Ocean Adventures in Manta: Ecuador's Best Coastal Activities for Nature Lovers

There's something almost mystical about witnessing your first humpback whale breach—a moment where time suspends as 40 tons of marine mammal launches skyward before crashing back into the Pacific in an explosion of white spray. For families visiting Manta between June and October, this isn't just a possibility—it's practically guaranteed.

During my third visit to Manta last winter, I brought along Paulo, my Brazilian partner, who'd never experienced whale watching before. We boarded a small tour boat operated by Aventuras Marítimas, a locally-owned company committed to responsible wildlife viewing practices. Our guide, Fernando, was not just a captain but a former fisherman whose grandfather had passed down generations of knowledge about the ocean's rhythms and the whales' migration patterns.

'The abuelos (grandparents) used to say the whales carry messages between worlds,' Fernando explained to the wide-eyed children on our boat. 'Their songs heal the waters.'

As if on cue, a mother and calf appeared just 50 meters from our vessel. The collective gasp from everyone aboard—adults and children alike—confirmed what I've always believed: connecting with these magnificent creatures awakens something primal within us. For nearly an hour, we watched the whales breach, spy-hop, and slap their massive pectoral fins against the water's surface.

What makes Manta's whale watching exceptional isn't just the reliable sightings but the educational component. Tour operators like Aventuras Marítimas collaborate with marine biologists who collect data during excursions, allowing families to participate in citizen science. Children can help record whale behaviors and learn about conservation challenges facing these magnificent animals.

Before booking your whale watching adventure, I recommend investing in a reliable waterproof camera to capture these once-in-a-lifetime moments without worrying about spray or splashes. The underwater capabilities will serve you well throughout your Manta adventures.

My journey to Manta began years ago while researching traditional medicine practices that incorporate marine elements—a quest that stemmed from my own healing journey with plant medicine in Peru. What I discovered along Ecuador's coast was a rich tradition of oceanic healing that few tourists ever experience.

In the small fishing community of San Mateo, just outside Manta proper, I met Doña Esperanza, a curandera (traditional healer) in her seventies who has spent decades working with the ocean's healing properties. Her modest home, perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, serves as both residence and consultation space where locals and the occasional in-the-know visitor seek treatment.

'The ocean provides everything we need for health,' she told me during my first visit, her weathered hands sorting through shells, dried seaweeds, and small vials of extracted marine compounds. 'What modern medicine is only beginning to understand, our ancestors knew for centuries.'

Families visiting Manta can arrange special educational sessions with healers like Doña Esperanza, who now works with her granddaughter to preserve these traditions. During these demonstrations (arranged through the cultural center in downtown Manta), children can learn how certain seaweeds are used to treat skin conditions, how the application of specific clay mixed with ocean water helps joint pain, and how the rhythmic sounds of waves are incorporated into traditional sound healing.

What struck me most was how these healing traditions connect directly to conservation ethics. 'We take only what we need, and we always give thanks,' Doña Esperanza emphasized. 'This is how we teach the young ones to respect the ocean that sustains us.'

For families interested in bringing some ocean healing home, I recommend picking up a natural sea salt scrub from the women's cooperative in San Mateo. These products are sustainably produced using traditional methods, and proceeds support local families while preserving ancestral knowledge.

Often called the 'Poor Man's Galapagos,' Isla de la Plata sits just 25 miles offshore from Manta and offers families an accessible introduction to Ecuador's remarkable marine biodiversity without the hefty price tag of its more famous counterpart.

During my most recent visit, I joined a family of four from Canada on a day trip to the island. The parents had been concerned their children (ages 8 and 11) might be too young for meaningful snorkeling experiences—a concern that dissolved within minutes of entering the water at Drake Bay on the island's eastern shore.

'Mom! Blue fish! Hundreds of them!' the younger child exclaimed through his snorkel, voice muffled but excitement unmistakable as a school of blue-striped snappers enveloped us.

What makes Isla de la Plata ideal for families is the gradient of experiences available. Protected coves with calm, shallow waters provide safe spaces for beginners to practice snorkeling skills, while more adventurous families can venture to deeper sites where sea turtles, manta rays, and even the occasional whale shark make appearances during certain seasons.

