Things to do & places to visit in Santa Elena Province, Ecuador

Santa Elena Province #8 destination in Ecuador 2023. The average rating score is 4.36 based on 4.013 traveler reviews, of 96 attractions. Timezone: America/Guayaquil, current date and time: Friday, May 10, 2024, 12:58.

Top things to do (29)

Top destinations in Santa Elena Province 20

See more 8 destinations »

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Montanita Spanish School - Day Classes (352 reviews)
- Montanita Spanish School
Educational sites

I did the travelling class trip organized by a few schools in Ecuador. The Montanita Spanish School was our last stop. It was awesome. Their teachers are interesting, easy going, fun and motivated. The classes are often outside (if you are lucky, you will get to study on their roof with a view of the ocean). The school offers other classes... I very much enjoyed surfing every day and really improved during the week I was there. The cabanas where you can choose to live are only a few minutes away (but there is a bit of a hill to climb on the way to school) and are a very nice place to stay. There are always people hanging around, there is a nice kitchen with tons of ustensils, a pool, hamacs and it feels very safe... See more..
5.0 Outdoor Ecuador Spanish & Surf School (117 reviews)
- We will come back!
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Lessons & Workshops

Our location, culture, and programs are all designed to maximize your opportunity to learn the language, meet people from around the world, create lifelong memories, and capitalize on your overall experience here in Ecuador. See more..
5.0 Vikara Lifestyle (71 reviews)
- Excellent stay at Vikara
Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Surfing & Windsurfing

I did a plant medicine retreat and it was Awesome. The location and the rooms are beautiful, right in front of the beach. The whole experience was amazing, the shaman was really knowledgeable and the all staff really supportive. I recommend the experience to anybody who is willing to start a inner transformation and trying to solve some issue in their life. Roey and Lindsy are great and I hope to come back soon for more surfing and plant medicine. Life changing experience! See more..
5.0 Surf Report Olon (69 reviews)
- Best instructor for mid level surfers
Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sports Camps & Clinics • Adrenaline & Extreme Tours • Surfing & Windsurfing

David is a really good surf instructor. He is very profesional and give really good tips for us (mid level surfers). I would definitely recommend him to anyone who would like to improve in his/her surfing. He knows a lot of spots around olon. See more..
5.0 Escuela De Surf Olón (53 reviews)
- Catch those waves in Olon!
Friday: 7:30 AM - 10:30 PM Surfing & Windsurfing • Water Sports

I was referred by my hostel to find Patricio and Escuela de Surf Olon for my first-time surfing in Olon. This beach's conditions turned out to be perfect for my level of experience and areas of improvement. Patricio and the team of experienced instructors gave me great pointers when I was in the water, also continuously challenged me for trying smaller, and more manuverable boards - which is exactly what I need! After my first session I continued going back to Escuela de Surf Olon for renting their top-quality surf boards for practicing. I'd highly recommend Escuela de Surf Olon to anyone who wants to learn and improve their surfing capability in the area! See more..
5.0 Soluna Sanctuary (44 reviews)
- Incredible!
Friday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Farms

Return to Nature with medicinal tea session, massage, art therapy and cultivation workshops. The goal is to connect with nature through mind body and soul. Activities will take place in our 10 acre sanctuary split between nature preserve and farm within the cloud forest. This includes intuitive massage by our world class therapist, medicinal tea instruction and tasting, art and plant therapy. See more..
5.0 Montañisol (29 reviews)
- Great taxi service!
Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Taxis & Shuttles

Montanisol ... transport service in Ecuador from and to the airports 24 hours, smooth, safe, comfortable trips to your destination; trips to salinas, montanita, ayampe, canoa, manta, engabao etc. call or write and book a transport before traveling, we will wait for you at the airport. Taxi up to 4 people, Minivans up to 7 people, vans up to 11 people. travel with us, we have extensive experience in transportation service in Ecuador. we have professional drivers who also act as tour guides. our customers certify it, where we check our attention and service to tourists, travelers, families, friends, executives who hire us because they prefer to travel in safe transport. For us it is a pleasure to serve you and to take you to your destination with comfort and security. Excellence is our style. We are the taxis of Ecuador. Also trips to Cuenca, Posorja, Daule are your best transportation option in the country. See more..
5.0 Yoga Montañita (17 reviews)
- Awesome, Amazing & Lovely
Spent 1-2 hours Yoga & Pilates

