After Isla de la Plata and whale-watching adventures the previous day, I decided today would be a much more relaxing experience. Relaxation isn’t always a word I’m familiar with, normally choosing a non-stop itinerary than allowing time to sit around and watch the world go…Read More

After Isla de la Plata and whale-watching adventures the previous day, I decided today would be a much more relaxing experience. Relaxation isn’t always a word I’m familiar with, normally choosing a non-stop itinerary than allowing time to sit around and watch the world go by. On this occasion, I happily gave in to my girlfriends demands to enjoy what critics suggest is Ecuador’s best beach; Los Frailes.

When you think of days spent bathing in the sea and resting on golden sands, you normally picture blue skies and blazing sun. Imagine my disappointment of waking to yet more gloomy grey skies. Even taking an early morning run along Puerto Lopez’s beach and trying to escape the crazed homeless dogs that continuously chased me into the sea, did little to raise excitement levels. This was until the return leg of my run, where on the last time I was chased into the water, I found a floating $5 note. Maybe this was a message that a spot of relaxation might have its benefits after all!

Los Frailes is located to the north of Puerto Lopez, and, as it’s located inside Machalilla National Park, a ticket ($25) is needed to enter. If you don’t have the energy for the 10km walk, then it would be wise to take advantage of one of the many mototaxi’s instead ($10 return). There is no better way to enjoy the huge potholes than relaxing on the back of these revamped motorbikes. Hailing one down from the main road in Puerto Lopez, it reminded me of India as the yellow and red colours raced past as fast as their 40cc engines could take them. Within twenty minutes my feet were touching the smooth sands of Los Frailes beach. Spanning a kilometre in length, I was delighted to see only a couple of other people around.

With the clouds showing no signs of parting my immediate thoughts concerned the important notion of how a whole day was to be spent here. Luckily I had forgotten all about my love of paddling and frolicking through the powerful waves, some of which were a good 4ft in height and powerful enough to sweep me off my feet. My joy and happiness came to an abrupt end though after wading out a little too far out and coming into contact with something I can only describe as small and squeegee, no doubt a jelly fish, which left me with some nasty stings.

Scared of receiving more red rashes I decided to discover what else Los Frailes had to offer. Quite a lot if I have to be honest. As well as a number of marked trails that can be taken through the surrounding dry forests, Los Frailes also has another two beaches to offer its clients. Playa Tortuguita is a short walk past the north end of the beach, but after seeing the rotting corpse of a sea turtle littering the beach, maybe it should be renamed Playa Muerto Totuguita. Following this was Playa Playita, probably the tiniest beach I have ever seen and only worthy of a mention due to its differing black volcanic sands.

Although the dry forests that surround the beaches are now protected by its National Park status, it’s hard to believe that once upon a time the whole of the Ecuadorian shoreline was covered by this unimaginative depressing looking vegetation. Over ninety percent has now been lost to deforestation, which is an unbelievable amount.

By the time the taxi driver returned to meet us at the beach, there was no one else around, which was starting to feel slightly eerie considering the weather and darkening conditions. It reminded me of the scene in films where you know a knife wielding maniac is going to jump out of the bushes and confront you at any moment. The few people that I’d come into contact with during my day spent at Los Frailes were virtually the same tourists I’d spent all day with whale watching during my previous twenty-four hours. This of course led to an awkward moment where you didn’t know if you should or shouldn’t acknowledge them, especially when spotting the annoying English girls.

I made it back to Puerto Lopez after surviving numerous suicide attempts by the motortaxi driver who thought nothing better than to drive on the opposite side of the road for no apparent reason. The buses who were about to meet us head on were forced to swerve out of the way and onto the side of the road that we should have been on. Maybe he was English! After reaching the town unscathed there was still just enough time to sit back and watch the sun set, with the last fish action terminating for the day. A chuffed looking man rode away from the beach with a giant swordfish balancing over his handle bars.

