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ECUAWIKI The Living Guide to the Santa Elena Peninsula 🌊   Salinas  ·  La Libertad  ·  Santa Elena  ·  Ballenita  ·  Ancón  ·  Anconcito  ·  Punta Blanca  ·  Ayangue  ·  Montañita   🌊

About EcuaWiki EcuaWiki is a collaborative, community-run documentation project covering the Santa Elena Peninsula and the Ruta del Spondylus coast of Ecuador. It exists to provide honest, practical, up-to-date information for residents, newcomers, expats, and visitors — in one place, maintained by the people who actually live here. Founded and maintained by Stephan Kleeblatt, the wiki covers everything from bus fares to bureaucracy, from the best cevichería in La Libertad to how to get your cédula. It is a work in progress, and your contributions make it better. Status: Active — articles being added regularly. See recent changes. Help: How to edit · Contribution guidelines · Support the project 🌊 The Peninsula The Santa Elena Peninsula is the westernmost point of mainland Ecuador — a compact strip of Pacific coast with eight thousand years of human history, three cities, dozens of fishing communities, the country's first oil well, and some of the most diverse beach conditions in South America: from the resort surf of Salinas to the wild cliffs of Ancón to the flamingo lagoons of the salt flats. The peninsula's three cantons — Salinas, La Libertad, and Santa Elena — form a continuous urban conurbation of over 200,000 people. Around them, a ring of smaller parishes and coastal settlements offer quieter, more authentic encounters with the coast. La Libertad The commercial heart. Markets, oil, fishing port, and the pulse of daily peninsula life. Santa Elena The provincial capital. Home to UPSE, the Amantes de Sumpa, and 8,000 years of archaeology. Salinas The tourism capital. Beaches, whale watching, nightlife, and the westernmost point of Ecuador. Ballenita Fishing village, whale viewpoints, surf at Chulluype, and the extraordinary Farallón Dillon. Ancón Ecuador's first oil well (1911). British company-town architecture. Dramatic cliffs. Heritage geosite. Anconcito The fishing capital of the peninsula. Fresh langosta, active artisanal port, and bitumen-seep cliffs. Punta Blanca 3.7 km of white-cliff beach, surf at the Espigón break, and the most family-focused coast on the peninsula. Baños de San Vicente Hot springs and a mud volcano in the interior. The peninsula's most unusual natural attraction. Ayangue The "Pacific Pool." Calm sheltered bay. Snorkeling at El Pelado Islet. Tranquil fishing village. 🗺️ The Ruta del Spondylus North of the peninsula, the Ruta del Spondylus (E-15) follows the coast through a succession of fishing villages, surf beaches, and nature reserves toward Manabí Province. See portal:Ruta del Spondylus for the complete guide. 🤿 Ayangue Calm bay · Snorkeling · El Pelado Islet 🏄 Montañita Surf · Nightlife · Backpacker hub 🌊 Olón Calm beach · Virgin sanctuary · Family 🌿 Ayampe Nature · Yoga · Cloud forest edge 🛠️ Living on the Peninsula EcuaWiki covers the practical side of life in Santa Elena Province — the paperwork, the systems, and the things nobody explains to you when you arrive. 📋 Paperwork Visas · Cédulas · Drivers Licenses · Residency 💰 Finance Banking · Taxes · Paying Utilities · ATM & Banking ⚖️ Legal Property Laws · Customs/Aduana · Government Entities 🚍 Getting Around Understanding Public Transportation in La Peninsula — Bus routes, lines, fares, and the Terminal Sumpa explained. Taxis and Taxi Apps — What to pay, which apps work, and how to stay safe. portal:Ruta del Spondylus — The complete guide to the northern coastal highway toward Montañita, Olón, and Manabí. 🍴 Eat, Drink & Shop Local Gastronomy — From encebollado to ceviche de canchalagua: the food of the peninsula. Restaurant Directory La Peninsula — Community-reviewed listings across all towns. Supermarkets — Where to buy what, and where to find imports. Beaches — Which beach to go to, and for what. 📅 Events & Seasonal Guide Month What's Happening December – May High beach season. Salinas at full capacity. Best weather for swimming and water sports. February Carnival en Salinas — the peninsula's biggest street celebration. June – September Whale Watching Season — Humpback whales offshore. Best from Salinas, Ballenita, and Anconcito cliffs. October 7 Santa Elena Provincialization Day — The province's most important civic holiday. December 22 Cantonización de Salinas — Week-long festivities and aquatic competitions.

🚑 Emergency Contacts General Emergency: 911 Hospitals & Clinics Police & Security Pharmacies on Duty (Farmacias de Turno) Emergency Contacts — Full directory 📱 Community & Social Stay connected and get updates: 🎥 YouTube Channel 👥 Facebook Page 💬 WhatsApp Channel Community Hub — Discussions, requests, and collaboration. 🔍 Quick Search Jump straight to what you need: WiFi Hotspots ATM & Banking Medical Services Internet Service Providers Shipping & Couriers Veterinary Services Religious and Spiritual Organizations Sightseeing in La Peninsula Portal:Sports in La Peninsula 🏗️ Help Build the Wiki New here? Here's where to start: Wiki Guidelines — How to contribute Create a New Page Wiki Syntax Guide Articles most needed right now: Internet Service Providers Shipping & Couriers Veterinary Services Baños de San Vicente Ayangue Montañita See all requested articles → 📸 Photos Needed These pages need recent photos: Anconcito — Puerto Pesquero at dawn Ancón — British-era architecture & cliffs Ballenita — Mirador Caracol & Iglesia de las Conchas Punta Blanca — White cliffs & surf Santa Elena — Provincialization Day parade La Libertad — Mercado Central & Terminal Pesquero Upload a photo → 💙 Support EcuaWiki EcuaWiki is free, ad-free, and community-maintained. Keeping it online has real costs. If this wiki has been useful to you — before a move, during a visa process, finding a doctor, planning a trip — please consider helping keep it running. → Support the project

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📸 Gallery of the Peninsula

• Sunset at the Salinas Malecón
  Sunset at the Salinas Malecón
• Dawn at the Terminal Pesquero, La Libertad
  Dawn at the Terminal Pesquero, La Libertad
• Museo Amantes de Sumpa, Santa Elena
  Museo Amantes de Sumpa, Santa Elena
• Ancón 1 — Ecuador's first oil well (1911)
  Ancón 1 — Ecuador's first oil well (1911)
• Farallón Dillon, Ballenita
  Farallón Dillon, Ballenita
• Puerto Pesquero Artesanal, Anconcito
  Puerto Pesquero Artesanal, Anconcito
• The white cliffs of Punta Blanca
  The white cliffs of Punta Blanca
• Humpback whale off Salinas (July)
  Humpback whale off Salinas (July)