Best Ecuador Beach? A place called Ayampe,Ecuador.

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One of Ecuador's most relaxed beaches is 30 minutes north of Montanita and 15 minutes sour of Puerto Lopez. This video gives a feel for what this coastal town is like.

When I began my travels through Ecuador, many friends advised me to "Be careful" or asked me if Ecuador was a third world country. The implication was that fear should be a dominant part of my thinking and that someone going from the "modern" world would out-of-place where per capita income measures were much lower than in America or Western Europe.

I traveled through the Andes mountains, saw the large cities of Quito and Guayaquil, trekked to the Galapagos and smaller towns like Cuenca, Banos, Vilcabamba and many others.

And then at the end of my first trip I ended up in a place called Ayampe, on the Pacific Coast, 30 minutes north of the party town of Montanita and 15 minutes south of Puerto Lopez. I met only wonderful and interesting people. Yes, the roads are dirt and "traffic" consists of beachcombers, locals, surfers on the way to and from the beach, and dogs, chickens, horses, a mule, and the occasional heron.

No modern fast-food joints. No traffic jams or traffic lights. No malls or shopping centers. No high-rise condos or gated communities with gringos. You don't watch or miss television about the modern world. You breathe clean air, and walk, hike, swim or surf. Children boogie board, surf, fish or ride horses instead of spending time online or playing video games. Stress is a foreign concept.

By many Americans' standards, Ayampe is 50 years behind the times, but my impression is they are far ahead of most of the world.

I've been back several times on my last visit to Ecuador and know I'll be back again. Part of facebook.com/MichaelsJourneysllc.
Ayampe, Ecuador Ahorcados, Islote de los Ahorcados
Musical Credits: The Wanderer, Audioblocks and Yesterday, J.D.
Aerial photography and videography
Marilyn Keller, La Buena Vida Surf Hotel
Keith Keller, La Buena Vida Surf Hotel
Marco Lodato, Los Orishas Hotel