Machalilla National Park, Nature reserve in Manabí Province, Ecuador
Machalilla stretches across more than 750 square kilometers along the Pacific coast, encompassing dry forests, fog forests and protected beaches. The territory extends from the mainland to two offshore islands that are also under protection.
Archaeological findings show that people from the Machalilla culture already lived in this coastal region around 1800 BCE. The present protected area was established in the 1970s and later expanded.
Fishing communities preserve their traditional catching techniques while contributing to the protection of marine habitats. Their boats often rest on the beach at Puerto López, the main gateway to the protected area.
Puerto López serves as the starting point with hiking trails to Los Frailes beach and boat trips to the offshore islands. Between June and September, humpback whales arrive in the coastal waters and can be observed from shore or by boat.
Waved albatross nest here on Isla de la Plata, one of the few places outside the Galapagos Islands with breeding colonies of this species. The birds return each year to the same nesting site and can be watched performing their characteristic courtship dances.
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