BAHÍA de Caráquez

As far back as the 17th century, the Spanish were saying how Bahía de Caráquez, set on a tongue of sand in the mouth of the Río Chone, would be “one of the most beautiful ports in the world.” What started as a small port city has evolved into the most pleasant city on Ecuador’s coast.

  Bahía, as it’s known for short, is an anomaly. Although many other cities on the coast are sweaty, dirty, and ill-tempered, Bahía (pop. 20,000) feels like a place you’d visit just to walk the streets. It’s long been a retreat for Quiteños, who appreciate its cleanliness and easygoing pace.

  The once-busy commercial port has given way to a mostly residential city, keeping the white buildings free of the smudges of industry. Generations of residents educated abroad (including ex-president Sixto Duran Ballén) have returned and invested their money and time into keeping their hometown vibrant through civic improvements such as the restoration of the waterside Malecón (a.k.a. Avenida Ratti).

  A series of natural calamities just before the turn of the millennium almost brought Bahía to its knees. Six months of almost continuous rain during the 1997–1998 El Niño season caused widespread landslides, washing away many nearby roads. Then, in August 1998, an earthquake measuring over 7 on the Richter scale leveled a good portion of the city and left residents (at least those whose homes still stood) without electricity or water for months. At one point, 2,500 of the town’s 18,000 residents were living in the streets. Most of the damage has since been repaired.

  On a brighter note, Bahía officially declared itself an “eco-city” in 1999, initiating ambitious plans to recycle most of the city’s waste and bring it into harmony with its surrounding bioregion. The safe harbor has proved inviting to boat captains, and it’s common to see private yachts anchored in the tranquil waters.

Shopping
Find artesanías along the Malecón near the Yacht Club. The wife of the owner of Guacamayo Adventures sells beautiful handmade paper and envelopes with pressed flowers, and the office also stocks T-shirts and a selection of other handicrafts. The city market takes up the corner of Morales and Ante, and the Arrecife Surf Shop is on Arenas at Bolívar.

Entertainment and Events
Grab your own snack and head to the Cinema Bahía, on Bolívar between Peña and Vineuza, for the nightly video at 8 p.m. The showings are almost always in English, and the variety is quite good. At other times you can watch your own movies in individual DVD rooms.

  Bahía has a respectable schedule of annual festivals: La Candelaria and Los Chiguales (February 2); San Pedro and San Pablo (June 28); Virgen de La Merced (September 24); and the city’s canonization celebration (November 3).

Recreation and Tours
There’s not much in the way of beaches near Bahía (head to Canoa, or south to San Clemente or San Jacinto for sand), but the short hike up to the Mirador La Cruz is well worth it for the view of the bay. Cool off afterward with a dip in the pool at the Colegio Eloy Alfaro, which is open to the public. A small archaeology museum has found a home in the Casa de la Cultura (10 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed.–Sat.) on the Malecón at Peña.

  The entire central coast is the domain of Guacamayo Adventures (Bolívar and Arenas, tel./fax 5/2691-412). If the staff can’t set you up with information or a tour, they’ll find someone who can. They’ll recommend excursions to the Isla Corazón, an island in the river mouth inhabited by more than 40 species of birds. Try to go during low tide so you can walk on the island, and don’t miss the private exotic animals collection. Trips to an ecological farm on the Río Muchacho also get repeat raves—you can ride horses, harvest and roast your own coffee, and see plenty of wildlife. Tours start at $25 pp per day, and there are half-day tours to the mangrove-covered Islas Fragatas ($18 pp) and nearby tropical forests ($12 pp). They also rent mountain bikes for $5 per day and have a free book exchange.