Puerto López is a fishing town on a wide bay, with a long beach, a pier and brightly painted boats pulled up on the sand, and the sort of slow, cheerful atmosphere that settles over a place whose business is the sea. The town sits on the Ruta del Spondylus and is the main base for visiting the Machalilla National Park, which protects a stretch of dry coastal forest, beaches and the offshore Isla de la Plata. From here, small boats take visitors out to the island, which is sometimes called the poor man's Galápagos for its blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds and nesting albatrosses.
From June to September humpback whales arrive in the waters off Puerto López to breed and give birth, travelling thousands of kilometres from Antarctica. Boat trips take visitors out to see them breaching and slapping the water, and it is one of the finest wildlife spectacles in Ecuador. The season is short, and the boats fill quickly, so book early. Los Frailes beach, inside the national park, is a gorgeous curve of golden sand backed by forest, and a short walk takes you there from the road.
The ride along the coast is a gentle one, with long beach views, fishing villages and low forested hills, and the surface varies between good and rough. Heat is a factor, and you should carry water, wear sun protection and avoid riding in the middle of the day. The garúa, the cool mist of the dry season, can make the early morning cold and damp. Traffic is light, but buses, trucks and unlit vehicles after dark call for care.
Agua Blanca, a small indigenous community inside the park, offers visits to an archaeological site of the ancient Manteño culture and sulphur springs where visitors can bathe in warm, mineral-rich water. In town, small restaurants serve fresh fish, shrimp and ceviche, and there is a lively market near the harbour. Jipijapa, thirty-five kilometres inland, is the nearest large town, so make sure you have enough fuel and cash.