Coastal Ecuador: Transit day

Today we travelled up the coast of Ecuador approximately 293km on a trip that Google Maps says should take just under 5 hours. Here’s how we did it (all prices are for two people):

1. Taxi from San Alejo to San Vicente–30 minutes/35km, $20
2. Bus from San Vicente to Pedernales–2 hours/110km, $8
3. Moto taxi from where we arrived in Pedernales to where the next bus was parked (surprise to us that they weren’t in the same terminal)–5 minutes, $1
4. Bus from Pedernales to Chamanga–1 hour/55km, $4
5. Bus from Chamanga to Atacames–2 hours/99km, $8
6. Moto taxi from Atacames to our hostel–5 minutes, $1

And the amazing thing is that a) we didn’t leave anything behind or lose any luggage, and b) we actually figured out how to do all of the above and arrive in only about 8 1/4 hours!

We traveled past some of the areas that sustained the worst damage from the April 2016 earthquake. We saw buildings in ruins, vacant lots or piles of rubble where there once would have been buildings, and buildings in every stage of reconstruction. We also travelled through hours of lush tropical jungle with the breezes blowing refreshingly through the open windows, even though it was about 30 degrees Celsius outside. And now we are staying in our first hostel in a private room half a block from the beach. Should be an interesting 12 days!