Portete Beach - Beach Mompiche - Ecuador

Portete is a virtually untouched and uninhabited beach that sits hidden a ways behind the main shore. Palm groves border the beach as far as the eye can see, yielding to green hills on your right and stunning rock formations etched out by the sea. If you come to Portete, please respect and preserve its natural beauty. There are no trash cans, so please take all your trash away with you. Access is via a long dirt road and brief canoe ride. It’s about an hour on foot, 10 or 15 minutes by car. If you’re walking, bring a water bottle, plenty of sunscreen and maybe a few snacks. If you’d rather go the easy route, you can rent a 4x4, or, preferably, bum a ride from a pickup truck along the way.

To get to Portete, go all the way to the south end of the main beach, toward the cliff and rocks. You will see a dirt road heading into the tree line, this is the entrance. Head down the road for about an hour, passing a major turn-off on your left and continuing straight. Keep going past a few more hills and the Royal Decameron until you reach the end of the road. At the end of the road, hand $0.50 to a boatman who will ferry you across the river. You can try to swim it, but the current is very strong and becomes outright dangerous the closer it comes to the sea. Above the river you’ll notice the twisted, rusty remnants of a metal bridge that was abandoned midway through construction. The lack of direct access by car is probably what has kept Portete so pristine. After being dropped on the opposite shore, walk past a handful of little houses, through a cluster of palms at which point you’ll come out onto an immense stretch of white sand and beach with crystal clear water.

Location:
Mompiche, Ecuador

Beach

Getting There

Travel Tips:

It's a good idea to bring water, sunscreen, snacks, and any other beach gear you might desire.

Price Description:

$1 per person - $0.50 across the river and $0.50 back.

If you don't have the time or energy to go all the way to Potete, take a right turn into Playa Negra.� It's about 15 minutes walking. You'll pass a big turn off on the left a few minutes before you get there.

About this Page

By Laura Granfortuna
I've always had the travel bug - maybe it's because I've been traveling around with my family since I was an infant, but mainly I think it's because...

Updated: 08 Apr 2013