Once dusk set in over Puerto Lopez’s promenade, groups of men crept out of the surrounding darkened streets to huddle on the breezy Malecon. Here they swigged down large quantities of illicit looking alcohol. This was followed by a lot of vocal goading to whom could pull the longest wheelie on a child’s BMX they had come across. This was the highlight of the night time entertainment, and something I would have happily tried, if I wasn’t sampling another of the coasts traditional foods. This time it was spondylus, an oyster like creature. I was hoping to try a different restaurant, but after looking around it was only Carmita (Malecón Julio Izurieta y General Córdova; accepts major credit cards) again that was thriving with satisfied looking customers.

My mouth was wet with anticipation of what this strange looking creature would taste like, but after having a mouthful of the cooked creature, served with rice in a peanut sauce, I wasn’t quite sure what all the fuss was about as it tasted just like oyster to me. Maybe it had some sort of aphrodisiac properties? I surely hope so, as I don’t think it was worth being the most expensive item on the menu. You have to try everything once though!

The evening atmosphere wound down very quickly, and by the time my girlfriend and I had finished our meals, the seafront Malecon was ghostly quiet. Only the odd Gringo walking back to their accommodation could be seen. It was only 10pm, and with nothing else to do, an early retreat to our hotel room was the only option left available.Close

With a whole week being spent exploring the Ruta del Sol and Ecuador’s coastline, there was a good chance that today would prove hard to beat in terms of entertainment and enjoyment. After booking by day tour the previous evening I awoke early and full…Read More

With a whole week being spent exploring the Ruta del Sol and Ecuador’s coastline, there was a good chance that today would prove hard to beat in terms of entertainment and enjoyment. After booking by day tour the previous evening I awoke early and full of anticipation at my journey to Isla de la Plata followed by a spot of whale watching and snorkelling. Hopefully the latter two wouldn’t be carried out at the same time! The island of Isla de la Plata is more familiarly known as ‘Poor Mans Galapagos’ by backpackers thanks to its wildlife similarity. After visiting the real Galapagos Islands a few months earlier, a trip I took great pleasure from, expectations were running high.

As I strolled along the Malecon, looking for a place to have breakfast, the grey skies were trying their hardest to contain my enthusiasm. The gloomy weather reminded me very much of my time in Norway, where during the winter months it was sometimes hard to distinguish between sunrise, sunset and everything in between. It wasn’t hard to find a place serving breakfast, choosing The Whale Café, the same place I ate the evening before. The offer of apple and maple pancakes made this decision a lot easier.

The hustle and bustle activity of the beach was in full swing. From where I sat, I could see numerous catches being dragged ashore. Frigate birds swooped in tandem from the sky, hoping to sneak a free meal while dodging the slapping human hands. I’d been in Puerto Lopez for little more than day but already I’d noticed the large number of Gringo families that resided here. Seeing screaming children being carried and pushed in their strollers, isn’t the first image that springs to mind when visualising a backpacker retreat.

Our three hour boat ride to Isla de la Plata departed promptly at 8am. By the time we arrived, the gloom had lifted slightly and a few shards of sunlight were striking through. The time flew by as I sat opened eyed towards the vast expanse of ocean, hoping to see a whale leaping through the air. Unfortunately the closest I got to seeing anything, was a splash of water on the horizon. I was relieved to have taken some sea sickness tablets beforehand, as throughout the journey our small boat containing another 20 people was tossed all over the ocean. Some other passengers didn’t fair so well and I think they were relieved when their feet touched the sandy beach.

As already mentioned, Isla de la Plata is a place where many tourists visit, many of which cannot afford the real Galapagos Islands. Coined as the ‘Poor Man’s Galapagos,’ in my opinion this high billing is exaggerated somewhat. People who never visit the Galapagos I’m sure would think differently. Saying this, for the $25 cost (excluding park entry), you can’t really complain.

Once on the island you are given the choice of two trails to take. There isn’t enough time to do both. I decided the chance of seeing red footed boobies was more important than viewing albatross’s, following the guided tour that turned left instead of right. Imagine my disappointment when not a single red footed boobie was spotted. It made me feel slightly better that the other group that went searching for albatross’s also failed in their mission. Instead I had to make do with boobies of the blue foot variety and magnificent frigate birds, both of which were providing vigorous mating rituals.

