Canoa Beach in Ecuador 🇪🇨
It seems to us that Canoa is the sort of place you love or hate - or at least thoroughly enjoy or shrug your shoulders at. Prior to venturing to the coast, we had heard fantastic things; we were convinced that this was the place we going to spend weeks. Instead, we left after three days.
Whilst the beach is undoubtedly beautiful, the cheap seafood plentiful and there is more quality accommodation than you can shake a stick at, Canoa just fell flat. It felt like a town constructed for 100's of tourists that weren't actually there.
That is, until the weekend, when Ecuadorian families descend to the beach en masse.
The north coast of Ecuador experienced an earthquake of epic proportions, and Canoa itself was severely affected. Remarkably, due to the hard work of those that were affected, Canoa is recovering, with construction projects being completed every day and hotels and restaurants re-opening. Whilst it almost certainly doesn't look the same as when we visited, locals want to reassure tourists that it is a very much open for business, and that your tourist dollars will only help speed up the return to normality.
ACCOMMODATION IN CANOA
Understandably, although a many hotels have re-opened, accommodation options in Canoa have changed a little since we visited but there's still plenty of availability - for every budget. As a rule of thumb (if you arrive without a booking), the further south you go down the beach, the fancier the hotels becomes. Here are a selection of our top picks:
Hotel Rutamar | An eco-hostal just two minutes walk from the beach, Hotel Rutamar is a great blend of treehouse life, friendly staff and cool common areas. Provides breakfast and has guest kitchen.
Sundown Beach Hotel | Comfy rooms that open right on to the ocean, a guest kitchen, a great traveller's vibe and doubles from £16 a night. What more could you ask for? No dorms, but well-priced triples and quadruples if travelling with friends.
Rio Muchacho | Not your typical Ecuadorian coast sort of place, but an awesome option for those interested in permaculture, eco-tourism and a live-off-the-land hippie vibe. Located a 20 minute drive from Canoa, it offers the chance to really get in touch with nature.
For backpackers on a tighter budget there is no shortage of cheap and cheerful venues. Perennially popular with backpackers is Coco Loco which has dorms from as little as $8 per person although we have heard very mixed reviews from other travellers. Certainly what is clear is that it is not the cleanest of places!
Whilst the beach is undoubtedly beautiful, the cheap seafood plentiful and there is more quality accommodation than you can shake a stick at, Canoa just fell flat. It felt like a town constructed for 100's of tourists that weren't actually there.
That is, until the weekend, when Ecuadorian families descend to the beach en masse.
The north coast of Ecuador experienced an earthquake of epic proportions, and Canoa itself was severely affected. Remarkably, due to the hard work of those that were affected, Canoa is recovering, with construction projects being completed every day and hotels and restaurants re-opening. Whilst it almost certainly doesn't look the same as when we visited, locals want to reassure tourists that it is a very much open for business, and that your tourist dollars will only help speed up the return to normality.
ACCOMMODATION IN CANOA
Understandably, although a many hotels have re-opened, accommodation options in Canoa have changed a little since we visited but there's still plenty of availability - for every budget. As a rule of thumb (if you arrive without a booking), the further south you go down the beach, the fancier the hotels becomes. Here are a selection of our top picks:
Hotel Rutamar | An eco-hostal just two minutes walk from the beach, Hotel Rutamar is a great blend of treehouse life, friendly staff and cool common areas. Provides breakfast and has guest kitchen.
Sundown Beach Hotel | Comfy rooms that open right on to the ocean, a guest kitchen, a great traveller's vibe and doubles from £16 a night. What more could you ask for? No dorms, but well-priced triples and quadruples if travelling with friends.
Rio Muchacho | Not your typical Ecuadorian coast sort of place, but an awesome option for those interested in permaculture, eco-tourism and a live-off-the-land hippie vibe. Located a 20 minute drive from Canoa, it offers the chance to really get in touch with nature.
For backpackers on a tighter budget there is no shortage of cheap and cheerful venues. Perennially popular with backpackers is Coco Loco which has dorms from as little as $8 per person although we have heard very mixed reviews from other travellers. Certainly what is clear is that it is not the cleanest of places!
