EMERALDS It is the center of the afroecuatoriana culture. A colorful and vibrant city where the nighttime activities demonstrate the idiosyncrasy of its people. The museum of the Central bank maintains a sample of the rich Tolita culture. From the viewpoint of the Light it is seen how the river is based on the sea. Emeralds are full of images worthy to be documented; there they are the farmers with his machetes, the black seated in places and streets. The Emerald life is not in a any hurry.
MATAJE It is the ideal place to begin a trip towards the ecological reserves. Several kilometers to the south, near the population of the Tola, are the mangrove swamps of Majagual, greatest of the world. They are of the 20 eco-region of the planet. Its climate is tropical humid with predominant winter. The fauna of this forest includes birds, mammals and crustaceans.
SAN LORENZO Located lumber port to the north of the province. The ecological reserve Cayapas- Mataje is to few kilometers of this place and is the alternative to the eco-tourism. This population owns the best natural harbor of Ecuador and at the moment it has about 20 thousand inhabitants, who base their economy on the fishing and the obtaining of trees like mahogany, raft and rubber. Their beaches little are known and therefore little visited by the tourists, which far from to clear enchantment, increases its attractiveness to him, because who arrive until them they find with uncontaminated places of great beauty.
BOURBON One is to 128 km the northeast of the city of Emeralds. It is a lumber fluvial port. From the communities can be overcome the rivers Cayapas, Santiago and Onzole and be visited here cayapas. Also the ecological reserve Cotacachi-Cayapas is located here, with 23,956 geologic km2s and great biodiversity, formation and beautiful landscapes.
ROMPIDO Account with a wonderful beach. Her people live on the fishing and, partly, agriculture.
THE ROCKS Beautiful site to rest and to enjoy the sun and the breeze of the sea. The productivity is based on the artisan fishing.
VANILLA It is a small population of people dedicated to agriculture, like Lagarto and Montalvo, small towns surrounded by vegetation.
ROCAFUERTE With his hosterías and restaurants, next to its calm beach, are ideal for the rest.
PALESTINE One is closely together to 43 km to the north of the city of Emeralds and of the population of Rioverde, that has hotels, restaurants, public telephony and many green areas.
SHRIMPS To 30 km to the Emerald north, he is one of the most beautiful spas of the North part of Emeralds. Shrimps are in the route that leads to Rioverde and is a beach covered with snails, crabs and jaibas, a clear indication of the little tourist operation of this sector. In the afternoons it is possible to be seen the children and women elaborating crafts. Its name must to the abundant presence of shrimps (prawns) and others especiees marine that, by their clean waters, has found the habitat ideal to be developed. Aside from the own beach activities, in Shrimps it is possible to practice hang-glider, because there is a track available for it. In the beach small cabins exist where it is possible to be enjoyed cold refreshments good. Thence it is possible to be gone to Palestine, a very wide beach where it is possible to enjoy the newspaper to live on the town whose source of income is the fishing. Also one of the 20 caves can be sailed, be ridden or be visited that exist in the area.
TACHINA Ideal to rest. To 2 km, is its airport.
SAN MATEO Famous by its gold mines. Here have been vestiges archaeological of preHispanic cultures.
THE BEACHES:
ATACAMES To 30 km to the southwest of the capital of the province, this spa is without doubt the concurred Emerald beach more. Account with the greater hotel plant of the beach province as much on foot as in its environs. In the population there are factories where jewels and decorative objects in black and red chorale obtained of the ocean are elaborated, besides crafts elaborated with typical material of the zone. Atacames counts on a colorful patio of meals and a provided artisan market of clothes, local crafts and the infaltables necklaces, pareos and handkerchiefs. For the nights, full Atacames of bars and discotheques for all the pleasures. Their traditional bars are covered with straw and have a special enchantment. They offer famous caipiriñas.
The Rock of Suicida is an extraordinary natural viewpoint of calcareous formation of 80 meters of height. It separates beaches of Atacames and those of Súa. It is possible to be crossed from a beach to another one bordering the rock, walking between rocks, crabs, and small waves.
SÚA To six kilometers of Atacames is this small town of fishermen. Their waters are very calm and is equipped with suitable hotel infrastructure. The beach is like a great swimming pool that allows the tourists to bathe, to swim and to enjoy the tranquility of the sea. The restaurants are located in this zone and offer all the delights of the sea. From Súa it is possible to be directed to the “Cave of the Love” and the “Island of the Birds” that are to eight minutes in boat from the population. Súa is in addition the unique authorized port to start off in search of hunchbacked whales in the Emerald province.
