Safari Surf Presents the Ultimate Ecuador Travel Guide

Ecuador Travel

Ecuador is a one-of-a-kind travel destination that needs to be seen to be believed, home to the Galapagos Islands, towering snowcapped mountains, charming colonial towns, world-class surf, and the dense Amazon jungle. While Ecuador is one of our favorite surf trip locations and home to the newest Safari Surf iteration, our Ecuador surf school, there’s much more to the country than just the waves. If you’re looking for a buck-list trip that’s full of adventure, good surf, and friendly locals, head to Ecuador. Continue reading below as we outline the ins and outs of Ecuador travel in Safari Surf Presents the Ultimate Ecuador Travel Guide.

How to Get to Ecuador

Flying to Ecuador

Ecuador has two major international airports, Quito International Airport and Aeropuerto Simon Bolivar in Guayaquil. Most major international airlines fly to Ecuador via Quito. Once you’re in Ecuador, traveling around the country is easy by plane, especially if you plan on visiting the Galapagos islands or the Amazon. Regional flights can be booked through TAME, LATM, Avianca, and a few other regional airlines.

Where to Travel in Ecuador

Mountains in Ecuador

If you’re looking to travel to Ecuador, you’ve got options. Ecuador has it all, from surfing and mountain climbing to scuba diving, historic colonial towns, and the Amazon Rainforest. Ecuador offers a diverse selection of travel experiences that are unique to the country, and it would truly take a lifetime to tackle them all. If you’re traveling to Ecuador, pick a region or activity and dive deep.

To Discover Darwin’s World

Galapagos Islands
Image Credit: Travel & Leisure

Ecuador is perhaps most famous as the home to the Galapagos Islands. Located roughly 600 miles off the Ecuadorean coast in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos Islands are a volcanic archipelago of 127 tropical islands that house some of the world’s most unique endemic species, like the Galapagos Penguins, Giant Tortoises, and Sea Iguanas. The many endemic species across the Galapagos Islands helped Charles Darwin propose his theory of evolution in 1859.

To Conquer Mountains

Cotopaxi
Image Credit: Much Better Adventures

While most people think of Ecuador as a tropical paradise and home to the Galapagos Islands, it’s also one of South America’s premier mountaineering destinations. Ecuador is home to 1,289 named mountains, the tallest and most prominent of which is Chimborazo (6,268m/20,564ft). Ecuador’s tallest mountains can be found within the Sierra region of the country, which includes the provinces of Zamora Chinchipe, Loja, Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo, Tungurahua, Napo, Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Bolívar, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and Los Ríos. Cotopaxi National Park is one of the country’s most popular mountain areas offering hiking and mountaineering. Parque Nacional Cotopaxi contains eight mountains, the highest of which is Cotopaxi, standing at a whopping 19,347 feet.

To Explore the Amazon

Ecuador Amazon
Image Credit: Explorers Away

To explore a wealth of biodiversity deep in the Amazon jungle, head to the Yasuni National Park, located in Napo and Pastaza provinces. The Ecuadorian Amazon sits at 1300 feet above sea level and stretches over a vast swath of the eastern part of the country, spanning six provinces and 40% of the entire country. The Ecuadorian Amazon is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Visit the Peruvian Amazon between December and May to see the region with slightly less rainfall.

To Surf Ecuador’s World-Class Waves

Ecuador surfing

It’s no secret that Ecuador is home to several world-class waves. Travelers planning on going surfing in Ecuador can choose from four surf regions: North (Mompiche to Bahia de Caraquez), Central (Manta Zone), Baja Manabi, and South (Las Salinas to Montanita). Our Ecuador surf school is located in the Baja Manabi Zone, just south of Parque Nacional Machalilla. While Ecuador has year-round surf, the primary season for surfing in Ecuador falls between December and April, when northwest swells are abundant in the Pacific. Winds during the swell season are predominately light or offshore, making it the ideal time of year for clean conditions. Our Ecuador surf school is located in the tiny, charming town of Ayampe, where lively tropical waters collide with stunning beaches, a dense jungle, and friendly locals and ex-pats. Ayampe is an idyllic laid-back surf town in the Baja Manabi Zone that is home to one of the country’s most consistent beach breaks. Ayampe reminds us a lot of how Nosara was 20 years ago. The wave at Ayampe works well during both north and south swells, making it the ideal destination for surfing in Ecuador at any time of year

To learn more about our Ecuador surf school, head to our website. Stay tuned to the Safari Surf blog for more surf and travel news. 

