Puerto López is a small fishing village set in an arched bay on the Pacific coast in the Ecuador

Ecuador

Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...

ian Manabí Province

Manabí Province

Manabí is a province in Ecuador. Its capital is Portoviejo. The province is named after the Manabí people.-Economy:Manabí's economy is based heavily on natural resources such as cacao, bananas, cotton, etc. It's industrial sector is based on Tuna canning, tobacco, and alcoholic beverage production...

. Puerto Lopéz is the Machalilla National Park

Machalilla National Park

Machalilla National Park is a preserve in the Ecuadorian Manabí Province near Puerto López and the rural parish of Machalilla, a small fishing village in the vicinity of the park....

 headquarters. The main industries include fishing and ecotourism

Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...

. The street closest to the beach has many restaurants, cabanas that provide drinks, and some nightclubs.

Fishing is an important activity in Puerto Lopéz. In local waters there are Amberjack, dolphin, wahoo, marlin, and tuna of many different species.

Tourism

Whale watching is popular from mid-June to October and tours can be booked in town. At this time of year the huge humpback whales mate and the odds of spotting whales are very good.

Salango
Amongst its natural attractions is the island of Salango, home to beautiful species of seabirds like blue-footed boobies, frigates, pelicans among others; just off the island’s pristine beach is the marine sanctuary, a site with schools of tropical fish and coral reefs, ideal for diving.
Landscape Salango Comuna

In the heart of the community is the Research Center and Museum Salango CIMS that protects and exhibits in its original place an archaeological collection of 245 pieces of cultural heritage that represent over 4500 years before the conquest. The center possesses laboratories and collections of archaeological, fauna, fish, and mollusks for studies and investigations. Part of the center includes the hacienda house that functions as a historic museum that recounts the last 100 years of Salango’s history.

Isla de la Plata

A few kilometres offshore is Isla de la Plata

Isla de la Plata

Isla de la Plata is a small island off the coast of Manabí, Ecuador, and is part of Parque Nacional Machalilla. It can be reached by boat from the city of Puerto López....

 (named from its history as a pirate hideout, the Island of the Silver), also referred to as "The Poor Man's Galapagos." There some species that also inhabit the Galapagos like the blue and red-footed boobie, frigatebirds, albatross, pelican and other seabirds that are nesting in colonies can be found. The island is surrounded by coral reef and snorkeling is a popular activity. On the boat ride from Puerto Lopez to the island pods of dolphins can often be seen.

Los Frailes

Just north of Puerto Lopez is the beach of Los Frailes, which is part of the National Park of Machalilla. There is an approximately 2 hour hike in this area that goes first to Playita Negra, a black sand beach, then to La Tortuguita beach, to a lookout point over the beaches (Mirador), and ends at Los Frailes.

Agua Blanca

Also north of Puerto Lopez is the indigenous village and archaeological site of Agua Blanca. There is a museum in the small town, and a guide is included in the $3 cost to enter the area. There is a hike around the site which ends at a sulfur lagoon, where guests can swim and cover themselves in mud from the bottom of the lagoon. There is also a lookout point and 2 small restaurants there.