LAS TUNAS MANABÍ. RUTA DEL SOL

At the south end of Manabí Province, on Ruta del Spondylus sits Las Tunas, a small and picturesque village on an 8km long sand beach. It is on the bus route, 30 k north of Montañita, and 15 k south of Puerto López. Buses run every 30 minutes each direction until 7 PM.
Local ethnias are an integration of ancestral people that with time have differentiated into two diverse cultures, Montubia and Chola.
The Montubio cowboy and farmer, and, the Cholo fisherman and diver, live together within this landscape of tropical beaches and the Chongon-Colonche Mountains.

Las Tunas´ natural beauty attracts visitors of diverse interest. In front of Las Tunas is the island of Los Ahorcados. Perhaps a sunken peak of the Chongón-Colonche that erosion by sea and wind has carved into a set of unique towers.
Los Ahorcados underwater life is superb and can be experienced through snorkeling and scuba diving.

The Ayampe and Las Tunas River estuaries include a diversity of wetlands including mangrove swamp. These areas are prime for bird watching and observing small invertebrate, fish and reptiles. One to two days of walking or one day on horseback are necessary to visit all the diverse ecosystems.

An important attraction in this beach is its waves for they beckon surfers from Pto. López, Manta and Montañita. All come for the consistent beach-break, but also for the peace and the great food.

Las Tunas lays within the buffer Zone of the Machalilla National Park . The lifestyle of the communities that inhabit this zone is crucial to the wellbeing of this protected area. Investment in Ecotourism is akin to the conservation of the fragile balance observed in the Puerto López County.

Ecotourism is the logical alternative for sustainable development that many families are investing. A few have opened their homes and are offering room, board and guiding services. Las Tunas is on the path to sustainable tourism.