Route
Guayaquil ──── coach, ~125 km, ~2 h ──── Salinas
│
Malecón ─ Playa Chipipe ─ La Chocolatera
Salinas is the westernmost city on the Ecuadorian mainland, and it looks the part: a line of high-rise apartment blocks facing the Pacific, a long promenade, and a headland that runs out into the surf. It is not a pretty town in the way Cuenca is. It is a useful one, because everything a recovering runner needs is flat, close to the hotels and open late.
The marathon finishes early, so you can leave on a midday coach with a clear conscience. Coaches leave from the Guayaquil bus terminal and the route runs west on the Vía a la Costa and then along the peninsula road through Santa Elena. Allow about two hours, more at weekends, and confirm the timetable with the operator at the terminal.
October in Salinas
October is dry and mild on the peninsula, with highs of roughly 26 to 28 °C and a cooling breeze from the Humboldt Current. Mornings can be grey. The sea is cool. Whale season on this coast runs roughly from June to September, so an October visit sits at the tail end and sightings are not something to plan around. Local operators run boat trips in season, and it is worth asking whether any are still going.
Night one: Salinas
The recovery walk is the Malecón, the seafront promenade that runs along the main beach. It is paved and almost entirely level, and at the end of a marathon that matters more than the view. Walk it slowly at dusk, when families come out and the vendors set up. Playa Chipipe sits at the eastern end of the strip and has a wide sand beach, calmer than most on this coast, with sunbeds and drinks available at weekends.
La Chocolatera is the town's signature sight, a sea cliff at the western tip where the Pacific has carved out a blowhole. The sandstone cliffs are the westernmost point of mainland Ecuador. It is a short taxi ride from the centre. The ground at the viewpoint is uneven, so wear proper shoes rather than sandals, and go in daylight. Entry is usually free or very cheap.
For a bed, the Barceló Colón Miramar is the largest hotel on the front, with sea views and a pool, and suits anyone who wants somewhere that will still be there next year. Smaller hotels and apartment blocks line the Malecón and are generally cheaper, though standards vary. Pick one on or near the seafront so that a post-marathon walk to dinner is under ten minutes. Book ahead around public holidays, since Salinas fills with weekend visitors from Guayaquil.
Eat seafood. Ceviche, grilled fish and shrimp rice are the staples, and the restaurants along the Malecón sell them at prices that are fair for a resort town. Ask what came in that day. A stall on the sand will serve the same fish for less than a seated restaurant, with plastic chairs and a better view.
Day two: the way home
Spend the morning at the beach or the promenade. A coffee on the front takes up the time before the afternoon coach. Take the coach back to Guayaquil in the early afternoon, and allow a margin if you are flying: traffic on the Vía a la Costa can double the journey time at weekends. If your flight home is the same evening, leave Salinas by about 13:00.
Getting home
José Joaquín de Olmedo airport (GYE) is on the north side of Guayaquil. Taxis from the bus terminal to the airport are quick when roads are clear, and the two are close enough that a short transfer is realistic. Check prices and the current coach schedule at the terminal before you set off.