerto Lopez, Montanita, and

Machalilla National Park