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Each activity links to its own page with spots, conditions, access, and local operators. The location note tells you where on the peninsula to go.
🌊 Water
| Activity
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Where on the peninsula
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| Surfing
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Chulluype (Ballenita), Punta Blanca Espigón break, Mar Bravo — best Dec–Apr
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| Swimming
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Salinas beach and Chipipe — calm bay water year-round. Avoid Punta Carnero.
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| Snorkeling
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Rocky reefs near Anconcito, around Farallón Dillon off Ballenita
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| Scuba Diving
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Anconcito offshore reefs, Farallón Dillon — operators based in Salinas
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| Kayaking
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Salinas bay, calm mornings — rentals on the malecón
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| Sailing
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Salinas Bay — yacht club and charter operators on the malecón
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| Kitesurfing
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Salinas bay — consistent afternoon wind, flat water on the bay side
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| Windsurfing
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Salinas bay — same conditions as kitesurfing, less crowded
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| Stand-Up Paddleboarding
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Salinas bay, calm mornings before the wind picks up
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| Jet Skiing
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Salinas beach — operators on the malecón, high season only
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| Fishing
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Shore fishing anywhere on the coast; boat fishing from Anconcito and La Libertad port
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| Deep Sea Fishing
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Charter boats from Salinas malecón — marlin, dorado, tuna offshore
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| Whale Watching
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Mirador Caracol (Ballenita), Anconcito cliffs, boat tours from Salinas — Jun–Sep only
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| Bodyboarding
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Chulluype, Punta Blanca — same breaks as surfing, smaller commitment
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🏃 Land
| Activity
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Where on the peninsula
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| Running
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Salinas malecón (4 km flat), coastal road Salinas–La Libertad, Ancón cliff paths
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| Cycling
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Coastal road between Salinas and La Libertad, malecón — best before 8am
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| Hiking
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Ancón cliffs and dry forest trails, Punta Carnero headland path
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| Horseback Riding
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Punta Blanca beach at low tide, outskirts of Santa Elena canton
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| Beach Volleyball
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Salinas malecón — permanent nets, pickup games most evenings in high season
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| Football / Soccer
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Every town has a pitch — La Libertad and Santa Elena have the largest
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| Tennis
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Salinas — courts at private clubs and some hotels, limited public access
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| Yoga
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Studios in Salinas, occasional beach sessions on the malecón
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| Skateboarding
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La Libertad malecón, Salinas seafront — smooth pavement, flat
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| Inline Skating
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Salinas malecón — best stretch of flat pavement on the peninsula
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| Slacklining
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Salinas beach — trees near the malecón, bring your own line
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| Kite Flying
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Any open beach — afternoon wind on the bay side is reliable Jun–Nov
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| Walking the Dog
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Early morning on any beach before vendors arrive — Chipipe is quietest
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🌿 Nature & Other
| Activity
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Where on the peninsula
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| Birdwatching
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Ancón dry forest (endemic & migratory), Chanduy salt flats (flamingos Jun–Nov), Farallón Dillon (seabirds)
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| Paragliding
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Ancón cliffs — thermals off the headland, operators based in Salinas
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| Rock Climbing
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Ancón cliff faces — natural routes, no established bolted lines, bring your own gear
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| Tide Pool Exploring
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Anconcito bitumen cliffs and Punta Carnero rocks at low tide
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| Fossil Hunting
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Anconcito bitumen cliffs — marine fossils in the sedimentary layers, low tide access
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| Stargazing
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West end of Salinas, Punta Blanca, Ancón cliffs — faces open ocean, minimal light pollution
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| Photography
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Anconcito port at dawn, Ancón British-era architecture, Chanduy flamingos, Farallón Dillon
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| Camping
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Punta Blanca — informal camping on the beach, no facilities
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| Geocaching
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Active caches around Salinas and La Libertad — check geocaching.com for current listings
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| Sandboarding
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Dune areas near Chanduy — ask locally for current accessible spots
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🏖️ Beaches
Salinas Beach — calm bay, resort, year-round swimming
Chipipe — quieter end of Salinas, families, less vendors
Punta Carnero — dramatic, strong current — viewing only
Playa Rosada — pink-sand, secluded, near Chanduy
Punta Blanca — 3.7 km white-cliff beach, surf at the Espigón
Chulluype — surf beach near Ballenita, best swell Dec–Apr
Mar Bravo — rough water and cliffs, not for swimming
🦭 Nature Spots
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👁️ Viewpoints
🏛️ Parks & Open Spaces
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Best by Season
Dec–May
Swimming, surfing, sailing, kitesurfing, deep sea fishing.
Jun–Sep
Whale watching, birdwatching, photography, hiking. Cooler and cleaner.
Year-round
Running, cycling, beach volleyball, fishing, sea lions at La Lobería.
Dawn
Anconcito port. Not an activity. Just go once.
Good to Know
La Chocolatera is inside the Naval Base. Bring a valid ID. Free, open most days.
Punta Carnero has a strong rip current. It looks swimmable. It isn't.
Cycling the coastal road is pleasant in the early morning before traffic builds.
Sunset is best from the west end of the Salinas malecón or the Ancón cliffs — faces due west, no obstructions.
🏄 Also on the Coast
Looking for surf at Montañita, snorkeling at Ayangue, or cloud-forest hiking above Ayampe?
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