Manta is a major coastal city located in the Coastal Lowlands of Ecuador.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Manta is a commercial and vacation resort area and is the second largest seaport in Ecuador. The city's main industries include tuna fishing, canning, and processing; coffee and cocoa bean export; and crafting the tagua nut into artwork.
Taxi service is inexpensive and you can get to most places from one to three dollars. You can also take buses throughout the city, but with an abundance of inexpensive taxis, that is the best option for a tourist. Negotiating the cost of your taxi as soon as you step in is common practice. Carry small denominations of money and have exact change for your taxi fare if possible. If you do not have exact change, taxi drivers conveniently will not be able to make change for you and will try to convince you to leave the change as a tip instead.
Between 1999 and 2009, Manta shared its airport with the U.S. Air Force in unison with Ecuador in strategic warfare against Colombian drug cartel traffic through surveillance flights in an effort to stop the flow of illegal narcotics. In 1996 a Boeing 707 cargo aircraft crashed into a wooden church located in Manta. It was reported that amazingly the statue of the virgin remained intact. Manta was also the host city for the sixth South American Windsurfing Championship in 1991. Manta is located in a dry tropical forest area with an average annual temperature of 25° C (77° F). The area has a wide variety of climate zones attributed geographical characteristics of the area.
Manta hosts an International Theater Festival every year in September. There are sporting events from January through April. Downtown you can find first rate night clubs, bars, and casinos. Banco Central Museum, Avenida 8 and Calle 7 (behind the bus terminal). Displays ceramics from the pre-Columbian Huancavilca-Manteño era culture.
The evenings is a hive of activity of partying people, loud music and meandering cars that form around the nearby side streets and main frontage of the Malecón that arcs around the bay. Bathed in constant ocean winds, the Malecón is always a pleasant and most refreshing area to walk in the evening and taking in the night breezes. Fantasy Casino, Malecón y Calle 23 (next to the Oro Verde Hotel), ☏ +593 5262-9200. Very nice casino operated by the Oro Verde Hotel. Traditional and video slot machines, Blackjack and poker tables, American Roulette. Drinks, beverages and snacks are available. Small dance floor with live entertainment on weekends. Plaza Casino.
Manta has an amazing selection of fresh seafood. You can find fish, shrimp, octopus, calamari, clams, mussels, prawns, lobsters, crabs and scallops that are especially fresh and cheap. Ceviche and viche de pescado are traditional tropical dishes in Manta. Fresh coconut juice is always available on the beach, and other delicious fresh fruit juices and smoothies are available on the malecon. 1 Club Ejecutivo, Av. 2 and Calle 12 (Banco del Pichincha building). El Mediterraneo, Malecon. Spanish. Guen Roku, Malecón and Calle 16. International 2 Martinica, via San Mateo. Italian and Ecuadorian typical. Really great food! El Resero, Malecón opposite Hotel Oro Verde..
The city water supply is contaminated with mercury and other contaminants. Drink bottled water only and do not use ice in drinks either. Iced coconut water (agua'e coco) is very popular due to the hot temperatures. It is freshly extracted from the coconuts in front of you, and it tastes really good. Club Premimum Beer. Pilsner Beer. Pilsner Light. Manta offers many places to have a great time, many of them in the main street called "Flavio Reyes." Black Daddy One of the famous clubs in Manta, offers good drinks and good music. West End The best place to party.
Manta is a generally safe city but tourists should take special care in certain areas. Dark unlit streets at night is an invitation for trouble. Taxis are inexpensive in the city, using them even for short distances is a great precaution. Travelers in Manta and other areas are likely to be approached at some point or another by con artists or persons with "sob stories". Ignore such persons and be wary of anyone asking for money under any pretext, including children begging. If you're feeling charitable, Ecuador has lots of legitimate charities you can support. Pickpocketing is done by highly skilled groups of 3 or 4 people.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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