Ayangue

Ayangue is a small fishing village in a tight horseshoe bay whose headlands cut almost all the swell, leaving water so flat that it is commonly described as a natural swimming pool, and that calm makes it the family beach of the Santa Elena coast and the base for the region's diving. Boats run out to El Pelado, an offshore islet and marine reserve where the visibility, reef fish, rays and occasional turtles make some of the best diving on the mainland Ecuadorian coast. The village itself is one street of seafood restaurants along the sand, serving ceviche and whole fried fish, and it fills completely on weekends and holidays.

What you actually see

• A bay flat as a pool - headlands cutting the swell almost entirely.
• Diving at El Pelado - the offshore islet and marine reserve.
• Seafood on the sand - ceviche and fried fish along the beach.
• Fishing boats in the cove - the village trade behind the tourism.

When to go

December to April for sun and warm water; June to November is cooler and overcast. A day. Weekends and national holidays fill the small beach completely.

Honest expectations

The beach is tiny and packed shoulder to shoulder in season. Water quality suffers with the crowds and the boats. Diving depends on visibility, which is unreliable in the cool months. Parking is chaotic.

Nearby

Montanita is north; Santa Elena lies south.