Located on the Pacific coast of Ecuador, Manta is the heart of the Manabí­ province.

Manabí­ is famous for its local dishes its beaches and its friendly people and did I mention its food and spectacular coastline! Manta is one of the most important cities for business and tourism on the Pacific Coast of Ecuador. With future plans for Manta to become an International Port solid infrastructure and planning are putting Manta ahead on Ecuador’s list of most developed cities.

For tourists this means there is an abundance of good restaurants, tour operators, with competitive prices, homely conveniences such as public swimming pool, gyms, shopping malls, cinemas showing the latest Hollywood flicks as well as a new art house cinema that show foreign films Friday to Sunday, and Thursday there is a free film night with a discussion group held afterwards, normally to focusing on different cultures or global issues.

Being a port town Manta and the world’s second largest exporter of shrimp it is bustling with local fisherman from Manta and from the surrounding fishing towns. Every morning you can snatch a bargain at the beach side fish market. You name it from Yellow Fin Tuna to Shrimp of all sizes, Squid, Caviar, Dorado and the list goes on.

You cannot leave without checking out the wooden boats being built on the next beach along from the fish market and on your way out you must trying the local dish encebollado, which has been rumored to be the worlds best hang over cure.

Which leads us to nightlife; there is one main strip of open air bars, restaurants, and night clubs which makes a night out very convenient. The normal night starts off in a relaxed in 70´s type surfer bar and burger place where you can collect tips from local surfers about the best breaks along the coast or how and where to catch which type of fish if you choose to drink closer to the port and run into the Pescadores!

Karaoke is big in Manta and is a good way to fill the void between dinner and midnight 1am when the night clubs and salsa clubs start to heat up. Be sure to not spend all your energy on the karaoke as dancing goes on until the sunrise here in Manta.