Salinas Beach

Type of beach	Golden sand
Length of beach	1.2 mi / 2.0 km
Wind direction	Light on-shore
Restaurants and Cafes	Many: Malecón, side streets
Distance to Salinas	0 mi / 0 km
Distance to Guayaquil	86 mi / 138 km
Distance to Manta	125 mi / 201 km
Distance to Quito	378 mi / 608 km

Eating out: Half of the fun being at the beach, is chilling in open-air restaurants and watching the world go by. If you want seafood, you are spoiled for choice along the Salinas Malecón, or if you walk a few streets back, you’ll find Cevicheland. If you are on a tight budget, you will find much cheaper prices, and often better food, if stay off the Malecón.

Lots of places in Salinas do Pizza, most are disappointing. But just two streets behind the Malecón is the best Pizza joint in town, and it is also the most convenient for beach-goers. Thanks to a super-hot state-of-the-art oven, Dolar Pizza has the finest New York Pizza.

Carnival: Each year in March is Carnival time in Ecuador. In Salinas it is pandemonium, and a really good time to stay away, unless you want to party like mad. Thousands of Ecuadorians flood into town for three days of insane partying. A favorite activity is squirting passers by with spray foam, or water. So either get into the party spirit or stay away. Check out the time lapse video of Salinas Beach from carnival 2014.

Jet Skis: Numerous people rent jet skis on Salinas and Chipipe beach, just sit on one on the beach and someone will come to you! Prices: $15 (off-season) up to $25 (high-season) per half hour.

Whale Watching: During the whale watching season, you can take a boat tour in groups of 10-12 people per boat, right from Salinas beach. The whales are usually found just of the coast, usually near the tip of the Salinas peninsula known as La Choclatera. Price about $25 per head, less for big parties. If you’ve never done it before, it is a spectacular experience. It only takes about 30-45 mins to reach them.

Clubbing: On the Malecón and in the back street there are a few night clubs, discos, and restaurant / bars featuring DJs and live music (mostly cover bands).

Out of town activities

Thermal Baths: Salinas is only 20 km from the Baños de San Vicente which is known for its thermal baths. For about $10 you can have a skin purifying mud bath, sit in a 38º C thermal spring and get a massage!

Horse Riding: Around 40 km from Salinas on the road to Guayaquil, is Cericita where there is a ranch that offers horse riding thru the jungle. You can also find horse riding about 30 km to the north in Manglaralto, Montanita and Olon.

Paragliding: Also in the Manglaralto, Montanita and Olon area there are few places where you can do solo, and tandem paragliding – they call it Parapente here.

Hotels and Hostals around Salinas Beach

Neighborhoods and Communities in Salinas

Apartments and Condos: The first two streets from the beach are dominated by hotels, restaurants and high-rise apartments facing Salinas Malecón and facing the street behind. The few remaining low-rise lots, are worth a upward of $500 per Sq Meter, and are highly sought after by developers for more apartment buildings or hotels.

Apartment pricing in Salinas remains exceptionally good value with beach-front apartments ranging from $100-200 per square ft, depending on condition and view. Most apartments are vacation homes, and many are available for rent throughout the year. Beachfront apartment rentals range from $600-1000 month.

Independent Homes: Three streets back from the Salinas Malecón you begin to find single family homes, a few duplexes and 3-4 story apartment buildings. You have to look around a lot, because the general condition and style of houses varies considerably from street to street. A 2000 Sq ft home in good condition with good neighboring properties, and 1/8 acre lot costs $150K-250K.

Gated Communities: In downtown Salinas there are no notable gated communities. These are usually restricted to suburbs of smaller towns, and more isolated rural areas.

Real Estate Agents serving Salinas area