Ecuador
Warm water on the equator, and a coast with two personalities: Montañita's right point and all-night party, and Ayampe's quiet, yoga-leaning beach break an hour up the road. Then there's the Galápagos, where you surf lava reefs alongside sea lions.
Why Ecuador
The equator does something useful here: the water is warm all year, and it is one of the cheapest surf coasts in the Americas.
- **Montañita** is the famous one — a genuinely good right point at La Punta, and a party town that runs until dawn. The two coexist better than you'd expect, because the point is a fifteen-minute walk from the noise.Montañita is the famous one — a genuinely good right point at La Punta, and a party town that runs until dawn. The two coexist better than you'd expect, because the point is a fifteen-minute walk from the noise.
- **Ayampe**, an hour north, is the opposite: a quiet beach break, yoga, and almost nothing else. People come here to decompress.Ayampe, an hour north, is the opposite: a quiet beach break, yoga, and almost nothing else. People come here to decompress.
- **San Cristóbal (Galápagos)** is a different trip altogether. Lava-reef breaks, sea lions in the lineup, and a surf scene run by a handful of licensed local guides. Sharp reef, real hazards, and not a beginner's destination.San Cristóbal (Galápagos) is a different trip altogether. Lava-reef breaks, sea lions in the lineup, and a surf scene run by a handful of licensed local guides. Sharp reef, real hazards, and not a beginner's destination.