If you happen to be driving along the central Pacific coast 80 mi/130 km northwest of Guayaquil, a stop in Manta, Ecuador, offers a pleasant few hours.
A busy harbor town, Manta offers the Banco Central Museum (ancient Amerindian artifacts), an artisan market in Plaza Civica, an old wooden church and a picturesque fishing harbor.
The surrounding countryside of Manta has pristine beaches, backed by lush, rolling hills covered in orchards and cotton plantations. The sea has a dangerous undertow there, but the conditions December-April are right for surfing and international windsurfing competitions.
Don't miss Parque del Marisco, which translates as Seafood Park and offers fresh seafood and ceviches from stalls right on the beach at Playa Tarqui.
Nearby Portoviejo offers the museum Casa de la Cultura and botanical gardens.
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