Arrival Info
What is the best airport in Ecuador for arrival to Canoa?
It's hard to say which airport is better for you if you are coming direct to Canoa. If one is much cheaper than the other, go there.
International carriers include American, Continental, Iberia and KLM. Latin American airlines include Tame, Avianca, Lacsa, Copa and ServiVensa.
Most of our students have come through Quito, arriving late and taking a hotel for the night. Quito is a much more popular destination and has lots of inexpensive hotel options and
tourist facilities.
Guayaquil has more bus options, with buses leaving every hour all day. Also, it is 2 hours less travel by bus to Canoa. The problem with Guayaquil is it offers less in terms of
budget traveler accommodations. You could check out the Guayaquil hotels on the Internet. Try www.ecuadorexplorer.com. Night buses are available from either city to Bahia de Caraquez, but not
recommended.
Back to Top
Do I need a Visa or onward ticket to enter Ecuador?
Most nationalities do not require visas for Ecuador. Upon entry you are automatically given a 90-day tourist visa, which is normally renewable for another 30 to 90 days more by
paying a fine.
Legally, you do need to have a 2-way ticket at entry, but we’ve NEVER heard of any European or North American tourist being asked for one. They just take your passport at
immigration and usually give you a 3 month tourist stamp. If you were checked for an onward ticket, I think you would be the first.
Back to Top
What hotel services are available for an overnight in Quito?
There are many options for hotels and hostels in Quito. For
hotels near the airport, there are a few for over $20 a night. Most
travelers stay in the newer area of downtown called the
"Mariscal". A taxi there from the airport at night should cost $5
or $6. A reasonably inexpensive private room with bath will run between $8
and $18. Shared rooms run from 5 to 6 dollars.
Back to Top
What are the bus schedules for arriving from Quito?
You need to take a taxi to the Terminal Terrestre, which is the inter-provincial bus station in Quito. It is about 15 minutes from the main hotel area.
"Reina del Camino" is the main bus company you can buy your ticket with. The first option they have is Quito-San Vicente, which leaves at 8:30 and arrives in San Vicente
late-afternoon. From there it is a 15 minute bus (35 cents) to the Sundown Inn. Make sure that you tell the driver that you want to get off at the Sundown Inn, BEFORE you arrive in Canoa, because our
hotel is about 2 km south of the town center. The next option is the 10:30 bus to Bahia. It arrives at Bahia around 7:30 at night. From there
you take a cheap tricicle/taxi or walk 1 kilometer to the large public boat dock. Take a boat launch to San Vicente (35 cents). The small boats leave every 10 minutes during the day.
A larger boat provides service at night until 11:00 pm on an hourly basis. At this hour there are no buses to Canoa, but you can take a $5 taxi ride. These first two buses cost $6. At 12:40 another Quito-Bahia bus leaves,
which is first class (Executivo). It has air conditioning, more comfortable seats, TV, bathroom, and only costs $2 more. It is faster, so arrives shortly after the previous one. Same instructions
from Bahia. There is a night bus to Bahia also, which leaves Quito around 10:30 pm, arriving 5:00 in the morning, but we don't usually recommend this. If we know in advance which bus you plan to use,
we can have somebody waiting for you in Bahia or San Vicente to accompany you to Canoa .
Another option, "Coactur"; has a direct bus from Quito to Pedernales which leaves at 11:00 AM. From Pedernales, buy a ticket on any number of local buses that leave for
San Vicente every half hour. Get off at the Sundown Inn just two kilometers past the stop in central Canoa. This connection should put you directly at the hotel by 6:00.
In any case, you should try to be at the bus station over an hour in advance to make sure you get a ticket on the bus you want.
Back to Top
What are the bus schedules for arriving from Guayaquil?
You need to take a taxi to the Terminal Terrestre, which is the inter-provincial bus station. From there, buy a ticket to Bahia de Caraquez. The ride is 5 to 6 hours. From there
you take a cheap tricicle/taxi or walk 1 kilometer to the large public boat dock. Take a boat launch to San Vicente (35 cents). The small boats leave every 10 minutes during the day.
A larger boat provides service at night until 11:00 pm on an hourly basis.
From San Vicente it is a 15 minute bus (35 cents) to the Sundown Inn. Make sure that you tell the
driver that you want to get off at the Sundown Inn, BEFORE you arrive in Canoa, because our hotel is about 2 km south of the town center. After 8:00 p.m. there are no buses to Canoa, but you can take
a $5 taxi ride.
