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Manta, Ecuador


aneka
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Does anyone have any recommendations for a private guide, or thoughts on what to do for our one day off the cruise ship in Manta. I have not found much info on prior posts.

Thanks,

Annette :confused:

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Take the free shuttle into town from the pier. It drops you of right in front of a pretty good shopping area. We just walked around town after that. Don't know what a tour might consist of but I think you can go to a place where they make hats. Google Manta and see what's available.

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Annette,

 

In 2008, we hired a private car/driver and English-speaking guide here through Metropolitan Touring Manta. (operaciones@metromanabi.com) We had options through the Ship's Travel Concierge for a couple of hours tours to Montecristi or else 10-11 hours or so tours involving flights to Quito and the Highlands. We really didn't like any of those options. We chose a more local, yet away from port option here. We went with Metropolitan Touring's Machalilla National Park Tour. Our cost was $85 pp for 7:30am to 5pm and included lunch and entry fees. Our driver was Carlos, our Manta guide was Veronica who was a Manta native and our Machalilla guide was Alegria (which means Joy) and she was born in Guayaquil and has lived in Puerto Lopez for over a decade. the tour description was:

"MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK - Visit Montecristi where the finest “Panama Hats” are made, drive over the coastal range to Puerto Lopez and enjoy the journey to the Salango Archaeological Museum, where there is an exhibit of the life of the “Balseros de la mar del Sur” (ferrymen of the Southern Sea), honoring the navigators and merchants of the pre-Hispanic Ecuador. The museum also gather history from the times of the Valdivia culture up to Manteña, which mends more than 5,000 years of permanent occupation of this region. After a hearty lunch at Alandaluz restaurant, visit the lovely Piqueros Beach before heading back to Manta."

 

Here is a link to my blog entry for that day of the trip:

http://circle-south-america-2008-aboard.blogspot.com/2008/01/day-9-jan-12-manta-ecuador.html

 

Debbie

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Thank you both for your replies. I was not aware there is a free shuttle bus to town. That may be our best option. I had already contacted Metropolitan and gotten very high price quotes for their tours. The Machalilla park tour that others have taken in the past was quoted as being $378 per person. Their city tour was quoted as $146 per person. At those rates we are better off taking one of the ship's tours.

How readily available are taxi's? We would like to go to Montecristi to see the hat makers.

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Wow, that is some price increase! I do remember seeing taxis but if prices have gone up that much, I would expect they are very expensive too. We did have a free shuttle bus on offer on arrival that just went back and forth from some outdoor market. I don't know much else about it. We did not know before arrival that it would be available and we did not have time to use it. Sorry, not much help here...

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When we were in Manta in '09, there was a free shuttle service to the local market about 4-5 blocks away. We decided to not take the shuttle & walked it in about 15 min. Very doable but very hot! The market is nice with non-aggressive vendors & great prices. You can find a pretty decent selection of Panama hats there. There's also a lovely church behind the market that's worth a visit.

 

After the market, we shuttled back to the pier & then walked in the opposite direction to a local mall. It contained a Supermaxi grocery store with inexpensive wine, beer, soda, sunscreen and other necessities. But the real find was their extensive selection of fresh cut exotic flowers, priced ridiculously cheap. We got a gorgeous bunch for an unbelievable price & they perked up our stateroom for the rest of our cruise!

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Thanks for the info on the markets MightyQuinn. Some exotic flowers for the cabin would sound really nice. Thanks for eveyone's help on a difficult port to plan for.

Annette

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Thanks for the info on the markets MightyQuinn. Some exotic flowers for the cabin would sound really nice. Thanks for eveyone's help on a difficult port to plan for.Annette

 

This is some info I recieved from another CC member Rich & Joan Blacharski for a cruise they did last year here is my abridged version

Dock at the commercial docks,a shuttle or taxi is required to get out of the commercial docks.

Find locally made handicrafts, at La Pila, a special area just outside Manta cruise port for unique pottery, Alpaca items, hand woven blankets, ponchos, tapestries, and intricately painted gourds. Panama hats and local Chocolate. You can bargain with stall holders; expect discounts up to 25%

 

Shuttle from Princess takes you around town. In the past, it stopped at fantastic places:

1. A nice, friendly hotel Oro Verde which has beach, food, internet. Walk across the street to shopping, supermarket, phone

2. Outdoor craft market. Also called Fisherman’s Park. Excellent place to buy panama hats and other stuff. Fantastic selection and prices. You can get US Dollars from the ATM machines.

