The sound of electronic music that booms in the Lost Beach nightclub reaches the hammock area, very close to the shore of the beach. Right there walks an Argentine couple with dreadlocks, piercings and a tank top with the image of the goddess Ganesh, selling meat empanadas to a family from Guayaquil with two children who have come to rest for the weekend. These three worlds, so disparate a priori, converge with astonishing naturalness in Montañita.
Montañita is a small coastal town 170 kilometers north of Guayaquil, nestled in a privileged natural setting, with extensive beaches, perfect waves for surfing and an environment of green hills and mangroves. The town has something of a hippy village, with white houses with palm-leaf roofs and wood finishes, the streets are sandy and many stalls selling crafts, alternative beauty products and souvenirs. The Pacific Ocean does the rest.
However, the most genuine are the characters -yes characters- that walk it, a true melting pot of cultures, races and different ways of approaching what they call humanity. There are six-pack blond Americans six-foot-eighty and blue-eyed who come to surf and have a good time -in fact, everyone comes to have a good time, but in capital letters-, more alternative profiles with dreadlocks, piercings and tattoos who are in spent in his wanderings around the continent, there is also a local profile, groups of friends from the mountains, often from the capital, who come to spend their particular Hangover in Las Vegas.
His accent -more closed- gives them away, different from the Ecuadorian coastal one, which sounds more southern, more relaxed... There are also Ecuadorian families, holding hands with their children ready with their belongings to go to the beach, and there is no shortage of backpackers, many French, English, German and to a lesser extent Spanish visiting Ecuador... And of course the occasional raver who comes to the mythical Lost Beach, the most famous nightclub in Ecuador.
Lost Beach marks, without a doubt, the character of this destination. It is a first class, special and different electronic music club that attracts tens of thousands of clubbers every year. On the one hand, there is the space, in front of the beach, in the open air. There are open restaurants and bars, trees, plants and at the end a big stage with a music set. In the basement there is another room to mark the end of the night and the beginning of the new day. The quality of the sound equipment is second to none, with the best equipment in the country. Finally, it offers an offer of international DJs that no European club can shadow. In fact, it always appears in the lists of the 100 best clubs in the world.
But make no mistake, Montañita is not just a non-stop party destination. Actually, there are many Montañitas, depending on the one you are looking for. It is also a family destination, very comfortable because it is close to Guayaquil, the largest concentration of population in Ecuador, and offers a large and varied hotel offer, such as the Dharma beach, with oriental inspiration, with the traditional bulbous dome and drawings Islamic-inspired on walls and ceilings. The essence of this piece of heaven is palpable at the Kundalini hotel, on the seafront, with grass, palm trees and hammocks, where you can succumb to the impulse of vagrancy that surely catches you. There are also small youth hostels, for 20 euros a night, in the framework of the town, on the third and fourth lines.
And that network of dirt streets flanked by small huts, houses with thatched roofs in the shape of a checkerboard, is what gives it its unique character. In its streets there are hippy-style stalls to eat something and gain strength. In the morning they sell mango, papaya or pitaya juices (tasting similar to cherimoya) served with chocolate crepes or waffles. There are also churro stands and cafeterias with organic coffees and a cosmopolitan air. In the afternoon there are other very famous drink stalls, where they prepare you a cocktail for about five euros, the most famous are the mojitos -the strawberry ones are delicious-, and the caipirinhas.
On the coast you eat, rich, very rich. Despite the fact that its international projection leaves much to be desired, Ecuadorian gastronomy is truly exceptional. It is divided according to geographical stripes. There is an Amazonian gastronomy, with exotic and unknown products, very surprising to the palate, another that is called serrana, which unfolds in the Andes, with potatoes, corn, quinoa and pork (pork) as protagonists, in addition to a wide spectrum of grains, vegetables and fruits.
Finally, the one that concerns us now, is the coastal gastronomy, which is characterized by its top quality seafood cooked with coconut water, peanuts (peanuts) and coriander. The ceviches, the camarones apanados (breaded prawns), the viches (seafood creams with peanut sauce), the seafood stew, the grilled octopus, or the picudo or grilled tuna served with patacón (green plantains). fried) and chili, are true delicacies.
And the beach, what about the beach? You can enjoy for kilometers and bathe all year round. There is a new walk along the coast to wander and see the ocean in all its splendor. These beaches are reminiscent of those of the Atlantic, they are wide, extensive, with dark sand and with tidal flows. Going to the beach in Ecuador is a true delight, since everything is designed to satisfy your desires. There is almost always an area with hammocks and umbrellas at very reasonable prices. From that pagan throne you can order an ice cold beer, perfect to combine with a ceviche of fish, shell (river clams) or shrimp (prawns) served with lemon, tomato, chili pepper and dill, a true delicacy that is served right on the beach for about 8 euros.
While you rest a flock of pelicans crosses the horizon, there are also herons and blue footed boobies. Under the ground some very curious, but also scary, passion red and blue crabs appear. But the real show is facing the sea. Between the months of June and October, hundreds of humpback whales come to nurse their young and rest in these waters. There are excursions to visit them. You can also go diving in different parts of the area; with a bit of luck you will be able to see mantas, the occasional small shark, puffer fish, turtles and even the mythical manta ray.
And of course surfing. This destination is one of those places that every lover of this sport traveling along the South American coast has to visit at least once. Also among all this tidal wave the surfing universe sneaks in. There are several surf shops, schools for all levels and every year an international championship is held.
The 180-degree views from the heights, like a bird's eye view, from the Nativa Bambú Ecologde pool are overwhelming. The bungalow-type houses are made of bamboo, are spacious and modern. All this in an environment of jungle vegetation, with a warm and close human team make your stay an unforgettable experience.
