Manta Tourist Places to Visit in Manta, Ecuador, America
Manta is a city belonging to the province of Manabí in Ecuador is the 5th most populous city of the country situated about 435 km southwest of the national capital, Quito and 200 km northwest of the largest city in the country, Guayaquil.
Tuna fishing is the backbone of Manta’s economy and in recent years, tourism and chemical industry are also equally supporting the economy of Manta. Manta is also home to the largest seaport of the country and an international cargo airport as well.
Geography of Manta:
Placed on the coast line of Ecuador at an elevation of 6 meters, Manta is spread over an area of 60.49 sq. km. and it coordinates with 00°57′00.08″ S latitude and 80°42′58.32″ W longitude. Manta enjoys an arid climate with relatively hot weather throughout the year.
How to reach Manta?
Eloy Alfaro International Airport serves Manta with frequent flights to the national capital, Quito and Guayaquil, catered by AeroGal, LAN Ecuador and TAME. This airport is located 6 km away from the downtown Manta.
Buses generally take four and half hours from Guayaquil to Manta, costing $5 and ten hours from Quito to Manta, costing around $7.
Buses are also ideal for local travel and taxis and cars are additional options.
Culture, Food and Shopping in Manta:
Manta is the site of many prominent events including International Theater Festival organized in the month of September every year. The sporting events take place from January through April.
The Paseo Shopping Mall is one of the major shopping malls of Manta featuring a supermarket, a movie theater, food corners and cloth shops.
List of the major restaurants in Manta is as follows:
- El Mediterraneo
- Restaurante Mexicano
- Club Ejecutivo
- Restaurant Riviera
- Guen Roku
Things to do in Manta:
- Surfing
- Whale watching
- Diving
- Sailing
- Fishing
- Body-boarding
Tourist Attractions in Manta:
The Banco Central Museum:
The Banco Central Museum is situated in front of Murcielago Beach exhibiting ceramics dating back to the period of pre-Columbian Huancavilca-Manteno. Nice collection.
El Murciélago:
El Murciélago is a most renowned beach of Manta surrounded by plenty of restaurants with mouth-watering seafood, hotels, supermarkets and entertainment centres. The activities tourists can enjoy here include diving, sailing, fishing, body-boarding and surfing.
San Lorenzo:
Located around 20 km away from Manta city, the San Lorenzo beach is noted for its caves, different rock formations and typical marine birds. From June to September will be ideal for whale watching in San Lorenzo and other activities include surfing and sunbathing.
Other places of interest near Manta include:
- Tarqui
- San Mateo
- Santa Marianita
- Linguique
- La Tiñosa
- Barbasquillo
- Plaza Casino
- Fantasy Casino
- Montecristi town
- Narwell Cia Ltda
- Ecuador kitesurf school
- Ocean Freaks
Best time to visit Manta:
From May to December is the ideal time to explore the beaches of Manta.
Accommodation options in Manta:
Manta is a colorful city rich in nightlife, festivals, tourist sites and hospitality industry. Budget hotels charge around $25 per night and top end hotels charge around $80 per night. The major hotels in Manta are listed below:
- Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Manta Ecuador
- Oro Verde Hotel
- Balandra Hotel Cabanas
- Hotel Lun Fun Manta
- Hotel Vistalmar
- Hostal de la Abuela
- Hotel Ocean Blue
- San Antonio Resort
- Hotel Porto Velho
- Marina Real Hostal
- onkey Den Guest House
- El Faro Escandinavo Beach Hotel
- Punta Prieta Guest House
- M Isabel Boutique Hotel
- Hotel Perla Spondylus