Ecuador
Canoa

Discover travel destinations of travelers writing a travel journal on FindPenguins.
Travelers at this place
    • Day 16

      Up the Coast to Canoa

      September 3, 2022 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

      We took a road trip 5 hours north to Conoa this weekend, hunting for sun.

      We only found a little sun, but we had a bunch of interesting learning experiences. Perhaps most importantly, we learned that Charles (my mom’s travel agent/cardiologist gentleman caller) or Addie (renown Airbnb expert) should book the rest of our travel arrangements. We are not wimpy travelers, but this weekend we realized that we are not 20 years old and that accommodations advertised on hostelworld.com may not be for us.

      That said, we really enjoyed lots about the weekend. The changes in topography in our road trip—cacti, rice paddies, palm trees, crazy huge trees, sea, hills and mountains - were really cool. We saw so many weird and amazing micro climates in such a short period of time. Unfortunately, Talia missed most of the drive because, heeding warnings from travel books, we gave her a Dramamine to help with car sickness (the roads are very curvy, and in some places, sort of in the ocean). It’s possible that we went overboard with the Dramamine because she was OUT for the ride.

      After the long ride, we spent one night in Canoa, but between the late night dance party next door to our accommodation (“hotel” is not quite the right word) and a group of nocturnal roosters on the street outside, none of us slept well. We had planned a day trip to an organic farm not far from Canoa, but decided to check out of the dance-party-and-rooster hotel in order to stay at the peaceful farm. The farm was certainly beautiful, and the food - all grown on site - was amazing…but the abuelo at the neighboring farm down the road happened to turn 72 this weekend, so the family played dance music until 6am and of course a group of roosters cockle-doodle-doo’ed from 3am until the sun rose. Additionally, while I’m excited about all of the biodiversity in Ecuador, I’m beginning to think it’s mostly diversity in insects—despite the the mosquito nets, the enormous bugs didn’t help our sleep.

      Notwithstanding the lack of sleep and excessive encounters with strange bugs, we had a good time. Talia loved all of the farm animals— she enjoyed riding another horse, feeding pigs and chickens and hanging with a dog named Mango. She especially liked the cat, Mousey, which made me love her a tiny bit less (where’s her dog loyalty?!?).  We all learned a lot about sustainable farming (and compostable toilets), plus Talia learned how to harvest cocoa beans and make chocolate. To top it off, she made a necklace and a ring from local plants, which involved her using a saw and various other dangerous tools with minimal supervision. Of course, she’s most excited to tell her grandparents about this. In good news, no one lost any fingers.

      Before we left, the abuelo from the farm down the road brought us some birthday cake to make up for the noise from the wild geriatric party the night before. The adventure continues…

      ****

      Oh wait! This just in! A guest post narrated by Talia:

      Hello everybody! I am happy that you guys read our blog. Right now I’m at a farm and I fed pigs and chickens, and I also did more horseback riding. I’m eating my breakfast at the farm while mommy types. Oh, I also fed chickens and roosters. We have a cat at the farm named Mousey. She’s very sweet. Also, there are dogs named Mango and Rosa. They are super cute and always come into our little house.

      We slept in little nets so we would be safe from mosquitos. Actually, beetles swarmed all around us. There were 3 million of them. My mommies put me in my net first and then they got into their net. And my mommies heard a noise at night and Mango barked and barked. He was guarding us, which was sweet. Yeah, that’s it from Ecuador. I hope school is fun! Bye! Love, Talia.
      Read more

    • Day 75

      Canoa

      December 26, 2015 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      It took 7 hours and 3 buses to get to Canoa but totally worth it, we loved it so much that we extended our stay with an extra day. Fantastic little beach town, the Pacific ocean is smooth and surprisingly warm with big waves. Even to managed to have our first proper night out on the 24th. Stayed out almost until 1:00! To be fair also started at 3 pm. Had lots of cocktails, beer, wine before we left for dancing where made some new local friends who's great idea was to share a bottle of tequila...
      The beach was fantastic even managed to surf, had a 3 hours lesson (was suppose to be 1, but the guy was cool) and we were just professionals. Our faces are still so burnt and hot but had an amazing time. It's gonna be difficult to leave tomorrow from the relaxed little town where we spent our first Christmas together...
      Read more

    • Day 17

      Canoa

      March 27, 2019 in Ecuador ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      Heute Abend geht es schon wieder Richtung Berge und ich werde das Meer eine Zeit lang nicht mehr zu Gesicht bekommen. Nach knapp 1,5 Wochen Strand und Hitze freue ich mich aber auch schon wieder auf etwas Abkühlung in den Bergen. :-)
      Anbei ein paar Eindrücke meiner Zeit in Canoa.
      Read more

    • Day 11

      Canoa - short overnight stay

      August 15, 2021 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

      Travelled today round about 2-3 h up further north from Manta to the small beach town Canoa.

      On the way I found beautiful nature (dry forest, trees looking like out of a Tim Burton movie…) but was too lazy to stop and take pics 😉. Was a pleasure driving through that environment, on the other hand the streets are getting more difficult to drive on as further north I make it due to the worsening quality. Luckily I have a good all terrain bike at hand 😎, which I definitely recommend for making this route!

