Stand on the Malecón as the light goes orange over the bay and you will feel the constant ocean wind that keeps this stretch cool all evening. Cars drift past in a slow loop, music spills out of the side streets, and the whole waterfront turns into one long, informal promenade.
Manta suits travellers who want a working port city with a beach attached, rather than a resort built around a beach. Surfers, seafood eaters, casino-goers and anyone happy to spend an evening walking into the wind will find plenty to fill their days.
1. El Murciélago
This is the most popular beach area in Manta, and the easiest place to base a lazy day. Restaurants serving seafood and local dishes, bars and other attractions line the sand, and the water is used for surfing, diving, sailing, body-boarding and fishing.
It sits close to numerous hotels, retail stores, supermarkets, and banking facilities with automatic teller machines, so you can combine a beach session with errands or an easy meal without travelling far.
2. Walk the Malecón in the evening
The Malecón arcs around the bay and is bathed in constant ocean winds, which makes it a pleasant and refreshing place to walk. In the evenings the nearby side streets and the main frontage become a hive of activity, with partying people, loud music and meandering cars.
Go after dark rather than in the middle of the day. The night breezes are the point, and the atmosphere builds as the evening goes on.
3. Banco Central Museum
Located on Avenida 8 and Calle 7, behind the bus terminal, this museum displays ceramics from the pre-Columbian Huancavilca-Manteño era culture.
It pairs naturally with a arrival or departure day, since it sits right by the bus terminal. Check it before you leave town rather than saving it for the end of a beach day.
4. San Lorenzo
San Lorenzo is known for its diverse rock formations, caves, marine birds and the Island of the Silver. From June to September you can take in the sight of humpback whales as they pass from the north to south.
Popular activities include surfing, sunbathing and whale-watching, and the climb to the light house is often accompanied by views of blue-footed boobies. Time your visit to the whale season if that is the draw, and bring what you need for a full day out.
5. San Mateo
San Mateo is a thriving fishing village on a cliff overlooking the sea, and the locals are friendly. Among surfers it is known as the longest wave in Ecuador.
The competition is stiff out on the water and the locals can be territorial, so be respectful of the lineup. It is a good stop for watching the fishing village at work as much as for the surf.
6. Tarqui
Tarqui is a park of the shellfish where local foods are prepared, and you can also take part in surfing, diving, sailing, body-boarding and fishing, along with beach soccer and volleyball.
It sits on the coastal highway midway between the airport and Manta, and is identifiable by the large wooden fishing boats in various stages of construction. Boat-building here has earned it the nickname 'Noah's Ark Beach' among some tourists.
7. Barbasquillo
Barbasquillo is a resort complex on Barbasquillo beach with a pool, sauna, gym and a disco, and it has direct access to an extensive beach.
Horses are available for riding on the beach. It is the option to pick when you want facilities alongside the sand rather than a purely natural shoreline.
8. La Tiñosa
La Tiñosa runs 3 km and has sand dunes along with cactus three metres high, as well as varied wildlife species. The area is used for tourists' rest and recreation.
It is located a few kilometres from the parish San Mateo and is surrounded by mountains with dry vegetation, so it combines well with a San Mateo stop.
9. Santa Marianita
Santa Marianita sits in a rural area west of Manta and is described as the perfect area for the capture of marine species. The 8 km beach invites visitors to enjoy the warm waters and the tranquility of the area.
Telephone services are available here. Choose it when you want a quieter stretch of coast than El Murciélago.
10. Linguique
Linguique is 50 minutes from the centre of Manta and has interesting rocky areas where snails, octopus and lobsters are plentiful. From the high point you can observe the sea in all directions in a panoramic view.
The people in this area are devoted to fishing and agriculture. It rewards the extra travel time with seafood and viewpoints rather than beach facilities.
11. Fantasy Casino
Fantasy Casino is on the Malecón y Calle 23, next to the Oro Verde Hotel, and is operated by that hotel. It has traditional and video slot machines, Blackjack and poker tables, and American Roulette, with drinks, beverages and snacks available.
There is a small dance floor with live entertainment on weekends. It fits neatly at the end of a Malecón walk.
12. Plaza Casino
Plaza Casino is operated by the Howard Johnson Hotel and offers traditional and video slot machines, Blackjack and poker tables, and American Roulette, with drinks, beverages and snacks available.
The casino has a small mezzanine where bands play, supplying live entertainment on weekends. Plan a weekend visit if live music matters to you.
13. Time your visit to the city's events
Manta hosts an International Theater Festival every year in September, and there are sporting events from January through April. Downtown you can find first rate night clubs, bars and casinos.
If either window suits your travel dates, build the trip around it and use the downtown nightlife as your evening base.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at El Murciélago, where you can swim, body-board or simply eat a seafood lunch at one of the restaurants along the sand. Its proximity to hotels, shops and banks makes it an easy first stop.
Afternoon: Head to the Banco Central Museum on Avenida 8 and Calle 7, behind the bus terminal, for the Huancavilca-Manteño ceramics. If you have a car and the time, Tarqui on the coastal highway between the airport and Manta makes a good late-afternoon stop for shellfish and the wooden fishing boats under construction.
Evening: Walk the Malecón as the wind picks up and the side streets fill with music and traffic. Finish at Fantasy Casino on the Malecón y Calle 23, next to the Oro Verde Hotel, or at Plaza Casino, and stay for the live entertainment if it is a weekend.
When is the best time to see whales near Manta?
From June to September, when humpback whales pass from the north to south. San Lorenzo is the place named for watching them, and the climb to its light house is often accompanied by views of blue-footed boobies.
Which beach should I choose if I want facilities rather than seclusion?
El Murciélago is the most popular beach area in Manta and has restaurants, bars and water sports, with hotels, shops, supermarkets and banks nearby. Barbasquillo is the alternative if you want a resort complex with a pool, sauna, gym and disco.
Where can I find live entertainment in the evening?
Both Fantasy Casino and Plaza Casino offer live entertainment on weekends, the former with a small dance floor and the latter with a small mezzanine where bands play. Downtown also has first rate night clubs and bars.
What is there to see that is not a beach?
The Banco Central Museum on Avenida 8 and Calle 7, behind the bus terminal, displays ceramics from the pre-Columbian Huancavilca-Manteño era culture. In September the city hosts an International Theater Festival.
Pick your dates around the whales, the theater festival or the sporting calendar, then start planning your days around the Malecón and the coast.