Yoga Montanita at Estudio Casa del Sol is located a 5 min walk north on the beach from Montanita. Offering a schedule full of varied classes in an organic, bamboo, oceanview studio. With a team of full-time teachers from all over the world and workshops from incredible instructors who pass through here, we have created a place for travelers to reinvigorate both their bodies and minds. See more..
5.0 La Escuelita Spanish Lessons (15 reviews)
- The Best Spanish Lessons in all of Ecuador
Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Universities & Schools

La Escuelita offers customized spanish lessons with professional and certified teachers, on site and online. We are happy to share our language and culture. We offer a variety of programs that adapts to your time and needs. See more..
4.5 Playa de Chipipe (306 reviews)
- family weekend trip to the beach
Spent More than 3 hours Beaches

we went for a boat ride $3pp, local vendors on the beach are super nice, water and beach was clean and picturesque! See more..
4.5 La Chocolatera (279 reviews)
- Must see
Friday: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM Lookouts

Beautiful surroundings, coastline, good viewpoints, captivating lighthouse. You can get a taxi, but you can also walk on foot. See more..
4.5 La Lobería (223 reviews)
- A Must Do!
Nature & Wildlife Areas

La Loberia was amazing! The ocean was beautiful, surfers and paddle boarders skillful, and sea lions very fun to watch (tho’ a ways off…bring your binoculars or zoom camera). The beach was pretty and very quiet. We had a little trouble finding the correct entrance in our rental car…there seem to be three military entrances and of course the La Loberia area was the last one we tried. The guards were nice, though, and we just turned our car around and kept trying. Bring your passport to show and he waves you through. This area is a must do while you’re in Salinas! See more..
4.5 GoTours (141 reviews)
- Super
Friday: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Parasailing & Paragliding • Scuba & Snorkelling

Isla De La Plata tour. Wonderful tour Adam , Eric and the crew were top notch. Go Montanita S.A. Kept in touch before and after the adventure. If your planning a tour use this company. See more..
4.5 Playa de Olon (99 reviews)
- One of the widest, nicest, cleanest beaches we have visited in South America.
Beaches

We loved that the beach was wide and long and VERY clean. It was great to be able to just walk as far as we wanted. Definitely recommend it for people who love a good but uncrowned beach. See more..
4.5 La Chocolatera (87 reviews)
- Stunning View!
Friday: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM Bodies of Water

A lovely experience, a spectacular view of the vast sea and lots of sea lions frolicking on an islet! The place also has all the facilities for a disabled person, it has bathrooms and a first class bar. See more..
4.5 Santuario Blanca Estrella del Mar (71 reviews)
- Beautiful Church and Mirador
Spent < 1 hour Religious Sites

A short walk from the point at Montanita up a gravel backroad to a lovely church and spectacular mirador overlooking Olon Beach. See more..
4.5 Ecuador Parapente (56 reviews)
- Getting out of your comfort zone
Parasailing & Paragliding

They made the whole experience very easy. Friendly and safe. Loved how they posted the Go Pro pics on Facebook do download later. Thumbs up! See more..
4.5 Museo de las Ballenas (52 reviews)
- Unbelievable insights into the world of whales
Speciality Museums

We found this place by accident. We were a bit bored by Salinas as a whole and were looking for a cafe, away from the main seaside road. As it often is the case when you are traveling, unplanned and unforseen meetings are those that provide the best surprises. As we walked past the board indicating the location of the museum, we thought of visiting it. This is located at the rear of a restaurant, called the Oystercatcher, and on the top floor of the same building. We met Ben Haase, who is both the guide, the owner, and the curator of this impressive collection. He is incredibly competent, and will no doubt make you passionate about whales, but more broadly about the marvels of the sea. We had a great time and found Ben's explanations and tips particularly useful also for our subsequent trip to Galapagos. Do try the restaurant too, which was much better than most places on the sea front. See more..
4.5 Playa de Ayangue (35 reviews)
- Ayangue
Spent More than 3 hours Beaches

Ayangue is a small coastal town located in “La Ruta del Sol” approximately two hours from Guayaquil, before montañita. The sea is very calm, excellent place to visit if you are travelling with children, where they will be able to play without fear of the currents or the waves. It is the perfect place to spend the day. You will be able to enjoy a calm and quiet beach, most of the year. I recommend visiting it during the holidays of Carnival and Easter, because is a beautiful beach and you can enjoy of differents activities un the same place. For example you could navigate and you will meet El Pelado is a small island known by the facilities that offer to divers and by its varied marine life. See more..
4.5 Nativa Bambu Disco (22 reviews)
- good dancing
Friday: 10:00 PM - 4:00 AM Spent More than 3 hours Bars & Clubs • Dance Clubs & Discos

a good place to dance... beautiful decor ans pretty view... we rotated all night in between a few clubs and bars, and this one was on our rotation list.. See more..
4.5 Playa San Pablo (18 reviews)
- San Pablo
Spent 2-3 hours Beaches

