Machala travel guide

Machala, Ecuador

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Machala

Introduction

Machala sits in south-west Ecuador, on fertile lowlands near the Gulf of Guayaquil. It is the capital of El Oro Province and, after Guayaquil, the country's second-most important port city. The city is widely referred to as the Banana Capital of the World, a name that reflects the surrounding agricultural lowlands and the port activity that defines it.

Before you go

Machala works well as a stopover between Ecuador and Peru, and its people are known for being kind and welcoming. The city has a distinct small-town feel despite its malls and monuments, and its cuisine stands out as a blend of Ecuadorian coastal cooking and authentic Peruvian food — a combination that remains largely undiscovered. Seafood and barbecue are particular strengths, and the harbour at Puerto Bolívar has restaurants right on the water. In December, the city is lit up with Christmas lights and decorations. Before you go, plan around safety. Puerto Bolívar is generally not safe to walk along the boardwalk at night, so if you go after dark, travel by car rather than on foot. Zona Rosa is also usually unsafe because of the concentration of bars and nightclubs. Avoid carrying valuables anywhere in the city at any time — leave anything expensive where you are staying, and if you must bring something with you, keep it of little value, as you could be followed and robbed for it.

Getting there

Provincial buses connect Machala to most cities in Ecuador, arriving at the new Machala Bus Terminal. The terminal contains a small mall where you can pick up essentials before or after your journey, including a pharmacy, a grocery store, a sports store for comfortable clothing, and a food court with KFC and local fast food outlets. Trips from both Guayaquil and Cuenca take roughly three hours; AndesTransit has further information on schedules and trip times.

By air, Santa Rosa International Airport (ETR) serves the city, with Latam Ecuador the only airline operating flights from Quito.

Getting around

Machala has no rail, metro or tram network, so getting around means walking, buses and taxis. The centre is compact enough to cover on foot in about an hour, which puts the central plaza, the large Catholic church that dominates the centre and the surrounding hotels within easy reach. Walking is a safe option during the day, but at night it may be a different story, so plan on a taxi after dark. Some points of interest sit further out: Las Brisas, a wealthier neighbourhood, is nearly a mile from the central plaza, and the city's mall lies on the outskirts. Both are walkable in daylight if you are comfortable with the distance, but a bus or taxi is easier.

Buses are the main form of public transport and are extremely cheap, with a flat fare wherever you go. Numerous lines crisscross the city, connecting Puerto Bolívar with El Cambio and El Shopping; the number one bus runs this route. If you are staying in the centre and want to reach the port or the mall, a local bus is the simplest and least expensive way to do it. Taxis are the most convenient way to cover short hops, and you can also take one to the port at Puerto Bolívar, to El Shopping, or after midnight. One local caution is worth knowing: unlike many other regions, taxi drivers may seek to overcharge North Americans. The simplest approach to avoid this is not to ask for the price before entering. Instead, hail a cab to your desired location, pay the driver and exit the taxi.

Where to stay

Machala's accommodation is concentrated in and around the city centre, with a handful of options that suit different budgets. On Tarqui, between Sucre and Olmedo, Hotel San Francisco is clean, modern and friendly, with rooms available per person and air-conditioned rooms costing more. Hotel Vexour sits in the city centre close to Parque Juan Montalvo, a pleasant park, and the Machala Cathedral.

Food & drink

For fresh, local flavours, head to Naturissimo, which has two branches — one on Rocafuerte between 9 de Mayo and Juan Montalvo, and another in the shopping centre. Try their fresh yogurt and the pan de yuca, a cheese bread that's well worth a taste. El Monito is a popular snack and drink spot among locals, and the city's chifa restaurants, serving Ecuadorian-Peruvian Chinese cuisine, are both popular and tasty. If you're after familiar fast food, Paseo Shopping Machala has plenty: KFC, Subway, Mayflower (an Ecuadorian Chinese fast food chain), Pizza Hut, Le Crepes & Waffles, Carl's Jr, and Chili's, where you can get steak, chicken wings, hamburgers and alcoholic drinks. For something more local, try Pinguino for ice cream cones or La Tablita del Tártaro in the food court, where a chicken or beef platter comes with rice and bean stew (arroz con menestra con carne or pollo). Oro Plaza offers Chesco Pizzeria — a popular local pizzeria worth trying if you want to taste South American-style pizza — and El Carbon de Freddy, a local barbecue staple serving beef, chicken, local morcilla, and beef and pork sausages. For nightlife, there's a Zona Rosa with many bars, but it isn't very safe after dark, for visitors or locals alike.

What to see and do

In the centre of Machala, Parque Juan Montalvo is a popular spot with a water fountain, best visited during the day. Machala Cathedral, the city's main Catholic church and its biggest, stands in the heart of the city within the park. Plaza Colón is a pleasant park featuring a large model of the Niña, Pinta and Santa María that you can climb into. Puerto Bolívar, Machala's port, is a short bus or taxi ride away, where you can watch large ships being loaded with bananas and find plenty of seafood restaurants, bars and shopping. From the port, a half-hour boat trip takes you to Jambelí Beach. Whether the trip is worthwhile is debatable: although popular with Ecuadorians, the beach is narrow, quite dirty and very busy, especially at weekends.

When to go

Machala has a hot semi-arid climate, and the city stays very warm to hot and cloudy year-round. The main distinction between seasons is rainfall rather than temperature, so you can expect warm conditions whenever you visit.

Three days in Machala

Day one: Start in Machala itself, the self-styled Banana Capital of the World and capital of El Oro Province. Spend the morning walking the centre, where the Catholic church and the main streets give you a feel for the city. In December the Christmas decorations go up, so the plaza is at its liveliest then. For lunch, eat seafood - Machala is on the Gulf and the seafood is the reason to be here. In the afternoon head to Puerto Bolívar, the port area, and watch the boats and the mangroves. Before dark, look at the Zona Rosa, the nightlife district, but avoid it if you want a quiet evening.

Day two: Take a trip out of the city. Buses run from the Machala Bus Terminal, and trips to nearby places are easy to arrange. Cuenca is the big draw inland, up in the Andes, and AndesTransit and other operators cover the route. If you would rather stay closer, Santa Rosa International Airport is nearby and the road towards it passes through lowland farmland. Back in Machala, eat more seafood and try the Ecuadorian and Peruvian dishes that mix here - the border with Peru is close, and the food shows it.

Day three: Use the morning for shopping. El Cambio and El Shopping are the main commercial areas, and Las Brisas is another part of town worth a look. Both buses and taxis make it easy to get around. If you need a quick meal, there is a KFC, though the seafood is better. In the afternoon, if you have time before your flight, ETR and Latam Ecuador connect Machala with Quito and Guayaquil, so you can head on to the capital or the coast. Numerous buses also link the city with Guayaquil if you prefer the road.

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