ULTIMATE RETIREMENT EXPERIENCE: SALINAS, ECUADOR

           I spent a month  (30 March- 30 April 2015) at the coast of Ecuador to experience what retirement living would be like. I went to Salinas, Ecuador in 2012 for a short 4-day visit and knew I would someday return. That time came this past month. Salinas is located 2 hours from the largest city in Ecuador, Guayaquil, so all things start there first when you arrive at José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport . No need to change money because Ecuador has had the US dollar as its official currency since 2000. I arranged a pick-up from the airport to save time by Mr. Victor Colorado ( a local expat in Salinas) and the traffic trying to get out of Guayaquil was horrendous (took about an hour) .
             

        Once I arrived in Salinas, I was met by the property manager (Leon Vitler) and was able to get settled and felt at peace finally. I rented a furnished condominium (in the Phoenix Building) one block from the beach with a view of the sea and the small local airport in Salinas. I was also on the same street with many seafood restaurants (like Lojanita's) that served catch of the day at a very inexpensive price. Supermarkets and an abundance of stores (mini-markets and pharmacies) to purchase necessities for my long stay were in 5 minutes walk from the condo. I really felt at home in Salinas.
             

       Guayaquil is a short 2 hour bus trip from Salinas ( with Costa Azul) . There you can visit the historical neighborhood of Las Penas on Santa Ana Hill, walk the Malecon 2000, and visit the Iguana Park right close to the cathedral, to name a few things. However, once you have spent time in Guayaquil, you will definitely appreciate Salinas and the coast of Ecuador much more.
           

       Living in Salinas gives you easy access to the many towns along the coast of Ecuador. All transportation is provided from the Bus Terminal in Santa Elena about 20 minutes from central Salinas. The bus terminal offers daily trips ( every 20 minutes to half an hour) to Manta (Mangaralto), Puerto Viejo (Mangaralto), and Montanita (CITUP and Mangaralto) all within 1-4 hours by bus. I spent a couple of days in Manta at Hotel Perla Spondylus.  Manta is the tuna capital, the Headquarters for the Ecuadorian Navy, the main port operation for cruise ships; and the importation and exportation of goods to/from Ecuador.
               

        An hour away from Salinas is the international gathering place and most touristic town along the coast, Montanita. There you can do tours( via Go Montanita) to many places along the coast of Ecuador( Machalilla National Park; Isla La Plata; Isla Salango; and go whale watching (Jun-Sep)).  You can also book a nice bungalow on the hill with a powerful view of Playa Montanita at Nativa Bambu Ecolodge or book a stay at the luxurious Dharma Beach Hotel on the beach. I was able meet people from all over the world (U.S., Canada, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Korea, Spain, etc..) and enjoy the nightlife at club Hola Ola but Montanita it is best known as a surfing destination. Montanita also offers an abundance of international foods (Thai, Spanish, American, Argentine, etc..) and many bars offering your favorite cocktails (margaritas, mojitos, martinis) with happy hour specials daily.
               

          Puerto Lopez  is about 2 hours away by bus and it is fisherman's village that offers boat trips to the little islands off the coast of mainland within one hour or less. Puerto Lopez also offers easy access to the National Park Machalilla (via Machalilla Tours), where people go to observe wildlife, dive or snorkel. Playa Los Frailes about 20 minutes from Puerto Lopez is the closest thing to a white sandy beach along the coast of Ecaudor. It is a very quiet beach that has a hiking trail to viewpoint 330 feet above sea level about 940m ( half a mile) from the entrance of the beach area.

            Getting back to Salinas where you can enjoy the most salient point of Ecuador at La Chocolatera, a great place to observe the sunset and waves crashing against the rocky coastline. On the other side of the Chocolatera, there is a "Loberia" which is an observatory viewpoint where a group of sea lions that migrated from Peru now reside. Salinas is the ultimate retirement experience offering a reasonable cost of living, great seafood, exotic getaways, and very relaxed environment. You would enjoy every minute of it.