Once the two hour walk was completed it was back on to the boat to go searching for the tour highlight. Of course, by this I mean the whales. Almost as soon as we had left the island we came across a courting pair of humpbacks. For the next thirty minutes we observed them from a safe distance as they jumped and swam through the waters. This experience was nothing short of incredible. While other tourists clicked away on their cameras for that perfect shot, I decided that this was one moment that deserved to be seen with the naked eye and not through a lens. Watching the humpbacks come leaping out of he water, their entire torsos floating through the air before crashing back into the water, is a sight I doubt I’ll witness again for many a long year. The huge white splashes of spray and foam the whales created, could be felt on our faces. I wasn’t expecting to get this close to the action.

While the Isla de la Plata and whale-watching experience was highly rewarding, it’s a shame I also couldn’t have chosen who I was sharing my time with. When you go on a group tour, unless sickly rich and paying for your own personal guide and trip, you can’t help but be put with a bunch of strangers. Under normal situations you can deal with the odd obnoxious complaint. When you’re sat on a boat for six hours solid with a group of seventeen year old English girls loudly talking about random sexual conquests and toilet trouble, certain annoying things start to grate on your nerves. When these same girls start to sing old Oasis and Take That songs at the top of their voices, as though they wanted to get kicked out of the first round of X-Factor, then it can really cloud your opinion of the whole trip. Observing the faces of my fellow boat members, all of which were etched with annoyance and disgruntlement, I could tell I wasn’t the only one with these thoughts.

Between the island tour and the whale-watching we stopped off to eat and embark on a fifteen minute spot of snorkelling. If it wasn’t for a specific health concern, then these fifteen minutes of snorkelling in freezing, near empty waters wouldn’t deserve more than a passing mention. A few days later, where the mouth piece of the snorkel had been placed, my mouth erupted in a gruesome mass of cold sores. My condition was confirmed after needed a visit to a local doctor. Of course, such a facial disfigurement meant the rest of my photos were virtually ruined. The finger of blame points directly at Machalilla Tour Agency for the catching of this incurable virus and their lack of hygiene and proper cleaning of the snorkel equipment.

Upon reaching the beach at the end of the day, I felt queasy and slightly exhausted. This isn’t sexy at the best of times, but when disembarking the boat to be surrounded by groups of children who enthusiastically offer feet washing services, it seemed harder to brush them off than normal. I finished the eventful day off with a forty minute run along the full length of Puerto Lopez’s beach and a sublime meal at the isolated Hotel Mandala, located at the north end of the beach. Anyone visiting Puerto Lopez and wanting to try the local cuisine of ‘cerviche’ (seafood cooked in the citric juices of lime, orange and lemon; served with finely chopped tomatoes and onion) then you can’t choose a better place than this establishment; posh surroundings, on the beach, and a good 20% cheaper than some of the more central, dirtier eateries. Just goes to show what an extra little bit of exercise can do for you.Close

A trip to the Ecuadorian coast had been well overdue. After living in this remarkably diverse country for almost a year, this was the first time I was venturing so far west of the mainland. If I had known it was going to be so…Read More

A trip to the Ecuadorian coast had been well overdue. After living in this remarkably diverse country for almost a year, this was the first time I was venturing so far west of the mainland. If I had known it was going to be so quick and hassle free, then there is no doubting more trips would have been enjoyed throughout my stay here.

The small fishing village of Puerto Lopez was the first place on the itinerary, famous for it’s location to the island of ‘Isla de la Plata’, kindly dubbed the ‘Poor Mans Galapagos’ by many travel agents due to the similar bird species found there. If visiting between the months of June and October there is also the chance of watching mating humpback whales. These huge mammals move towards the warmer Ecuadorian waters from the icy cold Antarctic to mate.

I was lucky enough to be visiting in the midst of such shows of humpback affection. Such opportunities, with only a couple of weeks left living in Ecuador before returning home to reality and full time paid employment were well relished.. A night bus journey to Puerto Lopez via the ever reliable, Reina del Camino bus company was needed. This journey passed without a hitch, on a road that had past complaints of kidnappings and robberies. The only highlight was watching the bus conductor manage to climb in through an open window after swinging down from the roof while the bus was travelling along the road in sweeping rain at a good 90mph. Suicidal behaviour if you ask me.