Most tour operators provide basic snorkeling gear, but after years of traveling to marine destinations, I've found that having your own full-face snorkel mask makes a tremendous difference, especially for children or first-timers who might struggle with traditional masks and separate snorkels.

Beyond snorkeling, the island offers easy hiking trails where families can spot blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and other iconic species typically associated with the Galapagos. The combination of accessible marine and terrestrial wildlife viewing makes this a perfect educational adventure.

Most importantly, the experience provides families an opportunity to discuss marine conservation in a tangible context. When children see how plastic waste affects the very creatures they've just fallen in love with underwater, the message resonates in ways no classroom lesson could achieve.

The true heart of Manta's ecological significance isn't found along its popular beaches but within the intricate mangrove ecosystems that line portions of the coast just south of the city. These twisted, salt-tolerant forests serve as nature's nurseries—critical habitat for countless marine species and natural barriers protecting coastlines from erosion and storm surges.

At Pacoche Marine Wildlife Refuge, about 30 minutes from downtown Manta, families can explore these remarkable ecosystems via guided kayak tours that wind through narrow channels between the mangrove roots. Unlike motorized boats that disturb wildlife, kayaks allow for silent observation of the rich biodiversity these areas support.

During my exploration with local guide Mateo, whose family has fished these waters for generations, we paddled in comfortable tandem kayaks that allowed even the youngest members of our group (a family with children as young as six) to participate without exhaustion.

'Watch how the roots breathe,' Mateo whispered, pointing to the exposed pneumatophores rising from the brackish water like tiny snorkels. 'Mangroves are the lungs of our coastal system.'

As we navigated deeper into the mangrove channels, the ecosystem revealed itself layer by layer: juvenile fish darting among the protective roots, herons stalking the shallows with prehistoric patience, and startlingly blue land crabs scuttling up and down the trunks with surprising agility.

The educational value of these tours extends beyond wildlife spotting. Guides like Mateo explain how local communities are working to restore mangrove forests lost to previous development, the traditional sustainable fishing practices that depend on healthy mangroves, and the critical carbon sequestration these ecosystems provide—storing up to four times more carbon than rainforests of equivalent size.

For this adventure, I strongly recommend bringing a dry bag to protect cameras and phones while still allowing for wildlife photography opportunities. The 10-liter size is perfect for family day trips and has proven itself invaluable during unexpected rain showers or splashy paddle moments.

Perhaps the most meaningful experience I've had in Manta—one that beautifully bridges cultural exchange, traditional knowledge, and marine conservation—is participating in sustainable fishing practices alongside local fishing families. This isn't a staged tourist experience but a genuine cultural immersion that the Asociación de Pescadores Artesanales has thoughtfully opened to visitors wanting deeper connection with coastal traditions.

In the pre-dawn darkness, I joined the Mendoza family aboard their modest wooden boat, or 'panga,' equipped with hand lines and traditional fishing methods that have sustained coastal communities for generations. What struck me immediately was how the entire family participated—from grandfather to grandchildren—each with specific roles that collectively represented a complete knowledge system.

'My daughter learns to read the birds,' explained Carlos Mendoza, pointing to his 10-year-old who was intently watching seabird behavior to locate fish schools. 'My son understands the currents. These things cannot be learned from books.'

As the sun rose over the Pacific, painting the water in shades of gold and pink, we used hand lines rather than commercial nets—a method that allows for selective harvesting and immediate release of juvenile fish or unwanted species. The children excitedly explained to me how they can feel exactly what type of fish has taken the hook based on the distinctive tug and movement pattern.

What makes this experience particularly valuable for visiting families is the natural exchange between children. Local kids proudly demonstrate their knowledge of marine species, fishing techniques, and ocean safety, while visiting children offer fresh perspectives and questions that often spark meaningful conversations about ocean conservation across cultural boundaries.

The morning concludes with a beach-side cooking demonstration where the catch is prepared using traditional methods. Families learn how every part of the fish is utilized—nothing wasted—and how simple, fresh ingredients transform the morning's harvest into a memorable meal shared between new friends.

To fully participate in the fishing experience, I recommend bringing a polarized sunglasses to cut glare and better spot fish movements beneath the surface—a tip Carlos shared with me on my first outing that has improved every subsequent fishing and marine wildlife viewing experience.