17 Feb The real story of Montañita

Posted at 14:48h in Balsa Surf Camp by Balsa Surf Camp 1 Comment

The Real Story of Montañita the best beach town in Ecuador

Version en inglés y en español.

Montañita is a town known for its colorful atmosphere, its party and its surf scene, but for us as locals is much more than that.

You have probably heard many things about Montañita — the parties, the surfing, the nightlife, the backpacker culture. But what is this little beach town really about?

In this blog, I want to tell you more than just the typical tourist information or the history you can find everywhere online. I want to share what Montañita truly feels like from a real perspective.

Not from a marketing point of view, but as a Spanish teacher, a woman, a traveler myself, and someone who also lived in Switzerland for several years before returning to Ecuador.

It is a town full of dreams and strong people who see in tourism a possibility to improve their economy because it employs 90% of the population.

Montañita is located in “La Ruta del Spondylus”, about 2.5 hours from Guayaquil airport. It used to be a small fishing village where a few surfers started camping in the 1970s. Then it became increasingly popular and, today, Montañita is one of the most touristic places in Ecuador. It is known as the surfing capital of Ecuador.

It was declared surf city in 2016 and recognized again in 2022 for meeting all the requirements that a professional surfer needs. It has waves that can reach 2.5 meters and maintains a temperate water temperature throughout the year, and for that reason surfers do not need to wear a wetsuit.

Montañita Beach longtime ago! By Bolo Franco

The Real Story of Montañita

Besides surfing, it is a town full of magic where people find everything they want, you can relax or have fun, the decision is yours, we are a small community that is always willing to help with a smile.

Besides, there are countless possibilities of things to do in the region, multiple gastronomic options, it is a very easy place to make friends, or just focus on your personal goals.

It’s all up to you!

Is Montañita Safe?

This is probably the question I get asked the most.

And my honest answer is: no place in the world is 100% safe.

Not in Ecuador, not in Europe, not in Latin America, not anywhere.

Sadly, Ecuador has developed a difficult reputation regarding security in recent years, especially when people talk about the coastline. And yes, this has affected tourism a lot.

I am not going to pretend problems do not exist in some parts of the country. They do.

But Ecuador has thousands of kilometers of coastline, many different provinces, towns, and realities. What happens in one area does not represent the entire country.

And honestly, Montañita is very different from the image many people imagine after watching the news.

Because Montañita depends heavily on tourism, safety matters to everyone here. Local businesses, hotels, surf schools, restaurants, taxi drivers, and families all understand that tourism is the heart of the town.

People care.

There are private security guards, local police patrols, community support, and a small-town feeling where people know each other. Of course, common sense is still important, just like in any tourist destination, but the reality on the ground often feels much calmer than what people expect before arriving.

At our place, Balsa Surf Camp, for example, we have 24/7 security and local patrols nearby. But beyond that, there is also something more personal that makes this place feel safe: community.

Montañita is still a relatively small town. People recognize faces. Locals look out for tourists. We give advice, recommend safe areas, and genuinely want visitors to feel comfortable here.

I cannot speak for every single person, of course, but I can say that many of us truly care about the people who come to experience our home.

And once you are here, something shifts.

You start walking through colorful streets with ocean air on your skin. You watch the sunsets turn the sky orange and pink. You hear live music near the beach, meet travelers from all over the world, practice Spanish with locals, surf at sunrise, and slowly relax into the rhythm of the coast.

That is the Montañita I know.

Not just the party stories you see online, but a vibrant beach town full of life, connection, nature, and culture.

And honestly? It may be one of the best places to learn Spanish and Surf while experiencing the real spirit of coastal Ecuador.

The weather in Montañita

The climate is generally warm and temperate throughout the year, although during the winter there may be cold days. By contrast, in summer, the days are very sunny, and almost every day you can enjoy a beautiful sunset on the sea. In winter it is recommended to bring jackets/coats/windbreaker jackets or raincoats for the drizzly days.

December – May: Almost permanent sun and heat, Temperatures of 27 C° (78 F°), tropical rain at night.

June – August: Cloudy and sunny days alternate, light rain, average temperature of 24 C° (76 F°), good time to learn Spanish.

October – November: Predominantly cloudy days, garúa (light rain), cold temperature up to 20 C°.

Activities you can do in Montañita

Surfing is probably the main sport in the region, as the waves of the point are world-famous for their length and style. But there are also different beaches only 5 or 10 km away with different waves where you can practice according to your level or preference. Besides, we have waves all year round, no need for a wetsuit, the water is in perfect condition!

For people who don’t want to surf, there are other options:

– Bodyboard

– Paddleboard *depending on the tide

– Sport fishing

– Yoga (different types of yoga)

– Running on the beach

– Hiking in the hills

– Visiting the gyms in the area

– Skateboarding, ramp (or downhill)

– Functional training, kickboxing, jiu jitsu, tai chi and more.

The Real Montañita

Nowadays, it has changed a lot regarding infrastructure but has never lost that magic, I’m not talking about the nightlife, but rather the people and the feeling I had from the first time I arrived in Montañita “freedom”.

It is a very multicultural town and it attracts nationalities from all over the world, there is a variety of restaurants with local and international gastronomic offers, you can see people of different races, cultures and religions sharing on the beach, you can always hear people talking in different languages and the laughter sounds loud and cheerful.

The sunsets captivate you and show you the real magic of Montañita, sometimes we are asked how you can live in such an active place? well the difference between most of the people who live here and those who visit it, is that we live a normal life, with a certain routine, we have to work every day, so our evening activities are limited, actually some are working on the evenings in the restaurants and bars, we might do a lot of sport during the day but also work hard, we take advantage of the winter to meet more with our friends and summer to work and save, since tourism is fluctuating and seasonal.

Most of the locals do not live in the center of town, but in the surrounding areas or towns like Olon and Manglaralto, so every day we commute to work, sometimes I don’t even go into town. The magic lays in the opportunity to be able to meet new people every day, learn about the whole world chatting with someone, most of the time we our clients are tourist happy and motivated to know our culture, our country, at the end of the shift we can rest on the beach, feel the sun on our skin, relax with our pets, take long walks, do yoga, meditation, reconnect with nature through surfing or a simple walk in the hills.

For someone who lives in a big city, it may seem that there is not much to do, but for us this quiet life, with the sea just a few steps from the office door, is enough and the most important thing is that we are free, every visitor is also free, free to choose how to enjoy this paradise, there is no discrimination, people love to welcome the tourist with open arms, nature is beautiful, the rest is totally your decision.