Panama Surf Seasons: Decoding the Best Time of Year to Surf Panama

playa venao surf camp

Surfers have been chasing waves in Central America for decades. The sliver of land that connects North and South America has two dualling coastlines that each produce flawless surf and attract traveling surfers from all over the world. While most travelers focus their wave hunting on Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Panama has proven to be a worthwhile surf trip destination with world-class waves on both the Pacific and Caribbean Coasts, friendly locals, an incredible amount of biodiversity, and some of the most immaculate beaches in the world. While Panama has quality surf all year, each season brings something different. If you’re wondering when you should plan your Panama surf trip, continue reading below for Panama Surf Seasons: Decoding the Best Time of Year to Surf Panama. 

Best Panama Surf Season for Beginner and Intermediate Surfers 

Panama surf classes for kids

If you’re traveling to Panama’s Pacific Coast to learn to surf, visit during the Dry Season, which falls between October and April. During the Dry Season, you can expect cloudless blue skies, gentle offshore breezes, and small to fun-sized surf. While there’s still plenty of swell during the Dry Season, you’re unlikely to encounter overhead and above the surf, which would sideline most beginner and intermediate surfers. In addition to friendlier wave sizes, the Dry Season also sees cleaner wave conditions, thanks to the gentle offshore breeze that blows nearly all day during the height of the Dry Season. If you’re after learner-friendly Panama surf, head to Panama’s Pacific Coast during the Dry Season. 

Panama Pacific Coast Swell Season 

Surf School Panama

If you’re a high-level intermediate or advanced surfer looking to make the most of the Panama surf, head to Panama during the Rainy Season to chase large south swells on the Pacific Coast. The Rainy Season falls between May and September and is considered Central America’s official swell season. During the Rainy Season, powerful south swells form in Antarctica and travel up the Pacific Coast to Panama’s south-facing coastline. Premier waves on the Pacific Coast, like Playa Venao and Santa Catalina, come to life during the summer months. New surfers traveling to Playa Venao during the Rainy Season won’t be out of their league, thanks to the protected corners of the cove that have learner-friendly waves all year long. 

Panama Caribbean Coast Swell Season

Bocas Del Toro Surfing
Image Credit: Surfline

Panama’s Caribbean Coast is home to the world-renowned surf destination, Bocas del Toro. Bocas Del Toro is an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea, home to white sand beaches, pristine coral reefs, and world-class waves. Bocas Del Toro is an ideal surf destination for advanced surfers looking to chase warm water barrels that break over lively reefs. Bocas is an island community where you travel by water taxi to and from different islands and waves. Because of its location in the Caribbean Sea, the swell season in Bocas coincides with the Dry Season and the North American winter. During the winter, storms form off the coast of Canada and travel down the coast of the United States before reaching the Caribbean Sea, where they collide with the reefs in Bocas to form world-class surf. To chase Panama surf in the Caribbean book a winter trip and follow a swell down to Bocas del Toro. 

To book your Panama surf trip and learn more about our Panama surf school in Playa Venao, head to our website. Stay tuned to the Safari surf blog for more surf and travel news. 

Everything You Need to Know About Surfing in Ecuador

Surfing in Ecuador

Known as the “Heart of the Earth,” Ecuador is home to a diverse landscape that includes towering mountain peaks, dense jungle, tropical beaches, and some of the best waves on the planet. Our Ecuador surf school is located in the tiny, charming town of Ayampe, where lively tropical waters collide with stunning beaches, a dense jungle, and friendly locals and ex-pats.

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The Safari Surf Guide to Where to Surf in Panama

Surf School Panama

At the bottom of Central America, Panama winds and weaves between the powerful Pacific Ocean and the electric blue Caribbean for a combined 1,547 miles of dualling coastlines. Between the Caribbean and the Pacific coasts, Panama possesses dozens of world-class waves that each break in warm, tropical water.

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