Portoviejo Ecuador

Until recently, Portoviejo was only known for its important tuna fishing fleet, the production of vegetable oil, and the famous Panama Hats

Today, the visit of cruise ships and the construction of modern hotels, have transformed the city into an important tourist destination.

Many foreigners have chosen Portoviejo and the nearby Crucita Beach as their retirement residence.

Portoviejo Ecuador is a modern city, however, some antique bamboo and wooden houses still remain as a reminder of the old village.

With an average temperature of 77ºF all year long, dry weather and dry tropical forest in its surroundings, Portoviejo is an attractive city to visit.

Additionally, Portoviejo offers first class hotel facilities and daily flights to and from the main cities in Ecuador.

The warmth and hospitality of its people contributes to the rapid tourism development of the entire province.



Delicious gastronomy is also one of the main attractions of Portoviejo Ecuador. Don't miss the seafood "ceviches" or the exquisite "viche de pescado".

Portoviejo is the perfect place to enjoy the traditional Manabi cuisine, of great fame in Ecuador, usually at country side restaurants located on the side of the Portoviejo-Crucita roadway.

The Manabi Province

The province has several elevations, not exceeding more than 500 meters above sea level. The cordillera of Chongon is basically the backbone of the region.

The Manabi coast extends for 350km of the Pacific Ocean. The most important geological formations are those running from north to south: the peninsula of Cojimies, the capes of Pasado, San Mateo and San Lorenzo.

Isla de La Plata is situated some 15km away from Puerto Cayo. The Island extends 4.5km in length and 1.5km in width. The Island of Cojimies is smaller.

Portoviejo Ecuador Climate

Portoviejo Ecuador History

It is one of the oldest cities in Ecuador and is the sixth largest.

By 1765 Portoviejo took on the category of a province, with a population of 5,200.

As it was a city of the Spanish foundation, it had certain privileges:

One of them was to have a town assembly and the right to elect mayors who were not dependent on the mayors of Guayaquil.

Portoviejo Independence

Jose Joaquin de Olmedo, first civil governor of Ecuador, who sent a letter written and signed, in which he declared that Portoviejo had broken the yoke of slavery.

From Portoviejo the Spanish American troops set out for Guayaquil, and then for Quito, carrying their discoveries to the river Amazon.

Francisco de Orellana was especially interested in the prospects offered by Portoviejo Ecuador.

During the colonial period it was the operational center of the conquistadors and later the center of emancipation movements, and managed to proclaim its independence on October 18th, 1820.

Portoviejo Ecuador Attractions

An interesting nearby village to visit is Sosote just a few minutes from Portoviejo, it's worth visiting because of its tagua workshops. The main street has several stalls selling tagua figures.

Portoviejo Beaches: The beaches near Portoviejo are just stunning and worth visiting.

Here are some you can visit: Puerto Lopez for whale watching, Puerto Cayo, Manta, Crucita, San Clemente, San Jacinto, Bahia de Caraquez, San Vicente, Canoa, Pedernales and Cojimies.

Portoviejo is decorated with a wide variety of tree species: ceibos, jasmines, almonds, rubber plants, acacias, and beautiful palm trees.

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The balsa tree (ochroma logopus) is native to this province. Its light wood allowed the early inhabitants of the region to navigate large distances easily and rapidly.

From history books we have learned that the golden jewels and decorations worn by the navigators caught the attention of the first Spanish visitors, who believed that the gold they couldn't find in the Caribbean was at the South Pacific.

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