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City in Manabí, Ecuador
Photo: Jmorenov007, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bahía de Caráquez is a resort town in Ecuador on a peninsula by the Chone River and the Pacific Ocean. While during the weekends most people head off to Canoa for their partying, around Bahía you can find many activities such as bird watching on the Isla Corazon, paragliding near the cliffs of Canoa, surfing, and many volunteer experiences also abound.
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A great little museum . A number of interesting artifacts from indigenous societies are on display and have been well documented. A multi-lingual guide will accompany you at no additional cost.
Chirije (chee-ree-hey) is the newest and most attractive ecological and archaeological park along the Ecuadorian coast. Completed in 1996, Chirije is surrounded by 238 hectares of dry tropical forest and miles of unspoiled beaches. This valley was the home of many consecutive pre-Columbian settlements. Chirije is one of the many interesting archaeological sites of coastal Ecuador. The archaeologist Emilio Estrada discovered the site in the 1950s, and named a new culture called the Chirije culture here. Chirije, an ancient seaport, was the site of the great settlement of the Bahia culture (500 BCE-500 CE). These seafaring merchants traded skillfully crafted ornaments or whole shells as far north as Mexico and as far south as Chile, for gold, copper and other precious items.
More than just pizza. The pizza is good, and is popular for take out. There are many other things on the menu. The shrimp in fresh sauce is fantastic at USD4.79. The fish in asparagus sauce is also excellent at about the same price. One may dine inside, or sit on the sidewalk and watch the passing people. The owner, Elizabeth, is very friendly and takes pride in the quality of the food.
Delightful al fresco restaurant. As the name implies, there are many shrimp dishes on the menu, along with some fish and chicken as well.
There are four, almost identical, barbecue restaurants next to the ferry landing. Each features charcoal broiled beef or chicken and fried fish or shrimp.
Excellent Mexican food: burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, flautas, tacos, quesadillas, etc. The most popular dish is the "Rey de Burrito" which is quite big and very delicious. The owner, Maria Elena de Dueñas, looks forward for high quality food and is very friendly. Home delivery service.
Saiananda is a serene marina and resort just five minutes from Bahia. They have beautiful gardens with a large and diverse collection of birds including peacocks and parrots. They only serve a delicious three course vegetarian meal for USD12, but both the food and setting are wonderful.
Very friendly hostel. The ground floor is devoted to a bar and breakfast room in a garden setting. Up one flight, there is one very nice room with private bath and air-con for USD30.00. There are several communal rooms with bunk beds and shared bath that cost much less. A very nice balcony overlooks the park. There is a TV in the sitting room. The owner, Susy, is from Australia.
A modern hotel on the ocean at the tip of the peninsula. The two-story hotel is in a "U" shape which is open on the sea side. There is a swimming pool in the center of the "U". The restaurant balcony is over the ocean. The hotel looks extremely clean and convenient, although it occasionally runs out of hot water. The most expensive, although not a bad value at USD48 without breakfast.
You can get to Bahia de Caraquez by bus from Quito (8 hours) or Guayaquil (6 hours).
Read in the guideAs a small beachside town, there are few places in Bahia that cannot be reached in under 15 minutes on foot. The hospital is an exception, but may be reached by cab or the local bus.
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Manta · Regional · MEC
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Articles and travel topics about Bahia de Caraquez and Ecuador.
Travel tipsEcuador has historical and renovated haciendas or traditional ranches. Haciendas often cover large areas of land and incorporate agricultural operations and other businesses.
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Nature & adventureEcuador has 11 national parks and other types of reserves protecting an area of 26 million hectares (almost 20% of the country's total territory). The parks include some of Ecuador's most spectacular natural wonders.
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Nature & adventureThe wildlife is the prime reason for visiting the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The logistics of travelling to and around the islands as well as information on the islands is given in the Galapagos Islands article…
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ItinerariesThe Quilotoa Loop is a challenging 3-to-5-day hike in Ecuador that takes you through high Andean villages and past Laguna Quilotoa, a crater lake surrounded by volcanic peaks.
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