Manta Sights

  1. Fishing-Boat Harbor

    The fishing-boat harbor, between Manta and Tarqui, is busy and picturesque at high tide and dead in the mud at low tide.

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  2. Manabí Fisherman Statue

    You know you're in Tarqui when you stumble upon the enormous Manabí fisherman statue. Beyond it is the protected sandy Tarqui beach.

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  3. Museo del Banco Central

    Museo del Banco Central has valuable artifacts from pre-Columbian Manta culture, as well as quirky fishing memorabilia.

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  4. Playa Murciélago

    In Manta, Playa Murciélago is a less protected beach than Tarqui and has bigger waves (although they're not very big, there's a powerful undertow). It is a couple of kilometers northwest of downtown and is the town's most popular beach, backed by snack bars and restaurants and umbrella rental spots. Further northwest, Playa Barbasquillo is a more tranquil resort area.

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  5. Tarqui Beach & Boatyard

    Early in the morning, the east end of Tarqui beach is a hive of activity. Vendors' carts tail the morning crowd, selling rows upon rows of shark, tuna, swordfish, dorado and others (whose size decrease with each passing year). Nearby is Manta's boatyard, where giant wooden fishing boats are built by hand on the edge of the sand. The whole scene merits an early wake-up call.

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