About Bahía de Caráquez.

 

Overview

Bahía de Caráquez is located just 36 nautical miles South of the Equator on the estuary of the Rio Chone. Puerto Amistad is located inside the estuary and boats are extremely well protected from ocean swell in a quiet anchorage. Bahía is a quiet tourist town that primarily caters to the middle and upper class of Quito that have vacation condos here and that visit during holidays.  Bahía has the lowest crime rate in all of Ecuador, so you can be sure that you and your boat will be safe during your stay. For those of you familiar the "Andy Griffith Show," I like to say that Bahía is Ecuador's Mayberry.  

 

CLIMATE

You may  be thinking that because you're on the Equator that the weather is hot, sticky, and buggy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Since you'll most likely be coming from Panama and/or Costa Rica, you'll be in for a very pleasant surprise.

Here in Bahía, there has never been a hurricane or tropical storm, and lightning is extremely rare (The locals say lightning has never struck the ground in Bahía!) Bahía is in a dry tropical belt only about 60 miles wide; there are cactus growing on the hills here! As a result, you won't have mold growing on the walls of your boat as it does in Panama and Costa Rica. In the last couple of years, during what they call the rainy season, we have averaged an hour or two of light rain in the evening PER WEEK. The average daytime temperature during the months of November through April is about 85 degrees with moderate humidity. For March through May temperatures are in the low 80's. June through October we have very low humidity and daytime temps of 70-75 degrees. In addition, the daily sea/land breeze pattern means that there's almost always a pleasant breeze. If you decide to stay later in the season (April-October) you'll find yourself reaching for a light blanket at night. It's great sleeping weather!


The People

The people of Bahía are the real treasure. Nowhere else in my travels have I found people so open, friendly, and willing to help. Although they are from very humble backgrounds, you won't feel panhandled and taken advantage of like you may have experienced in other countries. You'll feel safe and welcome walking the streets of Bahía; you'll likely have people trying out their few words of English as you walk down the malecon.  Your boat will be safe here too. Just the other day, a dinghy got loose from a sailboat, and the locals had the word out on the radio to find out who it belonged to, and was returned in a matter of hours! 

Things to Do

 - There's more to do than just work on your boat :)

Economy

You'll find Ecuador an inexpensive travel destination, plus they use the U.S. dollar as their currency. 

 

The prices in the local restaurants, and also the rest of Ecuador, are very low. You can order an Almuerzo (the most for the least) which included soup, salad, rice, beans, with fish, meat, or chicken, and a fresh juice for $1 to $2. A large beer (600 ml) costs $1 in most places. 

 

To get someone to work on your boat, expect to pay $5-6/day for laborers, and $15-20/day for journeymen.

 

The fresh fruits and veggies available in the market are great. Depending on the season, maracuya (Passion Fruit) costs 3/$0.10, potatoes $0.20/pound, shrimp $1.00/pound, for just a very few examples.

 

 

Immigration Requirements

 

When you arrive in Manta, you'll be granted ninety days for your tourist visa. When that expires, you'll have to travel to Quito for an extension. You're allowed six months every year (a rolling twelve months, not calendar year) as a tourist. If (like many people) you want to spend more than six months here there consult with us on how to legally extend your stay.