The Ecuadorean coast is one hidden surf beach after the other.
Try-out in Santa Marianita. Go out a weekend to get lessons. Make a surf trip to discover other breaks.
Your search for waves its over
Welcome Surfers
Beginners & Advanced
Surf in Santa Marianita
Though Santa Marianita is most known for its strong consistent winds attracting mostly kitesurfers, we have a blast surfing as well.
Mornings and evenings are windstill, ideal for beginners to paddle out. Between December and April, winds even dy down completely and make place for bigger waves from northern swells.
Spotting from land: In Santa Marianita, the whales come extremely close to shore. From Punta La Barca’s hill you easily see several whales a day jumping out of the water. No need to be staring at the water: the splashes are easily notices while relaxing in the hammock or getting work done in the cabañita. Binoculars are available at Punta La Barca to get a better view.
Getting closer: Both scary and amazing, getting close with the whales is an honour of nature you treasure forever.
Kitesurfing. Whale season is in the middle of windy season, giving plenty of occasions to grab your luck and kite towards the place where you’ve seen a whale jumping out. Important is to look good where the whale is heading, so you have an idea where he might jump out next and keep your distance.
Waves: beach breWaves: beach break
Where: in front (a bit right) of Punta La Barca
When: beginners, all year long. Advanced, january-april, on swells from the north.
Nice to know: There’s some rocks at one side. We prefer lower tides cause waves form longer and close less violently.
Mornings and evenings are nice cause there’s less wind and less sun.
Advanced surfers, bring your own board! There is no surf rental (yet) in Santa Marianita.
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Where: in front (a bit right) of Punta La Barca
When: beginners, all year long. Advanced, january-april, on swells from the north.
Nice to know: There’s some rocks at one side. We prefer lower tides cause waves form longer and close less violently.
Mornings and evenings are nice cause there’s less wind and less sun.
Advanced surfers, bring your own board! There is no surf rental (yet) in Santa Marianita.
Surf trips
There’s three different spots in the range of 10km around Santa Marianita, and a bunch more in day-trip range, all reachable by public transport. With a surf-minded group at Punta La Barca we often organize us to get there together with our pick-up.
Waves: point break, left wave
Where: playa La Tiñosa is 5 km north of Santa Marianita. From Punta la Barca, walk down the beach 40 minutes to arrive at La Tiñosa. You can also take a camionetta to Manta and get out the cross point in a dry river valley (ask the driver).
From there, walk 5 minutes towards playa La Tiñosa. The wave is on the left side next to the big rock in the form of an arch.
When: december-april, on wells from the north
Nice to know: Very nice little beach. There’s nothing more then one or two cabañas that might serve you a gato encerrado or empanada after surfing.
With low tide, you can climb on the arch rock formation for an amazing lookout.
Waves: beach break, violent and steep
Where: San Lorenzo is 10km south of Santa Marianita, a 10 minute pick-up ride.
For going solo, take first a camionetta towards Manta, get out in ‘los sauces’ (ruta del sol, ask the driver).
Once there, take a camionetta to San Lorenzo (going south, that’s on your right).
Waves are all along the beach in front of the village centre of San Lorenzo.
When: december-april, on wells from the north
Nice to know: lots of turtle nests on this beach -chances you run into a hundred of baby turtles getting born are real in the early mornings.
Waves: beach break
Where: Along the ruta del sol 1,5 drive from Punta la Barca. For going solo, take a camionetta to Manta and get off at ‘los sauces’ (ask the driver). There, you can catch on one of the green Manglaralto busses that go south following the ruta del sol. Ask the driver to stop in Ayampe.
When: all year round
Nice to know: The beach and the village is beautifully natural, and side by side with the local, an alternative laid back surfer spirit is starting to settle in.
Ayampe is our prefered destination to get a day of surf lessons in. Great instructors, great beach, great boards, great athmosphere. Cost for a class is around 20$.
Waves: beach break
Where: Canoa is situated 100 km north of Santa Marianita. For going solo, take a camionetta to Manta and a taxi/bus to the Manta bus terminal. Buses to Canoa leave from the bus terminal (usually you’ll have to change bus in Bahia).
When: january to april, on swells from the north
Nice to know: Canoa is a nice laid back village with a mix of surfers and locals, and its share of bars and hostels. It suffered hard from the earthquake in 2016.. drink a cocktail extra, the locals can use it 🙂
Water temperature: around 24 degrees, no wetsuit needed. You might want to put a T-shirt against sun-burning though.
Beach: 7km long sandy beach, with the surfwaves coming in the southern part at playa punta la barca.
Crowd: nearly no people on the beach so plenty of space for making mistakes while learning, or going loco enjoying 🙂
Punta La Barca has two bodyboards and two beginner surf boards free to use. After a quick explanation you are ready to practice with them each day by yourself.
To get some lessons in, we take a daytrip to an extremely beginner-friendly beach more south, Ayampe. Cost range is about 20$ for an hour.
Waves: point break, long left waves
Where: San Mateo is 10km north of Santa Marianita, a 10 minute pick-up ride from Punta La Barca.
For going solo, take a camionetta towards Manta and get out at the cross point with San Mateo (on top of the mountain after the dry river valley, ask the driver).
Walk 10 minutes down the street till the beach. The wave is at the left side of Playa San Mateo.
When: january-april, on swells of the north
Nice to know: Rocky, be careful. There’s a surf club in front where you can rent and take classes.
Playa San Mateo is probably the most known and turistic beach around so you’ll find some bars, restaurant, and sunbathers there.
In 2012 a port was built in San Mateo, against the will of surfers.. this cut the extremely long point break in half, a pitty.
Waves: point break , very popular
Where: Montanita lays 130 km south of Santa Marianita, following the beautiful ruta del sol along the coast. For going solo, take a camionetta to Manta and get off at ‘los sauces’ (ask the driver). There, you can catch one of the green Manglaralto busses that go south towards Montanita, a 3h drive. The wave is on the right side of Montañita beach.
When: all year round
Nice to know: Montañita is an attraction by itself. It’s backpackerland, surfertown, hippy village and party place all in one. It consists of hostels, campings, bars and surf rentals. The only place in Ecuador where you get line-ups of surfers to catch a wave.
Montanita is also the best place to buy a surfboard in Ecuador. Bring long clothing though, because around sunset the mosquitos get you crazy. We recommend to not stay in the village centre -you won’t sleep.
There’s many much more wonderfull accomodations just outside, at the beach or in the woods.
Waves: beach breaks
Where: Along the ruta del sol, between Santa Marianita and Montanita, lays one after the other surf spot.
When: all year round
Nice to know: The beaches are beautifully natural, and the villages are still mainly inhabited by the local fishermen. Heaven if you like to find your own waves!