1. On March 13, 2000 the US dollar became the official currency of Ecuador. You will find thousands of the Sacagawea dollar (aka golden dollar) coins spending around Ecuador. 

2. This sandcastle is the unofficial landmark of Salinas and the one thing that always stuck in my mind when I was thinking about returning here. 

3. Salinas has an abundance of restaurants that offer fresh catch of the day from fish, prawns, octopus, and calamari (squid). You will have no problem getting full off the servings at Salinas.

4. Ecuador has so many places to observe coastal sea life. Salinas offers a great big park with a combination of observatory points and big long beach called Playa Mar Bravo. At one end of the Playa Mar Bravo you can observe sea lions (La Loberia) and on the other end you can watch a beautiful sunset (La Chocolatera). 

5. Two hours away from Salinas you can travel to Guayaquil to get a nice Ecuadorian history lesson on Santa Ana Hill. 

6. Only in Ecuador will you find cattle at the beach. Ama la vida as the Ecuadorians say. 

7. Machallilla National Park is the gateway to the little islands like La Plata and Sucre, where the only habitants you find are birds and other wildlife. — at Machalilla National Park.

8. Machalilla National Park is also a place open to water activities like kayaking, snorkeling and diving. 

9. Playa de Los Frailes is the closest thing you will find to a white sandy beach in Ecuador however, it also offers a half mile hike to an altitude of 330 feet above sea level to view the beach and hills of the coast.

AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION FROM GYE TO SALINAS, ECUADOR
DMITRY- cafejazzsalinas@gmail.com
VICTOR COLORADO- victorcolorado85@yahoo.com

BUS COMPANIES FROM SANTA ELENA TERMINAL
MANGLARALTO- DESTINATIONS: MANTA, PUERTO LOPEZ, MONTANITA
CITUP- DESTINATIONS: MONTANITA, OLON
COSTA AZUL C.I.C.A- DESTINATION: GUAYAQUIL

RESTAURANTS: SALINAS, ECUADOR
SMOKIN BBQ
LOJANITA'S
ISLA DE FRUTA

RESTAURANTS: MONTANITA, ECUADOR
TAPAS
THAI CONNECTION
IBIZA (ASSOCIATE OF NATIVA BAMBU ECOLODGE)

RESTAURANTS: MANTA, ECUADOR
EL NAVEGANTE
EL COLORADO(PLAYA TARQUI)

LONG TERM ACCOMMODATIONS/ REAL ESTATE SALINAS, ECUADOR
LEON VITLER-PROPERTY MANAGER
TEL: +593 996522445
TEL: +593 996522443
EMAIL: leon-39czhc1xn0i48utn@host.airbnb.com

AMY PRISCO-REALTOR
+593967043050 (Ecuador)
(646) 396-1026 (USA)
EMAIL: aprisco@remax.com.ec

COAST OF ECUADOR ACCOMODATION:

NATIVA BAMBU- MONTANITA RUTA E15 DIAGONAL AL CLP WEB: www.nativabambu.com

DHARMA BEACH HOTEL- MONTANITA
COMUN MONTANITA MALECON
WEB: www.dharmabeach.com

RAMADA HOTEL- GUAYAQUIL
MALECON SIMON BOLIVAR #606 Y MANUEL LUZARRAGA
WEB: www.hotelramada.com

HOTEL PERLA SPONDYLUS- MANTA
CALLE 15 Y AVENIDA 3
EMAIL: www.hotelperlaspondylus.com

TOUR COMPANIES:
GO MONTANITA- MONTANITA
TEL: +593 97943 4580
EMAIL: thomas@gomontanita.com
WEB: www.gomontanita.com
TRIPS: ISLA LA PLATA, ISLA SALNAGO, LOS FRAILES

MACHALILLATOURS- PUERTO LOPEZ
WEB: www.machalillatours.org
TEL: +593 994925960
TRIPS: DIVING, SNORKELING AT MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK; ISLA LA PLATA