Esmeraldas, Ecuador

Esmeraldas is a coastal city in Ecuador, It has one of the most popular beaches in Ecuador. Thousands of tourists come to Esmeraldas to enjoy the beautiful warm tropical weather, not cold at all and not too hot. You can swim in the ocean and enjoy big waves, The beaches are not as fancy as those in Hawaii or Miami, but that is what makes the Esmeraldas beaches more cozy.

Understand

Esmeraldas is the wettest coastal province and summer is simply less rainy than the rest of the year. Most days in Esmeraldas is bright sun, with a tropical shower in the afternoon and at night. January-February are the best months to visit Esmeraldas, as they receive the most sun. They are also the hottest months. The northern coast and tropical forests of Esmeraldas receive more rain than the southern beaches and savannah.

As of October of 2019, the US State Department has given Esmeraldas a travel advisory level of "Do not travel".

Get in

By plane

• 1 Colonel Carlos Concha Torres Airport (ESM  ^IATA). TAME, the national airline of Ecuador ceased operations leaving Esmeraldas with no commercial air service.  

By bus

Trans Esmeraldas station is by the main park.

• Ambato, (8 hr, $6.50)
• Bahía de Caráquez, vía Santo Domingo ($6.80)
• Guayaquil, every hour (8 hr, $5.80)
• Manta ($6.80)
• Muisne, every hour (3.5 hr, $1.70)
• Portoviejo ($2.90)
• Quevedo (6 hr)
• Quito (5-9 hr, $7)
• San Lorenzo, daily (6 hr, $5.50)
• Santo Domingo, (4 hr, $2.50)
• Suá, Same, and Atacames, every few minutes
• La Tola (3.5 hr, $1.80)

See

Go to Súa. It is an important fishing village with several species of seabirds. There are also basic whale watching tours offered from June-September.

• 1 Museo Regional de Arqueologia, Piedrahita 316. Tracing the history and culture of the area with a special focus on blacks. (updated Nov 2020)

Do

• 1 Malecón de Tachina (in the town of Tachina across the river from Esmeraldas). Little overlook on the Rio Esmeraldas. Not the prettiest spot but it gives one an interesting view of the coastal topography and the city of Esmeraldas. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Playa de las Palmas. Esmeraldas municipal beach, with a boardwalk and food court. There are often oil tankers offshore, but, hey, it's a beach. (updated Nov 2020)

Buy

• Cayapa Basket Market (Across from the post office). 
• Más por Menos Supermarket. Imported goods. 
• Tolita Artefacts (3 doors down from the post office). 

Eat

On the coast of Ecuador, you can get seafood at good prices. For $6 you can get a nice dish of delicious spiced rice with shrimp and fried green plantain or you can get a ceviche for $4. You can get a nice fry fish with beans and rice or a hot seafood soup. If you have not eaten lobster for a long time, here is your chance, as you can get a delicious spiced lobster for $12-15.

Restaurants

• Los Alamos (9 de Octubre, close to the plaza). 
• Balcón del Pacífico (Bolivar and 10 de Agosto). 
• Budapest (Cañizares 214 and Bolivar). 
• Chifa Restaurante Asiático (Cañizares and Bolivar). Chinese. 
• La Marimba Internacional (Libertad and Lavallen). 
• Las Redes (At the main plaza). Seafood. 

Drink

Enjoy party nights in Atacames, a city 20 min away from Esmeraldas. In Atacames you can find different kiosks with very loud music making natural juices, margaritas, piñas coladas and more. There many clubs there to go out dancing. Salsa, merengue, reggeaton, etc., just for $2.

• Bien Colado (On the Ciudadela Concordia, South Esmeraldas). Cocktails (updated Jul 2017)
• Scala (on the Malecón). Disco-bar. 

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Las Palmas, Avenida Kennedy (across from Playa de las Palmas), ☏ +593 99 556 5066. It's an okay beach hotel with a restaurant/bar, but it might get kind of loud and cost a bit. $64. 
• Diana (Cañizares and Sucre), ☏ +593 6 27923. Allows stays of one month or more. 
• Hostal El Cisne (10 de Agosto e/ Olmedo y Colón), ☏ +593 6 721-588, +593 6 723-411. 
• Hotel Estuario (Ave. Libertad y Gran Colombia (corner)), ☏ +593 6 720-393, +593 6 721-399, +593 6 724-798. 
• Hotel Tahiti (Hotel Tahiti), Atacames. A hotel with normal rooms. Has a pool and is on the beach. From $15. 
• Mompiche Beach Lodge. 70 hectares of tropical forest along the Bay of Mompiche and its nearby surroundings, with natural attractions which have been preserved intact over time. 
• Zulema 2 (Malecón and Rocafuerte), ☏ +593 6 726757. 
• 2 Hotel Perla Verde, Piedrahita, ☏ +593 6 271 2841. Downtown Esmeraldas has a very gritty feel, but this is quite a homey hotel with restaurant/bar, rooms with Latin America decor, and a modern exterior. $55. (updated Nov 2020)
• 3 Olan's Hotel Group, Eloy Alfaro & 9 de Octubre. Corner urban hotel with wifi, bar, a/c. $54. (updated Nov 2020)
• 4 Hotel Soberao, Via del Pacifico, ☏ +593 98 243 1561. Beachside hotel with a pool with rooms looking out on the ocean and on-site restaurant. $44. (updated Nov 2020)