Ecuador Travel

Pelican in Atacames beach

For a relatively small area, the northern coast region has a diverse number of habitats and wildlife. From dry forests and mangroves to dense jungles, the provinces of Manabí, Esmeraldas and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas boast a number of ecosystems. As a result of the diverse habitats, the northern coast region is home to an vast array of birds, land animals and aquatic creatures.

Large stretches of the northern region are occupied by moist, tropical forests. The eastern stretches of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas are covered in cloudforests, with a high density of ferns, mosses, trees and epiphytes. The most famous plants in the cloud forest are the colorful orchids. Traveling west, you will encounter the tropical rainforests of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas and Esmeraldas.

Other habitats of the region include dry forests, grasslands and mangrove forests. The dry forests are located in southern Manabí, near the coastline, and are dominated by the ceiba tree. Inland, large parts of Manabí are covered in wild and domesticated grasses and scattered trees. In various parts of the region, especially in the northern parts of Esmeraldas, the coast is covered in mangrove forests.

The northern coast's diverse habitats are home to a diversity of bird species. In the cloudforests, you will find hummingbirds, quetzals, flycatchers, finches, toucans, cuckoos and the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. The coast is a good place to see seabirds like ospreys and frigate birds. Isla de la Plata, in the Manabí province, is one of the few spots outside the Galapagos where you can see blue-footed boobies.

The northern coast also has a number of resident animal species. The forests are home to several primate species. One primate is the howler monkey, which resides in both dry and wet forests. If you explore the jungle of Esmeraldas and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, you may come across some rarer large mammal species, including the tapir, the armadillo and the three-toed sloth. The truly lucky visitor might see a leopard or jaguar pacing through the dense jungle growth.

With so much of Ecuador's shoreline, the northern coast has a diverse collection of aquatic life. The Pacific waters off the Esmeraldas and Manabí coasts are filled with tuna, marlin, sea bass and wahoo. The ocean is also an important migratory area for Humpback whales. Divers can also see Whale sharks and Hammerhead sharks. Many of the delicacies that end up being served for dinner in the region's restaurants are harvested from its waters. These species include prawns, lobsters, crabs, shrimp and squid. Inland, the montane rivers of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, climbing to the Andes have an abundance of trout in them. Chone, located in the inland hills of Manabí, is famous for the chame fish.