Los Frailes
Los Frailes is a beach located on the coast of Ecuador in Machalilla National Park. It’s long been considered the most beautiful beach in all of Ecuador by travelers and locals alike. The park is well kept and a must see if you ever find yourself on Ecuador’s coast.
How to Get There
- From Puerto Lopez (read guide here) take a shared taxi for $1 or catch a bus passing on the main road heading for anywhere north of Puerto Lopez $0.50. With either option you’ll arrive in around 15 minutes.
- From Machalilla you can easily walk to the park entrance or catch a moto taxi $0.50-$1.00
What to Expect
- Once you arrive you must sign in with the park staff. Have a picture of your passport or remember the numbers. There is no fee for any national park in Ecuador.
- The biggest decision of the day…Head straight for the would be grand finally, Playa Los Frailes or take the marked trail on your right via a few other beaches and look out points? I hope you picked the trail, it’s more than worth the 3 km walk!
- The park closes at 5pm. Note that a few hours before that staff will start to close the beaches found on the trail leaving only Los Frailes open until closing.
- If visiting on a sunny day note that neither the trail nor the beaches have much shade. Bring water and sunscreen. The sun can be brutally strong! Beach umbrellas can be rented from the parking lot of Los Frailes.
3 Km, 2 Hours. A little longer if you’re like me and like to snap an obscene amount of photos 🙂
Mirador Islote Sucre
First up you’ll arrive at an awesome lookout point overlooking the ocean. Over to your right you can see the town of Machalilla along the coast.
Playa Prieta
This is a small beach which you’ll most likely have to yourself. A little too small for lounging and full of small crabs. Watch out for the high tide, water makes its way pretty far up the small beach. Keep your eyes open for small lizards that seemed to love this spot especially.
Playa Tortuguita
Next up you’ll come to the beautiful Little Turtle Beach, my personal favorite. It’s a gorgeous stretch of beach with perfect sand. Best of all you’ll probably have this one to yourself as well. Aside from the occasional passerby on their way to Los Frailes.
Mirador Las Fragates
Climb up onto the wooden tower atop the hill for another awesome lookout point. Get your first glimpse of Los Frailes. The tower allows for a 360 degree view of the park and ocean. The walk to the mirador is the only part of the trail with noticeable uphill. But don’t worry, the view will be worth the bit of sweat 😉
Playa Tortugita
Los Frailes
Los Frailes
Last but not least in the slightest bit continue the trail and reach the sandy beach of Los Frailes. Arguably the most popular vote for most beautiful Ecuadorian beach by locals and visitors. If you’re planning on hanging out for a while there are bathrooms and a man renting sun umbrellas near the parking lot.
To Return
- At the street entrance of Los Frailes you’ll find bathrooms, some snacks for sell and moto taxi waiting to take you back to the main road $1 p/p.
- From the main entrance wait for the next passing shared taxi $1 or bus $0.50.
