OPTION A / 3 HOURS)
We pick up passengers from Hotel or ship port, departure is between 9:15 to 9:45am then with our private First Class car we make a City tour in Manta visiting its highlights & its interesting museum, after that dropping off of passengers at the ship port.

OPTION B / 8 HOURS)
Departure is between 9:15 to 9:45am then with our private First Class Van we make a brief City tour in Manta, later on we head to Machalilla National park / Agua Blanca (2,15 Hours) to see the archaeological evidence of the most important cultures of the Ecuadorian coast; The Valdivia culture, possibly the oldest human settlement in South America also the ruins of the Machalilla, Mantena and Chorrerra ancient cultures, visit to its rustic museum which is run by the natives, then we have an easy hiking through the humid forest in Agua Blanca observing plenty of endemic birds, orchids, bromeliads, endemic monkeys "aulladores" with optional horse rides or medicinal baths in sulfur ponds, or as an alternative to Agua Blanca we head after the City tour in manta to the fantastic "Los Frailes"beach (2,15 Hours), a protected beach part of the national park to conserve its pristine environment, swimming and relax in this beautiful beach until sunset, later on return to Manta (2 hours), dropping off passengers at the Hotel or ship port

MANTA BRIEF GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Manta, is the major port along the central Ecuadorian coast and an important local tourist resort and commercial center. Despite its popularity among Ecuadorian tourists, the city's beaches are not very good, although there are excellent beaches in nearby villages and some of the beachfront restaurants serve good seafood.

History

Manta has a long history. It was founded by Francisco Pacheco on March 2, 1535, 10 days before he founded Portoviejo. Before its Spanish foundation, Manta, named Jocay by the local Indians, was an important port. The Manta culture thrived throughout the whole western peninsula from about 500 AD until the arrival of the conquistadors. Many artifacts made by these early inhabitants have been found in the area.

The pottery of the ancient Manta culture is well made and decorated with pictures of daily life. Through these pictorial decorations, archaeologists have learned that the Manta people enhanced their appearance by skull deformation and tooth removal, thus increasing the backward slope of their foreheads and chins. This emphasized their large, rounded, hooked noses.

Also evident in their pottery, is the Mantas' astonishing skill in navigation. They were able to navigate as far as Panama and Peru and claims have been made that they even reached the Galapagos. There are records claiming that the Manta seafarers sailed as far north as Mexico and as far south as Chile. Capitán Bartolomé Ruiz captured a Manta balsa sailing raft in 1526. He recorded that of the 20 crew members captured, 11 jumped overboard in terror, and the remainder he kept for translating purposes and later freed. Similar but smaller balsa rafts can still be seen sailing the coasts today.

Not only their navigational and ceramic skills were well developed. The Mantas were also skilled stonemasons, weavers and metal workers. People wishing to leam more about the Manta culture should visit the museum in town.

After the conquest, the town of Manta had a history of attack and destruction by pirates from various European countries. Attacks in 1543, 1607, and 1628 left the city ruined and the survivors fleeing for inland areas, in particular Montecristi. Today, the descendants of the seafaring Manta people continue to demonstrate their superb marine skills as fishermen, navigating their small open boats many kilometers out in the open ocean for days at a stretch.
The Machalilla Park wich is a museum in itself of pre-Columbian natural history of Ecuador and South America. Within the region, archaeological evidence of the most important cultures of the Ecuadorian coast have been found. The Valdivia culture, possibly the oldest human settlement in South America, can be located in this sector. These findings have proof leading to the theory that Machalilla was once an important regional marine trading post. The weather and vegetation of the park are determined by the coastal convergence of the cold Humboldt current and the warm Panama current. This phenomenon has created two clearly defined seasons in the park: a rainy season from January to May and a dry season from June to December. The influence of the Chongón - Colonche mountain range which traverses the park also causes small climatic variations. This rare ecosystem duality enhances the high endemic levels recorded in the area

Orientation

The town is divided into two parts by an inlet. Manta is on the west side and Tarqui on the east. They are joined by a road bridge. Manta has the main offices and shopping areas, Tarqui has a bigger hotel selection and beaches, but the hotels tend to be older and more run-down, also, the beaches more prone to theft and similar problems. The main residential areas are to the southwest of Manta business district, while the best beaches are to the northwest of Manta.