The Ecuador Chronicles - 2009-20
Road Trip Part IV - Bahia
A White City on a Peninsula;
What a View of the City
At the end of the last Chronicle we were about to drive onto the ferry at San Vicente and cross the Chone Estuary to Bahia de Caraquez - simply known as Bahia. Seen from San Vicente or the Ferry, Bahia looks like a beautiful white city.
Bahia - White City Across the Chone
A new bridge is under construction across the Chone Estuary. Within about a year this beach loading ferry will no longer be needed. The whole coast above Bahia is bound to change, especially when you think of this bridge together with new / upgraded roads that are being built along La Ruta Del Sol - as the coast road is called. Until now this has been a relatively isolated, undeveloped coastline. One can only imagine that villages like Canoa will boom. But, of course, reliable electricity and water will also be required for development. It would be easy to become nostalgic for the way things are now, but hopefully this progress will be good for Ecuador and the Ecuadorian people.
Bridge across the Chone Estuary - Under Construction
The ferry ride takes about 25 minutes or so. On the Bahia side the ramp is lowered and off go the vehicles. We had driven straight on, so Juan skillfully backed us off - under the expert direction of the Ice Cream Guy. We turned around on the sand and drove up the little beach - we were in Bahia.
On the Ferry - CD's for Sale: $1.50
No Doubt Everything is on the UP & UP
A White City on a Peninsula
Bahia sits on a small Peninsula between the Chone Estuary and the Pacific Ocean. It is only about eight blocks wide. It is almost unbelievably clean - European Clean - with a Mediterranean feel. There are numerous high rise and low rise condominiums - a place where well-to-do Ecuadorians have vacation homes. It is about as different from the surfer villages or the wall-to-wall people at Atacames as can be. This is an upscale place. If I were going to have a place on the coast, Bahia would be high on my list for consideration.
Bahia - A Few Photos
Bahia Residential Areas and Wide Streets
Nice Beach, Calm Water on the Chone Side - Great for Small Children
More Rugged Along the Pacific Side - La Piedra at the end
We stayed at La Piedra on the Pacific - you can see it down at the end of the photo above. It is a modern hotel on two levels on three sides around a nice pool - on the other side is the Pacific Ocean. It is right on the Ocean - you can see and hear the waves crashing.
Bahia - The View from Above
On the land end of the peninsula is a hill - at the top is Mirador La Cruz, a large cross that you can climb for a really amazing view of the peninsula.
From the Top of Mirador La Cruz - Amazing Shot from a Non-photographer
Sail Boats off Puerto Amistad Yatch Club - and New Bridge Under Construction
We checked out the beautiful Puerto Amistad Marina on the Chone side. My cousin Lili and her husband Steve are traveling around the world on their sail boat "Liward". So far they have spent almost three years in the Caribbean, but they are now in Panama and we hope they will soon come through the Canal and down to Ecuador - Puerto Amistad would be a great place for them to stop for some time in Ecuador (Hint,Hint).
Sunset Over the Pacific from La Piedra
Coming Next Week: Down the Coast to Puerto Lopez!
Would you like to come Ecuador and See a Pacific Sunset-
Find out how at Live Well Ecuador:
Also, Check out Lili and Steve's Website: