Manta, Ecuador

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Manta Ecuador

December 15, 2012. I arranged a private tour with Narwell EcoTuristico. The tour was favorably priced. The guides were knowlegdable and very friendly. The company has several tours to choose from but I selected the Fish market and the archeological site Cerro Jaboncillo, (little Machu Pichu).

 

The fish market opens at 5:00 AM so be sure to arrive early. This is the largest fish market I have ever visited. The market specializes in Tuna, Mahi Mahi and Swordfish mostly for the commercial purposes. Next door you can see fishing vessels in various stages of the construction process. They even rework older vessels to extend their useful life.

Cerro Jaboncillo is an archeological site dating from 1700 B.C to 900 A.D. The site continues to be excavated and pottery shards can be found everywhere just lying on the ground. Because of this, a park guide will interpret the archeological remains, flora and fauna while guiding the visitor through the village. A musuem will be constructed in the future housing the important relics from the site. While the dirt and mud road is brutal, it is worth the effort.

I would recommend this company to any passenger stopping in Manta. The email is iwona.narwell@gmail.com. The web site is http://www.ecuador-discover.com.