 Esmeraldas is called the Green Province, and is located on the Ecuador’s northwestern shore. The temperatures in this province range from 21 to 25 degrees Celsius. And the main reasons why tourists are eager to visit it are the beaches in the southern part of the province in addition to the Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve in the north. Esmeraldas, the provinces capital, is among Ecuador’s most important ports and terminal for the nation's fuel pipeline. The city also has a domestic airport, with flights to Cali, Colombia.
Esmeraldas’ beach stretches are certainly the main attractions. Atacames, is open all year round and is just in 30 km from the capital of the province. Atacames’ well-developed tourist infrastructure and surplus of seaside dining places, bars and clubs turn it into a great beach destination for an amazing vacation. You may wander through its markets and buy there locally made handicrafts, jewels, and coral products.
5 km to the south you may enjoy the serene fishing village of Súa, which is also an amazing destination with comfy hotels and appetizing cuisine.
48 km to the south the island of Muisne is located, famous for its untouched beaches and still waters.
Southeast for another 11km, you will get to Same, located among palm trees and set along a stretch of shore famous for its pure waters.
Other famous beaches are Playa Ancha and Tonsupa, in 20 km from the city of Esmeraldas. You may enjoy more beaches to the north, in the direction of the Colombian border, i.e. Camarones, Colope, and Río Verde, all of them are little fishing villages.
If suntan is not the only thing why you head to Ecuador, you should head for an archaeologically interesting area where one of Ecuador’s oldest Pre-Colombian societies lived. It is considered that the original population here worked with platinum long time before it was used in Europe. You may visit a museum run by locals with archaeological remnants lying around outside. You may reach the island by taking a motorized boat from San Lorenzo.
You may also enjoy marimba, the characteristic music of Esmeraldas province. Marimba bands perform in different places, such as hotels or restaurants. The group members are dressed in hats and wave handkerchiefs while dancing and singing folk songs.
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