Esmeraldas travel guide

Esmeraldas, Ecuador

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Esmeraldas

Introduction

Esmeraldas is a coastal city in northwestern Ecuador, serving as the seat of the Esmeraldas Canton and the capital of the Esmeraldas Province. It sits on the Pacific coast at the mouth of the Esmeraldas River, and it is the major seaport of the region, with an international sea port and a small airport.

The city is the principal trading hub for the surrounding region's agricultural and lumber resources. It is also the terminus of the Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline, which runs from the oil fields in northeastern Ecuador.

Before you go

Esmeraldas is Ecuador's wettest coastal province, so plan for rain whenever you visit. Even in the drier months, a typical day brings bright sun, an afternoon tropical shower and rain again at night. January and February offer the most sun and the hottest temperatures, making them the best months to visit, but expect warm, humid conditions year-round. The northern coast and its tropical forests are wetter than the southern beaches and savannah, so your choice of where to go within the province affects how much rain you'll meet. Before booking, check your government's current travel advice. As of October 2019, the US State Department rated Esmeraldas at "Do not travel", so confirm the present security situation and any advisories in force before you commit to a trip.

Getting there

Esmeraldas has no commercial air service: Colonel Carlos Concha Torres Airport (ESM) lost its flights when TAME, Ecuador's national airline, ceased operations. Arriving by bus is the practical option, and the Trans Esmeraldas station sits beside the main park.

Getting around

Esmeraldas is compact and practical to navigate, and a mix of walking, buses and taxis will cover everything you need. There is no rail, metro or tram network in the city, so plan entirely around road-based transport and your own two feet. Central Esmeraldas is walkable, and the main park, with the Trans Esmeraldas bus station beside it, acts as a natural hub; staying near the centre puts the surrounding streets and the station within easy reach on foot. For longer trips across town or out to the coast, take a bus or a taxi instead.

Buses are the mainstay of public transport. From the Trans Esmeraldas station by the main park, services run to nearby coastal spots including Suá, Same and Atacames every few minutes, to Muisne and Guayaquil roughly hourly, and to San Lorenzo daily, with longer-haul routes reaching Quito, Santo Domingo, Quevedo, Ambato, Portoviejo, Manta, Bahía de Caráquez and La Tola. The simplest approach is to go to the station in person, check the next departure for your destination, and buy your ticket at the counter or from the operator, since schedules and fares change. Taxis are a normal way to cover short hops and are useful for reaching the bus station or your accommodation with luggage; the reference material does not document ride-hailing apps operating here, so rely on street taxis or one arranged through your hotel, and agree on the fare or confirm the meter before you set off. Note that Colonel Carlos Concha Torres Airport (ESM) has no commercial air service following the cessation of TAME, so the realistic way to arrive is overland by bus, with the Trans Esmeraldas station as your arrival point.

Where to stay

< p>Esmeraldas offers a range of places to stay, from beachfront hotels to simple city lodgings. If you want to be near the sand, Hotel Las Palmas sits across from Playa de las Palmas on Avenida Kennedy and has a restaurant and bar, though it can get loud and costs a bit more. Hotel Soberao, on Via del Pacifico, is also beachside, with a pool, ocean-view rooms and an on-site restaurant. Further afield, Hotel Tahiti in Atacames offers normal rooms, a pool and beach access, while Mompiche Beach Lodge is set among tropical forest along the Bay of Mompiche.

< p>In the city itself, downtown Esmeraldas has a gritty feel, but Hotel Perla Verde on Piedrahita is a homey option with a restaurant and bar, rooms decorated in Latin American style and a modern exterior. Olan's Hotel Group at Eloy Alfaro and 9 de Octubre is a corner urban hotel with wifi, a bar and air conditioning. Other central choices include Hotel Estuario at the corner of Ave. Libertad and Gran Colombia, Hostal El Cisne on 10 de Agosto, Zulema 2 on the Malecón at Rocafuerte, and Diana on Cañizares and Sucre, which allows stays of a month or longer.

Food & drink

Esmeraldas sits on Ecuador's coast, and the seafood here comes at good prices. Look for a plate of spiced rice with shrimp and fried green plantain, or a ceviche. You can also order a fried fish with beans and rice, or a hot seafood soup. If it has been a while since you last ate lobster, this is your chance to try a spiced version.

Among the restaurants, Los Alamos sits on 9 de Octubre close to the plaza, while Balcón del Pacífico is found at Bolivar and 10 de Agosto. Budapest is on Cañizares 214 and Bolivar, and the Chinese restaurant Chifa Restaurante Asiático is at Cañizares and Bolivar. La Marimba Internacional is on Libertad and Lavallen, and Las Redes, a seafood spot, is at the main plaza. For a night out, head to Atacames, a city about 20 minutes away, where kiosks with very loud music mix natural juices, margaritas and piñas coladas, and clubs keep you dancing to salsa, merengue and reggaeton. In Esmeraldas itself, Bien Colado on the Ciudadela Concordia in South Esmeraldas serves cocktails, and Scala on the Malecón is a disco-bar.

What to see and do

For a look at the area's history and culture, with a particular focus on its black heritage, visit the Museo Regional de Arqueología on Piedrahita. Out at the fishing village of Súa you can watch several species of seabirds, and basic whale watching tours run from June through September. In town, the Malecón de Tachina, across the river in Tachina, is a small overlook over the Río Esmeraldas; it isn't the prettiest spot, but it gives you an interesting view of the coastal topography and the city. Playa de las Palmas, Esmeraldas's municipal beach, has a boardwalk and a food court, and though oil tankers often sit offshore, it's still a beach.

Three days in Esmeraldas

Day one: Arriving at Colonel Carlos Concha Torres Airport (ESM), you can take TAME flights from Quito, or come overland on Trans Esmeraldas from Quito, Guayaquil, Ambato, Santo Domingo, Quevedo, Bahía, Caráquez, Manta, Portoviejo, San Lorenzo, Muisne, La Tola or Su. Base yourself in Esmeraldas, the canton and provincial capital on the Pacific at the mouth of the Esmeraldas River, and spend the afternoon getting your bearings in the city. Note that the US State Department advises against travel to the northern border area, so keep your plans within the city and the coast.

Day two: Head out along the coast to Atacames, the nearby beach town, for a day of sand and seafood. The climate here is warm and humid, so plan around the heat rather than fighting it. Even in January and February the coast stays mild, and October is a good month to visit before the busier periods.

Day three: Use your last day to see more of Esmeraldas Canton and Esmeraldas Province, whether that means the city itself or the smaller coastal settlements such as Same, Muisne and La Tola. If you are continuing south, the Trans Esmeraldas route connects onward to Bahía, Caráquez, Manta and Portoviejo; if you are heading back inland, Quito, Guayaquil, Ambato, Santo Domingo and Quevedo are all reachable. The Ecuadorian Pipeline also runs through this part of Ecuador, a reminder of how the province's fortunes have long been tied to what moves through it.

About this place