"The Route of the Sun, known as Ruta del Sol in Ecuador is a beautiful coastal scenery road that runs all the way to Esmeraldas, heading north from Salinas (The main starting point for The Route of the Sun), Santa Elena, or La Libertad, crossing the Chongón-Colonche coastal range with stunning beach resorts and unforgettable colorful villages on the road as you pass by."

ROUTE OF THE SUN

Playas General Villamil Playas, located 113 km from the city of Guayaquil, it is easy to get here, you only have to follow the coastline and when you get to Progreso, take the road to the left. It is the closest beach to Guayaquil. To the North are Mountains: Colorado, Verde, Picón and Cantera. The kindness of the settlers is another positive aspect of the population, which has about 20 thousand people that dedicate their lives to the fishing and tourism.In El Pelado, at about 8 km.

from Playas, and Engabao, at 14 km., you can surf all year long, that’s why this spot is very concurred by the people who practice this sport.Another option to distract yourself is to visit port El Morro, at about 11 Kms. From the town, here you can have a ride in boat and you may see dolphins that live in the calm seas. In this zone, you can also find the island of the Birds (Isla de los Pájaros), where there exist a variety of birds.In El Morro you can visit a church that has more than 100 years or make an ecological and archeological trip at the hill of El Muerto (The Dead), called like this for its appearance of a man lying down.

La Libertad West of Santa Elena and just before Salinas beach resort lies the busy industrial and market town of La Libertad, where you will find everything you could ever wish to purchase. There are also several banks that take international credit cards, restaurants, shops of every description and live bingo halls nightly. The town is also a port for petroleum exports and the refinery is viewable from the main road.

Salinas Salinas is certainly a great place to see and enjoy, located on Ecuador's southern coast, just 150 kilometers from Guayaquil. Salinas, is a privileged small place offering the same comfort and services a big city offers. Salinas is also the starting point to the 'Route of the Sun' so there are quite a few tourist resorts and attractions which can be visited. There are plans to build a water theme park here as well which will soon be enjoyed by millions of vacationers. Salinas has one of the most developed tourism infrastructures on the coast of Ecuador and besides offering all the modern comforts of a resort town, it also offers whale-watching opportunities. The weather in Salinas has great temperatures all year round. It has an average temperature of 24º C (80º F), known for its beaches and weather all year round. The best time to hit the beaches is from December to May.

The beach of Punta Carnero is located at the south of Salinas. Being a very wide beach, it is not appropriated for swimmers, unless you want to take a sun bath. The surfers also visit this beach to practice their sport.One of the activities that happen in Punta Carnero and Mar Bravo is to see the sunset, and it is custom to make a wish when the sun touches the sea.

Ballenita The tourists can enjoy a wonderful weather, good food, and one the most beautiful beaches. This beach spot located at 20 minutes from Salinas and 5 minutes from La Libertad is useful for those who wish to find a little rest, after the noise of the city.It is a very calm beach, in which basically the only activities that are found are such as walks, several sports, take some sun, among others.There are no bars or a disco, that’s why it is an ideal place for resting and enjoy the nature.

Ayangue North of Punta Blanca is Ayangue set in a horseshoe type bay area, but is very busy on the weekends and festival timesNear the beach, you will be able to find several restaurants in which you can enjoy plates made of different types of sea food. Just as some other commune, this one is dedicated to fish and diving, because of being so close of the island of El Pelado, favorite place for whom loves to practice this activity. Through the left side of the town, passing the Hosteria Cumbres de Ayangue, is located Playa Rosada (Pink Beach), in which the sand has a pink tone that has acquire from the corals of that color in front of her. It really is a beach you should visit.