      Arrived pretty late in Canoa and was lucky finding a place to sleep in Cocoa Inn (20 USD per single) due to public holidays in Ecuador. The view of the terrace on the ocean was really nice, got a safe parking spot and the people super friendly 👍…even though the weather turned out pretty cloudy.
      Read more

    • Day 315

      Canoa

      February 26, 2022 in Ecuador ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      Mompiche und unsere Unterkunft gefällt uns außerordentlich gut....leider kommen hier die Tage keine Wellen mehr an, also ziehen wir weiter

      Ziel ist heute Canoa, hier erreicht der aktuelle swell wieder die Küste und somit haben wir kleine aber feine Wellen 😁

      Hier angekommen wundern wir uns warum alle Unterkünfte plötzlich ausgebucht ist und erfahren auch hier wird der Karneval gefeiert 😂
      Wir haben ein Zimmer in einen schönen hostel mit viel Holz und Bambus gebaut, es liegt nur 2 Straßen vom Strand entfernt und etwas ab vom Trubel, weil auch hier wird die Musik gerne voll aufgedreht 🙃
      Read more

    • Day 194

      Canoa

      July 9, 2017 in Ecuador ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

      In Canoa I met up with Luis and his friend Ryan. It was nice to know I would be around people I knew as I didn't really know what to expect from the small surf town Canoa in off season. But as it turned out the hostel was really social and a nice place to get back in the water. But the absolute highlights were their two puppies! I couldn't stop cuddling them.
      As they overbooked their dorm rooms I got an upgrade to a little private room with my own bathroom for the price of the dorm.
      We hung out at the hostel the first day catching up and only went to town for dinner.
      There was a nice couple volunteering in the hostel and I went surfing with them the next morning. The waves weren't perfect but I was happy I was able to catch some and had a lot of fun - and that's all what surfing is about.
      The hostel had a shared BBQ that night for which everybody was supposed to bring something. As most people were preparing salads and other vegetarian dishes we decided to buy some chicken. As it turned out this meant we had to go to San Vincente the next town. We caught a bus and after the guys had a quick lunch we went to the market to buy a whole (dead) chicken. It came with feed and intestines but we told the lady from the market she could keep that. Luckily she also cut the chicken in its parts which made it a lot easier for us.
      When we got back to the hostel everybody was already busy in the kitchen. It was amazing what people were preparing! There were lots of salads, skewers, prawns, hummus, fresh french fries, quesadillas and lots more!
      It was a really nice night with everybody eating together!
      The next morning when I got ready to leave I suddenly felt the earth shaking. As I was by myself in my room I wasn't sure if I had just imagined it. But when I came down for breakfast the guys asked me immediately: "Did you feel the earthquake?"
      Later on the bus a guy next to me told me that the "terremoto" was measured 5.7 in the next town. That's how I got to know a new word. terremoto = earthquake. At least I thought I learned a new word. Turned out later it needs a few more occasions for me to remember a word properly.
      Read more

    • Day 4

      Day 2 von Mindo nach Canoa

      October 4, 2021 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

      Nach einem super Frühstück ging es zeitig los bei 13 Grad und Regen. Die Strecke ging durch die Anden, über eine Hängebrücke bis zum Äquator. Danach durch die Shrimpfarms entlang der Pazifikküste bis zu unserer traumhaften Unterkunft in Canoa direkt am Strand. Insgesamt 300km voll toller Eindrücke.Read more

    • Day 75

      CANOA !

      January 12, 2017 in Ecuador ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

      Wow, this place was a dream. The first and last place I can imagine to live there. A white super long beach. The sea perfect to swim as well as surfing. The people relaxed, open and super funny. The hostels which are directly at the beach had so much charm and a looot of hamacks, you came and felt like at home. Every day I had to ask myself if it's really possible to be so happy. I "worked" in a hostel, that means, stay at the reception and have fun with the friends and tourists :P. Every day I went for hours in the water and always met someone who gave me his board to surf or bodyboard. Mostly of the other time I enjoyed the company of the workers from the hostel. One was a woman from france which lives there with her son since some years. Before more or less one year, canoa was destroyed by an earthquake. You still see and feel this huge catastrophe but I had the impression that the people are even more connected and like a big family. The french woman told me the whole story in details. I never heard and imagined an earthquake so realistic. And this woman had so many other storys to tell, I could have listened to her for hours and hours. The other girl which worked there had the same age as me but since one year she lives in Canoa with her boyfriend and is about to buy a ground to build her own home. Wow, do that with 21 years! Yeah and then I met a lot lot other people I really enjoyed to be with. I also did my second and third tattoo. I loooove them, I had the best ideas and just did it. The place inspired me, hehe. I was so sad to leave but life wanted it so.. It's crazy how I miss this place even if I know that when I would go back, it wouldn't be the same. So I'm just really thankful for this unbelievable experience!! :-)Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Canoa

    Join us:

    FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android