Puerto Lopez
Puerto Lopez is the main hub for life and travel on Ecuador’s coast. It’s a busy town where you can find a little of everything. Complete with a bit of beach life, hiking in the national park nearby, whale watching, diving, fresh seafood and more. The locals are friendly, the food is good and the beach is well kept. If you’re coming to the coast at one time or another you’ll probably find yourself here if for no other reason than the bus terminal.
Best of Puerto Lopez
- The Beach – the sand it really nice here, the water is pleasant. There are bamboo crafted bars and snack shops lining the oceanfront. Chairs and umbrellas available for rent. Overall, it’s one of the nicest beaches in Ecuador second to only the legendary Los Frailes and Playa Montanita.
- Isla de la Plata (see guide here) – this is the main reason travelers come to Puerto Lopez. It’s the setting off point for boat tours to the island. Here you can swim with turtles, check out the whales from June to October, get your bird watching on and more.
- Playa Los Frailes (see guide here) – located 15 minutes up the road you can find Machalilla National Park home to a handful of beaches most popular being Los Frailes. By popular vote it’s known as the most beautiful beach in all of Ecuador. It’s quite legendary among Ecuadorians.
- Whale Watching – June to October whale come to the area from the south to deliver their offspring. Tours are priced $15-20 or can be done in combination with the Isla del la Plata tour.
- Diving – Puerto Lopez isn’t really known as a prime diving location. If you’re already a certified diver I would probably recommend diving elsewhere. Unless it’s June to October when the manta rays are in the area. If you’re a newbie looking to gain certification then diving here might be a good choice for you. I took the open water class over three days with Native Diving. It’s a French owner and operated shop right on the waterfront. The classes here are offered at much cheaper rate than most of South America. Open water being listed at $300 and the combo open water & advanced priced at $450 over 5 days. Keep in mind that the shop is run mostly by volunteers. There is a bit of room for bargaining with the prices just make sure you come in the evenings when the manager is in the shop to negotiate 😉
- Agua Blanca – this is a small village located in between Puerto Lopez & Machalilla. It’s said to have been home to the oldest civilization in South America known as The Monteno. There is a museum, hiking trails and a sulfur lagoon. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to visit this time around but I would love to in the future.
- Machalilla – go spend some time wandering around an authentic fishing village just 15 minutes up the road from Puerto Lopez. It’s small and simple but has the most unique and genuine charm to it.
- Bird Watching at the Pier – okay, this might not be at the top of anyone’s bucket list but it’s a cool way to pass some time. Come out to the pier any evening and watch the blue footed boobies dive bombing for fish. They come crashing down and flow through the water like miniature torpedoes chasing dinner. It’s both surprising and highly entertaining to see how deep & fiercely these little guys dive.
Accommodations
Puerto Lopez is probably 60% hostel & hotel, It’s one of those places that you’ll do best showing up and finding a place in person as long as it isn’t a holiday.
- Hostel Maxima – At $7 for dorm and $10 for private p/p this is a decent pick. Two blocks from the beach with plenty of hammocks, common areas and a kitchen it’s a good value for money.
- Guest House Machalilla (top pick) – this is a tiny locally owned guest house in Machalilla 15 minutes up the road from Puerto Lopez. $12 for a private room & bathroom. Shared kitchen and a great view overlooking the ocean from a hilltop a few blocks from the beach. I stayed here for ten days and loved it. Juan Carlos is the local owner and part of your payment goes towards replanting the coral reef him and a group of international volunteers are attempting to restore. This place is tiny, only two finished rooms with a few more in the works. Because of the limited space reservations are a must.
Food
- Carmita’s – on the left side of the ocean front. This is a favorite with the tourist if you are looking for a well kept place.
- Mercado – (top pick) the local marketplace is a local favorite. Located on the far side of the main road, ask any local for directions. Meals priced around $3 including soup, main dish and a drink.
- Fish Market – fisherman return to sell their daily catches on the left side of the beach just before the pier. This is an awesome place to pick up some cheap seafood to cook yourself. Go early in the morning or in the evenings for the freshest catches.
- Supermarket – TIA on the mainroad is one of the only supermarkets you’ll find on the coast. It’s small but they have everything you need.
- Fruits & Veggies – the mercado from my top pick recommendation also has a fresh fruits and veggies section. This is probably the best option to buy on the coast. It beats out the supermarket selection in Puerto Lopez as well.
Onward Travel
North: Buses run to Quito and up the coast frequently.
South: Buses run frequently down the coast.
Heading to Latacunga to visit Laguna Quilotoa? Take bus via Quevedo 0730, 0930 or 1130.
*Heading to Banos? The bus company employee told me that there are buses every 30 mins to Banos from Quevedo. This is NOT true! From Quevedo you connect to Ambato and finally Banos. On paper it’s the same distance as traveling via Guayaquil but it took 14 hours in all to arrive! I would recommend heading to Guayaquil and connecting to Banos from there.
Afterthoughts
In my opinion Puerto Lopez lacks a real charm. It’s nice and all but not one of those places that you’ll be dying to return to. I think our Air B&B owner from Machalilla said it best, “Puerto Lopez is a fishing village that has lost its soul”. With that said Puerto Lopez is still a decent place. The first few blocks leading away from the beach are fairly well kept but it declines from there on out. It never felt unsafe to me but just isn’t really pleasing to the eye. If it rains the streets become super muddy, even though the streets aren’t dirt. Nonetheless Isla de la Plata is a must especially if skipping over The Galapagos.
Bonus
- Banco Pichincha on the ocean front offers a service fee free ATM. (keep in mind that your own bank may charge an international fee)
- For the love of God don’t do laundry anywhere in Puerto Lopez (if you’re on a budget). Most of the country does laundry priced per kilo but of the 3 laundry business in the town they all charge flat rate per bin. Big rip off, my $4 laundry by weight would have costed $12 in Puerto Lopez.
