Jama

Altitude: 25 meters (82 feet)
Population: 23,253
Phone Code: 05

Sitting slightly inland, amid humid pasture-lands, is the unassuming town of Jama. Though this market center offers little in the way of beaches and bars, it does present visitors with the opportunity to experience rural countryside and its inhabitants. Jama is a great stopover spot for those looking to escape the crowds and wander into nature without straying too far from the sand and surf.

The town has an old cowboy-western feel to it, with weathered wooden houses, smiling faces peering from their upstairs windows, and locals riding into town on their horses sometimes. It also has a soccer stadium as well as a tiny museum. Don’t come looking for discos or such other distractions, Jama is where you stop chasing life. Linger around the plaza for people-watching on Sundays, when vendors crowd the square to peddle sundry objects. You can also catch a collective taxi for $2 to nearby Playa El Matal, though remember not to wait too late in the day to catch a return taxi back to town!

,

Other places nearby Jama : Crucita, Bahía de Caráquez , Santa Marianita, Pedernales, Canoa and Manta City.