Places to visit
🌅 Places to visit
The Santa Elena Peninsula and the Ruta del Spondylus offer an extraordinary range of places to explore — from…
The Santa Elena Peninsula and the Ruta del Spondylus offer an extraordinary range of places to explore — from dramatic coastal cliffs and protected marine reserves to historic heritage sites, artisanal fishing villages, and lush cloud forests.
Beaches and Bays
- Salinas Beach — The classic resort beach
- Chipipe — Calm family beach in Salinas
- Playa de Chipipe(Salinas) — Beach at Chipipe
- Mar Bravo — The rough, dramatic western beach
- Playa Rosada — Pink-sand beach
- Ayangue Bay — Protected snorkeling bay
- Playa Acapulco — Sandy beach
- Playa Las Conchas — Scenic beach
- Playa Manglaralto — Northern coastal beach
- San José Beach — Quiet beach community
- Las Tunas Beach — Relaxed beach between Manglaralto and Montañita
- Olón Beach — Beautiful northern beach
- Ayampe Beach — Village beach at end of Peninsula route
- Playa de San Lorenzo (Salinas) — San Lorenzo beach area
Nature and Natural Attractions
- REMACOPSE / La Chocolatera — Marine reserve and sea lions
- Loma Alta Ecological Reserve — Cloud and dry forest reserve
- Manglaralto Estuary — Mangrove estuary
- Punta Carnero — Dramatic headland
- Punta Centinela — Clifftop viewpoint
- La Rinconada Cliffs — White coastal cliffs
- White Cliffs — Dramatic geological formation
- Chanduy Salt Flats — Artisanal salt production and birds
- Ancón Dry Forest — Dry forest habitat
- Ayampe Cloud Forest — Lush highland forest
- Río Ayampe — Coastal river
- Farallón Dillon — Rocky offshore formation
- Acantilados / Geosite — Geological clifftop feature
Heritage and Culture
- Parque Histórico Ancón — Oil heritage and archaeological site
- Amantes de Sumpa Museum — 3,500-year-old burial site
- Iglesia San José de Ancón — Heritage church
- Iglesia de las Conchas — Shell-decorated chapel
- Culture & History (La Peninsula) — Overview
Did you know…?
🌊 …a colony of sea lions lives all year at La Lobería in Salinas?
Viewpoints and Landmarks
- Olón Church Mirador — Iconic clifftop chapel
- El Mirador — La Libertad viewpoint
- Mirador Caracol — Spiral viewpoint tower
- Curia Clifftop — Elevated church viewpoint
- Malecón de Salinas — Salinas beachfront promenade
- Malecón de Anconcito — Fishing port waterfront
Towns and Communities
- Salinas — Beach resort city
- La Libertad — Commercial hub
- Montañita — Surf village
- Ayangue — Fishing village and bay
- Chipipe — Salinas neighborhood
- Colonche — Inland rural community
- Santa Elena (town) — Provincial capital
- Punta Blanca — Weekend beach destination
Surf Breaks
- Montañita Main Break — Premier surf break
- Montañita Point — Point break
More places to discover
- Museo Paleontológico Megaterio – giant ground-sloth fossils in La Libertad
- Museo Casa León – historic house museum
- Santuario Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza – Santa Elena's pilgrimage church
- Mirador de La Caleta – viewpoint over the bay
- Playa Cautivo – quiet beach in La Libertad
- Represa Velasco Ibarra – reservoir and countryside inland
- Natural Hazards on the Peninsula – what to know about rain, tsunami zones and fires
See Also
Keep exploring
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El Mirador (The Viewpoint) is a clifftop lookout in La Libertad offering panoramic views over the Pacific Ocean…
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