Reina del Camino is one of only two bus companies that have direct buses from Quito to Puerto Lopez (and visa versa) and offers probably the most professional and luxurious services I have experienced during my time in Ecuador. It’s certainly the first company that’s offered both air conditioning and workable toilets.

The air conditioning was so impressive I slept better than I ever had done when riding a night bus. When I awoke we were already working our way down the Ruta del Sol (Route of the Sun – a scenic coastal drive that works its way south towards Guayaquil) and only a few miles outside of Puerto Lopez itself. The early morning gloomy, grey skies added a depressing aroma to the cool temperature at this time of the year (July); grey skies are very much the norm. Puerto Lopez might feature as one of the top stop offs on the Ruta del Sol, but from first impressions, the Sol was going to be the last thing to be seen! This was something I hadn’t envisaged when packing my bag full of shorts and t-shirts. July is seen as the low season die to this gloomy weather, which is strange when considering it’s the best time of the year for whale watching.

Puerto Lopez is a quite unremarkable fishing village and first impressions can prove slightly disappointing. Once venturing off the tourist Malecon strip along the seafront, you come across roads that remind you more of a Sao Paulo or Nairobi slum rather than a popular backpacker destination. Packs of homeless dogs and feral cats roam the streets alongside piles of litter. The backdrop of the town is ruined by quarrying activity. Even Machalilla National Park, looming over the town, is only ten percent of its original size. As I walked through the town, crack squads of army personnel drove past on patrol. All were armed with the scariest looking guns I‘ve ever seen.

After arranging accommodation at Hotel Los Islotes (Malecon Julio Izurieta y Gral. Cordoba, Puerto Lopez, +593(05)2300-108), gaining sea views and the soothing sound of crashing waves for only $10 a night it was time to organise a whale watching tour. Tour agencies line themselves along the sea front Malecon, all of which offer similar, if not identical prices for the same activities. For $25 (not including the park fee) a full day’s tour was arranged with Machalilla Tours Agency (Malecón Julio Izurieta). This included a trip to Isla de la Plata, followed by snorkelling and if sighted; whale-watching. Food and travel is also included in this impressive price.

There’s nothing like arriving at the seaside and taking a stroll along the beach, the waves lapping at your feet. Unfortunately, Puerto Lopez’s beach doesn’t quite promote such romantic ideologies. The beach is a thriving place of hustle and bustle, especially first thing in the morning. Fishermen sell their quality catches to local restaurants and businessmen, while grown men ride past on children’s BMX bikes, baskets full of freshly caught shrimp haphazardly attached to the front.

It’s not unusual to walk past swordfish and sharks, some the size of a small adult being loaded on to the back of pick-up trucks. Further away from the chaotic scenes, the true scale of fishing, even at this local level can sadly be seen in all its negativity. It’s hard to walk more than a few metres without come across discarded starfish, crabs and the odd fish corpse deemed surplus to requirements. Even the hovering frigate birds, normally the first to take up the opportunity of a free meal stayed away in their masses.

Although I am sure the beach would be much more picturesque with less fishing activity taking place, it does give the village a workman like feel. This is a traditional way of life that’s normally lost when tourism comes a knocking. Walking along the small fish processing plants at the north end of the beach allows you to see just how skilled these people are, filleting the fish in a matter of seconds. Taking a closer look, I was a little concerned with seeing a mounting pile of shark fins. Maybe I’m wrong but isn’t this illegal in today’s society?

After enjoying a fried shrimp supper at Carmita (Malecón Julio Izurieta y General Córdova; accepts major credit cards), one of the best seafood restaurants in all of Puerto Lopez and perfectly located opposite the beach and next to my hotel, I moved along to the Whale Café for a few beers. This was a perfect place to end the day, watching the gloomy skies give way to the night. From the upstairs terrace I could see across the beach, and also watch local policeman bribe their way into having a rather tasty looking fruit salad at one of the Anthony Quinn kiosks below.

Not wanting to have such a late night before my tour the following day, I retreated to the safety and comfort of my hotel room where I forced myself to watch some of the evenings premiere TV entertainment; hanging humans by the skin from meat hooks, before raising them into the air. The person who took the pain the longest, won. I’m not sure what though. Close