View source for Playa de La FAE - La Loberia (Salinas)

{{Infobox
| title  = 🏄 Playa de La FAE – La Lobería
| label1 = Location
| data1  = Salinas, adjacent to Naval Base / FAE (Air Force) area
| label2 = Known for
| data2  = Best surf break on the Santa Elena Peninsula; sea lion colony
| label3 = Wave type
| data3  = Beach break and rocky point
| label4 = Level
| data4  = Intermediate to advanced
| label5 = Season
| data5  = Year-round; December–April peak
}}

ECUAWIKI › THE PENINSULA › SALINAS · BEACHES & SURFING

'''Playa de La FAE''' (also known as '''La Lobería''') is a beach on the south-facing Pacific coast of Salinas, adjacent to the Air Force (FAE) and Naval Base area near La Chocolatera. It is widely considered the best surf break on the Santa Elena Peninsula and is the only location on the peninsula with a permanent resident sea lion colony.

== The Surf ==

Unlike the calm bay side of Salinas (the malecón), La Lobería faces the open Pacific and receives consistent south and southwest swell year-round. The main break is a beach break with some rocky reef influence that produces powerful, shapely waves.

* '''Level:''' Intermediate to advanced. The waves here are more powerful than those at Montañita's main beach and not suitable for beginners.
* '''Best season:''' December–April for the strongest and most consistent south swell. The dry season (May–November) is smaller but still rideable.
* '''Crowds:''' Significantly less crowded than Montañita. Locals and visiting surfers share the lineup.

== La Lobería — The Sea Lions ==

'''La Lobería''' (the sea lion place) takes its name from the resident colony of '''South American sea lions''' (''Otaria flavescens'') that haul out on the rocks adjacent to the beach. This is a '''year-round permanent colony''' — the sea lions are present every day, not seasonal visitors. They can be observed from the beach without entering the water.

The colony exists here because of the nutrient-rich upwelling from the Humboldt Current meeting the Equatorial Current at La Chocolatera nearby. The resulting fish abundance sustains a resident group that has been here for decades.

== Access ==

The beach is accessed from the road that runs from Salinas toward La Chocolatera and the Naval Base. The exact access point varies — ask locally or in Salinas for current directions, as military zone boundaries affect access. Taxi from Salinas: approximately $5–8.

== See Also ==
* [[Salinas]] — canton overview
* [[La Chocolatera]] — the nearby westernmost point
* [[Surfing (La Peninsula)]]
* [[REMACOPSE]] — marine protected area covering this coastline
* [[Whale Watching (La Peninsula)]] — whales visible offshore Jun–Sep

[[Category:Beaches]]
[[Category:Salinas]]
[[Category:La Peninsula]]
[[Category:Surfing]]