"Coactur" has regular buses Guayaquil-Bahia every hour from 4:30 AM to 5:30 PM, none of them being first class, or "ejecutivo".
The other option is with "Reina de Camino";, which has buses at 5:00 a.m., 5:45a.m., 8:00a.m, 9:45a.m., 11:30a.m., 12:15p.m., 3:20p.m., 4:40p.m.(ejecutivo), 6:00p.m.,
9:00p.m., 11:00p.m.(ejecutivo), and 11:30p.m.
Late or night buses are not recommended out of Guayaquil, unless they are first class, due to some recent holdups at night on the cheaper buses that make unscheduled stops to pick
up anybody on the highway.
Back to Top
Payment and Bank Services
What other extra costs are involved other than the program prices indicated.
Study materials are extra. Our current basic study text costs $12, and paper and notebooks, etc as you require can be purchased cheaply in local stores. For extras at the Inn such
as soft drinks or bar drinks you can run a tab. Soft drinks are 50 cents, while large beers (575 ml.) and bar drinks run between 1 and 2 dollars.
Back to Top
How does your payment work?
No advance payments are required. Normal payment method is cash, 50% on starting your program, and 50% more halfway through. In the meantime you can run a tab on all extras (bar,
colas, etc.).
Back to Top
Do you accept credit cards or travelers checks? Are ATMs available?
Sorry, no credit cards or travelers checks accepted directly by us. Credit card companies charge businesses here a large percentage making it impossible to offer our low rates. Also, banks withhold payment to businesses on third-party travelers checks for four weeks.
Still, there is no need to travel with large amounts of cash because you can get cash advances on Visa or MasterCard in nearby Bahia, or there is also a funtioning Plus/Cirrus ATM. We can send someone with you for assistance if needed.
NOTE: RECENT VISITORS HAVE INDICATED LOCAL BANKS NO LONGER ACCEPT TRAVELERS CHEQUES. TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND BRING CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS TO AVOID CARRYING LARGE AMOUNTS OF CASH.
Back to Top
Are refunds available if I leave early?
If you leave a program early, overpayments are refunded based on a pro-rating depending on the time you have stayed. Your actual stay is final billed (according to the days of room
and board and hours of classes) based on our monthly discounts if it is over 4 weeks, our weekly discounts if you have stayed over a week, and daily rate if you stay under a week.
Back to Top
Hotel Services
What is the difference between private, shared private and shared hostel rooms?
The private rooms are large, most with beach views and many have private balconies. These are normally $11 for a single. The shared private rooms are the same rooms, only with
double or triple occupancy, normally renting for $8 per person. The hostel rooms are smaller and have up to four beds, shared with other students or travelers, and no good beach view from the window.
These are normally available at $5.50 a night per bed.
Back to Top
What about the food menu? Are vegetarian menus available?
The menu offered to our students is primarily seafood – fish, squid, shrimp, and conch. Other main courses such as chicken or beef are included for variation. All meals are
prepared using purified water, and include fresh juices.
Special menus including vegetarian can be arranged on your arrival by indicating to the kitchen staff your preferences.
Back to Top
What electricity and outlets are used?
Electric connections are the same as in North America - 110 volts with the same 2-3 (w/ground) flat prong connectors. All North American appliances work here without any problem.
Small European appliances may require adaptors, depending on the country of origen.
Back to Top
Is Internet and phone service available?
There are 2 Internet places in Canoa. Rates are $1.50 an hour. Sometimes the connection is very slow, even though they advertise it as broadband. Better connections can be found in San Vicente and Bahia.
There are public phone offices in Canoa, San Vicente and Bahia with cheap rates for local and international calls. Many other phones in public places are Bell South and Porta
cellular phones, which use cards. Phone cards can usually be purchased anywhere near the phones. If you bring your own cellular phone you have to register it with one of these two companies and pay a
35 dollar fee to get connected locally. It is really a bad service and expensive (70 cents a minute).
Phone numbers indicated on the website can be used if you need to be contacted at the Inn.
Back to Top
Is laundry service available?
Yes, laundry service is available. Rates are $5 per machine load, regardless of the number of pieces.
Back to Top
Is bottled water available?
We have bulk purified water available (used in all of our food preparation), or smaller bottles of mineral water is for sale if you prefer. We provide an all-you-can-drink usage price
on the bulk water for a $3 fee per week.