SAME To 50 minutes of Emeralds are the beautiful beaches of Same, transformed into their natural beauty since the Casablanca hotel was constructed. He is ideal for the rest by the calm and fascinating atmosphere of his environs. Account with hotel complexes of first category.
The enormous complex of white buildings, to usanza of the Greek spas, is as great as a small city and unfolds an overwhelming luxury, with individual apartments, deprived guards, satellite dishes, saunas and swimming pools everywhere and an enormous field of golf. They follow a series of small spas: first it is Tonchigüe, where the dawn the return of canoes loaded with its abundant harvest of fish and seafood can be observed. During the day, two or three fishermen drag their network between the waves.
More ahead, Galera End, where lobsters fish themselves. It is also the point where the coastal line of Emeralds turns towards the south, which allows to observe how the ocean, calm is transformed to the other side into enraged sea.
By the same route it is followed until the Matting of Plátano and San Francisco; but more ahead the highway is interrupted, reason why it will be necessary to return until Tonchigüe if it is wanted to continue towards the limit with Manabí. That way it is arrived at Muisne, an island to two hours of Emeralds, to which it is only possible to be crossed in small hulls of passengers. The inner side of the island and its environs are seeded of swimming pools shrimp fishers. Their owners have avoided to destroy more visible trees, in the edges, but he is enough to approach the boat the borders of the matting, being evaded herons and tijeretas, to verify that the mangrove swamp in that zone is on the verge of being extinguished.
In Muisne an ecological tricycle can be rented to cross the town, that astonishes by neatness of its streets. Soon it will be necessary to visit beaches the other end of the island, those that they give to open sea.
THE BEACH OF LAS PALMAS The playera rallying point is, without a doubt, in Las Palmas, it is good music, playero soccer and the restaurants for all pocket there. This place never pauses, when falling the night the bars and discotheques fill of people who want to enjoy to the great thing.
TONSUPA This population is to 26 km the southwest of the city of Emeralds. Its main attractiveness is its beach of four kilometers that goes from the place known as Wide Beach to Castelnuovo, and is a place destined exclusively to relax. There many tourist hotels, complexes, buildings of apartments and houses of summering are based at the moment. In his landscape they doubtless resist the nature and the sophistication of the modern constructions of the place. To borders of the sea are colorful bars where it is possible to find delicious cocktails to reasonable prices, fashionable music and festive atmosphere.
TONCHIGÜE To 18 km of Atacames, it is a pretty beach where, at night the fishing activity can be observed.
CUMILINCHE It is a beautiful almost secret place bordered of green areas and palms. There is a beach of approximately 700 meters in length. Between its main attractiveness they are the marine turtles that get to lay eggs to borders of the sea. It is an ideal place for the lovers of the nature, mainly for the observation of birds.
HIDDEN BEACH This hidden tropical place is a small bay hidden in the mouth of the Malpelo river. The beach has good waves, especially for which they like of surf and diving.
END GALERA It is a beach surrounded by palms that has a small town of fishermen with possibilities for the tourist development. Its attraction is the Light.
SAN FRANCISCO OF THE CABO To thirty minutes of the city of Muisne in boat. Their beaches own black sand, are limited by two cliffs of 30 meters of stop, where it emphasizes an old light and a deposit of seals.
MUISNE Well-known like the Esmeraldeño Garden, it has 7 km of beaches. Her people live on the artisan fishing and the obtaining of crabs and jaibas. Muisne is an island with normal affluence of tourism reason why still it is possible to be enjoyed an incredible place. Its hotel development is little. It is possible to be enjoyed a stroll in ecological taxis (three-wheel) and horses for routes by the city rent themselves.
PRETTY ISLAND In order to arrive at this island it is necessary to make it in boat, to 25 minutes of Muisne. Propitious for the rest.
MOMPICHE It is the ideal place for the lovers of surf. He is one of the last moist soils sailor-slabs of Ecuador. The place has maintained rather well its species of fauna and flora. Their 7 kilometers of beach allow to enjoy and to relax in the shade of the palms.
BILSA It is a town dedicated to agriculture and cattle ranch.
SÁLIMA People cheer and warm; the environs are surrounded by vegetation and green landscapes.
SAN JOSE CHAMANGA It is a pueblito of fishermen to borders of the sea.