Taxi from Outdoor crafts market to Archaeological Museum in Manta's Central Bank has collection of pre-Columbian artifacts ranging from the ancient Valdevivas Culture (circa 1800 B.C.) to the later Manta culture, from which the city takes its name.

Taxi to Montecristi and return. 15 minutes from Manta. visit this quaint small town of Montecristi, which is the birthplace of the Panama hat. Craft market in central square has lots of Panama hats along and wicker work.

Manta has many beaches. main beach, Murcielago has a boardwalk, craft markets bars etc

Kite surfing is very popular.

Museo del Banco Central, Manta’s local museum.

 

We are visiting next Feb 2012 on Star Princess, so I will be interested to know hat you all get up to on your visit and if the above info is still accurate

Sandy in Spain

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I was in Manta in December on the X Infinity. At the market where the shuttle bus takes you we got lovely shawls for 2 for $5.00.

A friend went to Montecristi and the tour took them to a factory that made buttons (out of a nut I think?) Anyway, she got a beautiful necklace there for I think $15.00

FYI--today I went to donate blood. They asked where I had traveled. I said South America. Columbia,Peru and Chile were no risk but because I had been to Manta I could not donate blood. There is a risk of malaria there apparently. I cannot donate blood for one year. I was very surprised and disappointed.

Sue

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  • 11 months later...
  • 3 years later...

I had trouble finding something fun and reasonable in Manta. I contacted Anna, acdelatorre@pacochelodge.org. She arranged a van for ten people to pick us up at the port and take us back with a driver and interpreter and yet another guide to take us through the Pacoche Wildlife Preserve. We had the van for the full day. The ship tours did only a small portion of what we did in our tour. Everyone in our group loved it and Anna was very helpful in arranging the tour. I think it worked out to about $23/person for the day but we gave a generous tip to our guide.

 

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  • 9 months later...

I'm trying to put together a small group (about a dozen) for a 5 hour tour to Montecristi and the Panoche rain forest. With the best rated tour company in the area, called mantasosguide.com. Go to their website to find out the info for this tour. The cost for this tour would be $55 a person. For their reviews go to trip advisor, (where I found them).

 

Joe H

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My husband and I just returned from X Infinity cruise with a stop in Manta. We had such high hopes for a private tour we had arranged with Norwell Tours and were so disappointed we wanted our money back. We were told it was 12 people and it grew to 16. Then, we had been told we would go to a hat factory and see Panama Hats made and that never happened. Our tour guide was doing them a favor and seldom did tours. He lived in Europe and was visiting. The restaurant was a dive and the food was awful. We were delayed about an hour because they wanted to fill the bus to their transfer point. It was so disorganized. Whatever you do, do not use Norwelll Tours.

There is really not too much to see in Manta unless you want to go into the rain forest. Shopping is about it. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Shrinkersgal.

 

I reached out to the tour guide we will be using in November (see my previous post where I am trying to assemble a group), offered my prayers and offered to help and bring anything they might need when we arrive in December.

 

While I'm sure the cruise stops will be affected in the immediate timeframe, I'm not sure if our December visit will be. In fact I hope it isn't. It would only compound the tragedy if at the time of their greatest need and during a period of rebuilding, the cruise lines deny them the income that derives from a cruise ship visit.

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Hey Shrinkersgal.

 

I reached out to the tour guide we will be using in November (see my previous post where I am trying to assemble a group), offered my prayers and offered to help and bring anything they might need when we arrive in December.

 

While I'm sure the cruise stops will be affected in the immediate timeframe, I'm not sure if our December visit will be. In fact I hope it isn't. It would only compound the tragedy if at the time of their greatest need and during a period of rebuilding, the cruise lines deny them the income that derives from a cruise ship visit.

 

I agree. I've asked about our cruise stop there in January, and who knows? But your idea of bringing aid is a very good one. Since we will be most likely driving to Miami to embark, we could bring things with us that were needed, within reason.

 

We were also planning to do a post-cruise in Manta with friends who live there--they are no doubt out helping their less fortunate friends whose houses did not survive. They will know what is needed by that time, if anything.

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  • 1 year later...

Montecristi.

 

A group of us, who have been to Manta previously, are thinking of catching the local bus from Manta to Montecristi, spending a few hours and catching a taxi back.

 

Anyone who has caught the bus there have any advise ?

 

Is it easy to catch a taxi back to Manta ?

 

Also, there appears to be an Italian restaurant in Montecristi with good reviews.

Has anyone eaten there, or elsewhere in MC ?

 

Thanks.

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