Back to Top
Lessons
Can I arrive on any day of the week to begin lessons?
Yes. The package plans are based on 7-day weeks for room and board, and five days a week of study. Study can begin any time.
Back to Top
Should I bring anything else that I might need for studies?
You may want to bring your own pocket translation dictionary, although pocket English-Spanish versions are available here.
Back to Top
What is the average quantity, age and nationality of your other students?
We receive around 60 to 80 students a year. Our school program is small, and we usually have six to twelve present during peak months (Dec.-Mar) and two to six at other times.
There may be additional guests at the Inn as well, but our 18 rooms really only fill up 4 or five times a year for the major holidays.
Our students ages have ranged from ages 18 to 65, although 70% have been between the ages of 25 and 35.
About 40% of these are North American (U.S: or Canada), and maybe 20% more are from other English speaking countries (U.K.,Australia, New Zealand). The other 40% are from
non-English speaking European countries – Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Finland and Sweden the most popular.
Back to Top
Miscellaneous
What is the weather like?
Weather in Ecuador is completely different depending on what part you are in especially between the jungle, the mountains, and the coast. Even on the coast, weather is different
between say, Guayaquil (an inland port), and nearby beaches. All areas of Ecuador generally follow wet and dry seasons. The wet season in the Andes is colder than in the dry season, while the same
wet season on the coast is hotter than the dry season.
The wettest and hottest season for the coastal areas of Ecuador generally falls during January through April. The driest season is May through November. Curiously, on the beaches
the wettest months also have the most sunshine. When it rains, it rains hard, but only for a few hours every few days, and often only at night. This means most of the days are hot and sunny. Nights
are warm, with a nice ocean breeze. On the contrary, well into the dry season (July through October), the sunshine diminishes significantly. Though the climate is pleasant, it is usually
overcast.
There is not much info on Ecuador weather patterns on the internet, but below is a chart translated from the meteorological division of the Ecuadorian Navel Station on the Santa
Elena peninsula near Guayaquil, indicating average weather patterns in that area over the last ten years by months.
Of course, this chart indicates conditions on the beach far to the south from Canoa. Here to the north, there is less influence of the cold Humboldt Current, so water temperatures
are generally warmer. Still, this is just a guide to indicate general patterns. But remember if you plan on visiting all of Ecuador to bring clothes for all occasions. For the closest current weather
forecast for Canoa, use the city of Manta as reference in any Internet weather website. It is on the ocean maybe 80 kms. to the south, and will generally have very similar conditions to Canoa.
Back to Top
Are there insect problems or related diseases in Canoa?
Mosquitoes and sand flies at the Sundown Inn are really only a problem outside for a couple hours around dawn and dusk during the wet season (December thru April). The rest of the
year the insect population disappears and is no problem. A good repellent or long pants at these peak times also eliminates the problem. No insect problem in the Inn rooms at night. We have never
needed or been asked for mosquito nets in our rooms.
In downtown Canoa some of the more rustic bamboo or wooden construction hostels restaurants and bars have much more mosquitoes that we do because of the nearby river there, less
ocean breeze and cheaper construction. So if you walk downtown in the evening for a stop at a rustic bar or whatever during the humid season, bring repellant.
Malaria (here they call it palaudismo) around Canoa is very rare, but there are sometimes 2 or 3 cases a year during the hot humid season. These cases are mostly confined to remote
farm areas, or areas near stagnant fresh water. We have never heard of a visitor/tourist in Canoa coming down with malaria.
Back to Top
What about surfing, surf lessons, and board rentals?
Canoa is a popular surf destination, especially for beginners. With perfect beach breaks, sand bottom, and no undertow, the ocean is very forgiving to novices and still fun for
more advanced surfers. The best time of the year for surfing is December through April. There are a few locals in Canoa who have done quality time on the Ecuador surf circuit, and give lessons for $8
per hour with board included. Board rentals alone run around $3/hour or daily rates are also available. Many students have brought their own boards in the past with minimal transportation problems.
Canoa is very central to visiting many of the more advanced wave sites, such as Manta (1 1/2 hours to the south) or Mompiche (3 hours north). Mompiche is reputed to have the best
world class waves in Ecuador, but is newly "discovered" and limited in services. Buses move up and down the coast at least every half hour, so trips are easy.
Back to Top
