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Overview
Also known as "Playa Bonita", Santa Marianita is a small beachside town located about 20 minutes from Manta in the southern Ecuadorian province of Manabí. The beautiful stretch of sand is nick-named with good reason: wide beaches, amazing sunsets and a great social atmosphere make it a great place to spend anywhere from a day to a few weeks.
Kite surfing at Santa Marianita Beach
The beach has quickly become one of Ecuador´s top destinations to practice the young and fast growing sport known as kite-surfing (also occasionally known as kite-boarding). Kite-surfing has been around for about 11 years and combines the wave-riding enjoyment of traditional surfing with adrenaline pumping high jumps and speed provided by the kite.
It has quickly become the adventure sport of choice for those who love the water, and has already lured more riders than its tamer cousin, wind-surfing. Many professional, worldclass wind-surfers have since turned to kite-surfing and have become proponents of the sport and leaders in the creation of new kite-surfing technologies. The better technologies (kite durability, security features, and relaunch capabilities) have made the sport far more accesible in recent years, and while it used to take months to learn and master the necessary techniques to enjoy kite-surfing, it is now possible for beginners to become proficient riders after only a week of daily lessons.
Wide beaches, amazing sunsets and a great social atmosphere makes Santa Marianita a great place...
Santa Marianita is an ideal destination for both experienced and aspiring kite-surfers, thanks to a 300 meter wide, 4km long sandy beach which is perfect for landing and launching, the presence of consistent strong breezes and warm water, a shorebreak with waves from 1.5 - 2 meters high, and a proliferation of area kite-surfing schools and rental options. The beach is almost never crowded, meaning that there is plenty of room to be shared by kite-surfers, surfers, and regular beach-goers and observers. The warm water means that conditions are always comfortable and wetsuits are never necessary.
Whether you´re a complete beginner to the sport of kite-surfing or a long-time enthusiast looking to brush up on your skills and improve your technique, Santa Marianita is a great spot to practice. If you want to take lessons, there are a number of good options. The longest running and most recommended school is Ecuador Kitesurf, which offers IKO (international kiteboarding organization) certified kite lessons with highly professional, qualified instructors.
The school is run by Roberto Bedoya, a Level II Senior IKO instructor with over 10 years of experience in the Ecuadorian kite boarding scene. Full, multi-day courses start at $300 per person and include all equipment (kite, harness, life jacket, helmet and board) along with accommodations at the Villa Kitesurf. Individual lessons for all levels start at around $40/hour.
The length of courses various from a few days to options for "gap year" long term retreats for recent graduates, and all those who complete a course will receive an IKO card enabling them to rent gear anywhere in the world. One particularly interesting course option is the "Spanish and Kite" package, which offers students classes in Spanish grammar in the mornings, followed by kitesurfing lessons and a chance to practice their language skills in a "real-world" environment with their instructors in the afternoons (starting at $760 per person). (ecuadorkitesurf@gmail.com Telephone: (593) 098 066 703, http://www.ecuadorkitesurf.com). Another excellent option for lessons is the Humbolt Kite Surf School, founded in 2005 by IKO certified instructor Wladimir Paternina (http://www.humboldtkites.com/).
Lodging and living in Santa Marianita
Santa Marianita has a number of small stores for basic needs and several good seafood restaurants, including the recommended Playa Bonita, located beside the Humbolt School.This restaurant features a variety of delicious local seafood specialties and a full bar, and is the perfect spot to relax after a long day spent riding the waves.
There are also a number of good options for lodging, including the Donkey Den Hostel, a clean, nicely appointed hostel which is run "by backpackers, for backpackers". The price includes breakfast, linen and towels, a fully equipped kitchen, a large deck for socializing, excellent tourist information, maps, and a small supplies shop. A small campsite is also available for $3/night. The hostel is located just beside the Kitesurf School on the main beach (donkeybusiness@yahoo.com). Another good lodging choice is the recently opened Kite Casa, a cute and clean Austrian-run establishment with hot water showers and breakfast included in the price of your stay (http://www.kitecasa.com./).
How to get there
Santa Marianita can reached by taxi or bus from Manta. A taxi ride costs approximately $5 and takes around 20 minutes. Transport to and from Manta is either by bus (an 8 to 10 hour ride from Quito, approximately $9 each way) or by a short plane ride.
