Montañita, Ecuador: Why This Budget Beach Town Actually Works for Kosher Families

If Ecuador isn’t on your radar for a kosher trip… it probably should be. We ended up in Montañita and I feel like no one really explains it properly online, so here’s the real breakdown.

Pre-Chag shot, outside our Airbnb in Montañita Ecuador

Safety:

Let’s separate the two places you’ll deal with:

Guayaquil → not where you want to hang around purposelessly Montañita → 2.5 hours away, totally different vibe

You’ll likely fly into Guayaquil, but treat it as a quick stop, not a place to explore, especially with kids. Use Uber, it’s easy and cheap, get what you need, and go. Montañita is the opposite: chill, walkable, and way more relaxed than you’d expect.

Kosher food in Ecuador (yes, actually doable)

This is the biggest perk.

In Guayaquil, you can:

• Eat at a kosher restaurant that’s actually affordable and really good - Kosher Pita Grill

• Buy frozen kosher meat and chicken at Kosher Pita Grill, take it with you in a cooler to Montanita, they are very pleasant to deal with

At Kosher Pita Grill, we got their fresh juices, the watermelon mint is a must, and honestly everything off of their menu is good. The burgers are juicy, the lamb laffa is delicious, and their house fries have a unique dressing that we really enjoyed!

In Montanita, you can:

• Eat at Chabad Montanita, they have a restaurant

• Book Shabbat meals, Chag meals etc etc

What worked for us (Pesach):

• Airbnb with a kitchen / Cooking simple meals with meat from Kosher Pita Grill

• Some meals at Chabad

• Using local fruits + veggies, make sure to get some passionfruit!

What Montañita is actually like

It’s a small beach town with a mix of:

• surfers

• travelers

• families

• a little bit of that backpacker energy

Montañita through our eyes:

There are tons of affordable Airbnbs, and this is important:

👉 Get one with a pool

It’s HOT. Like, middle-of-the-day-you-need-to-cool-off hot. The pool makes a huge difference, especially with kids.

The town itself is easy to get around, lots of little restaurants, shops, and just a laid-back vibe overall.

Our Aribnb

This is where we stayed, we loved it! It was a 30 minute walk to Chabad but you can easily find somewhere more central.

Don’t skip this family friendly hike: Dos Mangas

Dos Mangas is about 15–20 minutes from Montañita and feels like a completely different world.

Think:

• greenery

• nature (gorgeous butterflies)

• horses

• little hikes

• you might spot monkeys! we did!

It’s calm, beautiful, and a perfect break from the beach scene. I was hesitant since we have a 9 month old, 3 year old, 4 year old, but they loved it and everyone had a great time!

There are more trips that you can do but we opted out because we're tired parents, and the beach + pool was good enough for us!

🐋 Puerto López (whales + boat trips)

Best for:

• whale watching (seasonal but amazing if you catch it)

• boat trips to nearby islands

• more local, fishing-town feel

🐋 Whale Skeletons (yes, actual whale bones)

Near Puerto López you’ll find real whale skeletons on display, which sounds kind of strange… but it’s actually really cool to see in person.

They’re massive, a little surreal, and one of those things kids (and honestly adults) don’t forget.

It’s not a full “attraction” you plan your whole day around, more like:👉 you’re already in the area👉 you stop👉 you’re like wait… this is actually insane

Especially if you’re doing whale watching or heading toward the national park, it’s an easy add-on.

🏝 Isla de la Plata (mini Galápagos vibe)

You get here via boat from Puerto López.

People call it the “poor man’s Galápagos” and honestly… it kind of is.

• blue-footed boobies

• hiking with ocean views

• snorkeling

It’s a full-day thing, but worth it if you’re already in the area. I wouldn't recommend it for families with little kids like us because of the long boat rides.

Our friends, the Rosenthalls, who we travelled with went and got this shot of this Blue-Footed Boobie

🌄 Agua Blanca (desert + lagoon + history)

About 1 hour away inside Machalilla National Park.

Very different landscape:

• dry, desert-like

• archaeological ruins

• natural sulfur lagoon you can swim in

It’s one of those random places you wouldn’t expect in Ecuador.

Around Montañita, the best part is how many random, fun things you can layer into your days without overplanning. You can head toward Puerto López to see whale skeletons, catch a sea turtle release at night, or even go out with local fishermen, stop by the small Acuario de Valdivia, ride bikes or ATVs along the coast between towns like Olon Beach and Ayampe, wander artisan markets at night, or just pull over for fresh fruit stands and hidden beaches and tide pools. There are also easy add-ons like yoga classes, chocolate tastings, and quick nature trips, but honestly the vibe here is less about planning and more about just exploring and stopping wherever looks interesting.

So what do you think? Can you see yourself doing this trip with your family? I would love to hear! Let me know.

Helpful Contacts List:

Bus Van from Guayaquil Airport to Montanita - +593 98-481-0295 (fairly priced)

Local Taxi in Montanita - ‪+593 99 003 7100‬ ($1.50 during day, $2.00 at night)