Ecuador Travel

Pedernales Beach

Overview

Pedernales town is yet to be hit hard by foreign tourism that has reached other parts of the Ecuadorian coast. For this reason, its off the beaten path appeal makes it very attractive to travelers who wish to see a part of the Ecuadorian Pacific coast that is less visited. Here it is possible to get a very real sense of how people on the coast live.

The beach is lined with all of the coastal bamboo beach bars that are found further north on the coast in places such as Atacames and Mompiche. An important little hub, the town has a decent array of hotels to suit travelers, and a large number of excellent and good value seafood restaurants are located in the beach area. The beach itself is pretty enough, with some surf and a lot of fishermen going about their daily business.

Nature and beautiful landscapes are part of this town, which has a tremendous tourism potential. Pedernales has been dubbed “Un Paraiso en la Mitad del Mundo,” that is, a paradise in the middle of the world. The town sits very close to the equator. However, the name “pedernal” itself relates to a certain kind of stone that is found in the nearby river. It has a history that dates back centuries, and of particular note, the people here were part of the Jama-Coaque culture. In 1736, the town was visited by the French Geodesic Mission that was headed up by Charles Marie de la Condamine.

Highlights

Sun bathing – there are few places better to catch some rays than Ecuador’s green Pacific coast line. Pedernales has a wide stretch of golden sands with a backdrop of palm trees and bamboo bars. This is a pleasant place to throw down a towel and relax in the sun. However, don’t forget that the sun is extremely hot here. Even on a cloudy day, the sun is strong. Always wear strong sun screen with SPFs of more than 50, and be sure to get under an umbrella from 11 a.m. til 3 p.m, to avoid burning.

Fishing – off the beach of Pedernales there is some excellent fishing that can be experienced for those who enjoy this sport. This is evident from the number of fishermen and boats that can be found along the main strip of beach. Take a boat with a local guide and head out into the deep waters to catch some fish. If you get lucky and catch a fish, you may be able to persuade a local restaurant to cook it up for your dinner.

Surfing – close to Pedernales there are some good surf spots, as the waves are fairly strong here. Rent a surf board or a boogie board and head out to get a thrill by catching some large waves. Remember to apply sun screen as the climate is very hot here. Also, novice surfers or swimmers should remember that the sea is strong and take suitable precautions.

People watching – as Pedernales is more of a local coastal town than a massive destination for foreign tourists, it is an excellent place to do some people watching. In this busy transportation hub of particular interest is watching the local fishermen bringing in their daily catch. In addition to the variety of different fish that you will see, you’ll also observe the bird life swooping down from above to try to catch a fish of their own.

Eating sea food – with its huge schools of fish to be caught, one thing that Pedernales does unsurprisingly very well is offer some delicious sea food. There are all varieties of sea food here, from shrimp in garlic sauce to fried fish with fries, to ceviche. Take your pick of places to eat from the numerous restaurants that line the sea front. If you do not like sea food, it may be difficult to find something else to eat in this town.

Nightlife – like those from other towns along the Ecuadorian coast, people from Pedernales like to party. There are a number of sandy beach bamboo bars similar to those found further north in Atacames. While the town is not quite the party central that Atacames is, you can still get a cocktail or three and join in with some salsa. There are also other lively bars to be found in the town for the intrepid soul to explore.

Getting There

The journey by road takes from five to six hours. The coastal portion of the road is fairly new, and as such, is fairly good for progressing quickly to your destination. The journey is beautiful and heads from Quito through the cloud forest, winding through the mountains until you get to the coastal lowlands. Scenery changes from mountainous to very tropical in just a matter of a couple of hours.

Those taking a bus will depart from Quitumbe bus terminal in the south of Quito. To get to Quitumbe, they need to take a taxi directly to the terminal, a journey of half an hour at a cost of $10 or so, or alternatively take the Trolebus to its final stop and alighting for the terminal. The cost of this route is $0.25. This journey on the Trole will take approximately one hour, or in a taxi, about half an hour, depending on from where in Quito the person is traveling.

From Quitumbe, travelers can take the bus to Pedernales. The journey will cost from $5 to $6 depending on the bus company chosen for the trip. It is better to travel in the day time, as some of the coastal roads can be dangerous at night.

It is also possible to fly to Manta, at a cost of approximately $70 one way. The journey time is about 40 minutes. However, from here it is at least a three-hour bus ride to Pedernales, so it may be quicker overall to just take the bus from Quito.