In my previous birthday. I traveled to San Pablo with my sister, It is located in via Olón, passing the bridge, we visited Galeón Princesa Gina Restaurant, in this place the food is delicious, the food that more I caught the attention and I loved was “camarones al ajillo”. After we went to the beach to enjoy the sun, I liked the sea because it is quiet its waves are small. San Pablo is very visited by tourists, because on its wide shores you can relax and enjoy the sun and practice several beach sports. I did not like, was that near to the beach, there was a market where they sell fish which gives a poor image. See more..
4.5 Catedral de Emperatriz de Santa Elena (16 reviews)
- It is a very old place of worship.
Churches & Cathedrals

I stopped to visit and let friends visit, it is full of restored ancient local art and the wood and Altars give you a soothing spiritual feeling. It is also very clean and quiet. See more..
4.5 Playa de Punta Blanca (15 reviews)
- Punta Blanca / San Pablo Playas Ecuatorianas
Beaches

Punta Blanca beach is one of the most peaceful; their waves aren’t aggressive, of course it also depends on the time of year that you visit it, and it’s one of the cleanest beaches, it may be because it is a residential zone and the beach is maintained by their people, near this is located the pink beach with a lot of pink sand, to get there you need to climb some rocks full of crabs. If you wake up early in the morning you’ll find some fishermen arriving at the shore with the best and fresh fish, shrimps and shells. You can walk on the beach for a few kilometers northward; there is San Pablo, a small fishermen’s town, the first thing you'll find will be the cabins with the best typical dishes, “fried fish”, “ceviches”, “marinero rice” and others. Also if you have a lot of hungry about six o’clock you can wait for the bread man, with the best “rosquitas” and bread. See more..
4.5 Playa de Mar Bravo (13 reviews)
- Spectacular Waves
Beaches

If you want big crashing waves, this os the place to good. No services but a cool drive. Not good for swimming. See more..
4.5 Museo Casaleon (11 reviews)
- Best Lodging in La Libertad
Art Museums

Art museum, Site prehispanic museum, Bed and Breakfast. A quiet place with wonderful sea views to rest or to use as a base camp to enjoy the Ruta del Sol. See more..
4.0 Playa Las Salinas (362 reviews)
- Salinas and its waters.
Beaches

Salinas is a wonderful place, its beach has very crystalline waters where you can relax quietly. The only bad thing is that in my opinion there is not much variety of food, as is the case with other beaches. The stay in Salinas is very good, although a bit expensive, but certain hotels offer breakfast service, so depending on the hotel you stay you will have certain advantages. In conclusion, Playas Salinas is still one of the places that I would never get tired of visiting, I really like its waters. See more..
4.0 Playa Montañita (355 reviews)
- MO Montanita
Beaches

I great town for surfing, site seeing and eating. Each to get to by a great interprovincial bus system. Only 30 to 45 minutes from Salinas Ecuador. See more..
4.0 Malecon Salinas (341 reviews)
- whale watching June to September.
Piers & Boardwalks

boating companies that offer whale watching in Ecuador operate from Manabi, which is a small village in Puerto Lopez. Operators are equipped for tourists and visitors and can guarantee a safe and pleasant trip out on the waters. Most tours take visitors out to Isla de la Plata, or Silver Island, where not only whales but many other species of wildlife can be seen. If you are brave enough, you can approach some of the local fisherman and ask them to take you out for a fee, but it is advised to rather enjoy your whale watching experience with certified tour boats. The information center in Puerto Lopez will be able to answer all your questions in regard to the whales and is extremely informative. See more..
4.0 Playa Montañita (100 reviews)
- Flash back to the 70's
Beaches

What a place to relive my youth, the building types and atmosphere take me back to a time of boards, broads and booze, all in that order. Many deals can be made with street vendors selling everything from hammocks to fancy gem stones ( but caviot emptor ). Met a few rasta's selling real opals and amber, bought a bobble or two. It was spring break so the chaica's were everywhere, one must have mirror sun glasses if one is with one's wife. We had a great time and left with many memories. See more..
4.0 Playa Punta Centinela (55 reviews)
- A very quiet beach option North of the very busy Salinas area...
Beaches

This is a very quiet option for those that do not like the crowd's or the vendors constantly bothering to buy sunglasses. It is very clean, the only down side is that it's not close to a lot of amenities, restaurants or bars. See more..