Manta & Montecristi
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Port
Manta, Ecuador
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Activity Level
Easy
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Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$89.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4 hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Your tour starts with a panoramic drive along Manta's malecón -- the waterfront promenade -- and passes by the new town and residential areas.
Learn about natural history of the costeño (local) people by visiting the Cancebi Museum of Ethnography -- an informative facility that offers interesting insights into the life and times of Manta and its inhabitants. On display are housing, artifacts and tools that are still used by cholos, montuvios and fishermen of the province.
Proceed to Montecristi -- a colonial town founded in 1628 and located below an imposing hill. Amazingly, Montecristo is the very center of the Panama hat industry. These unique hats are proudly made right here, only in Ecuador, and not in Panama as the name would imply. Your guide will explain how the misnomer came about and you will have an opportunity to buy an authentic Panama hat -- the perfect souvenir of your time in Ecuador.
Stop at the village of El Chorillo, where workers specialize in crafting items with agave fiber, and visit a factory where carvings are made from tagua -- a cream-colored nut that looks and feels like ivory.
Notes:
Bring a hat; wear sunscreen and light, breathable clothing. Participants must be able to (dis)embark the coach unassisted. There are no ramps or lifts on the transportation or at the museum.