Playas: The Closest Beach to Guayaquil
On weekends and holidays, Guayaquileños (Guayaquil natives) flock to the beach at Playas General Villamil, better known as simply Playas. Located 97km (60 miles) south of Guayaquil, this laidback fishing village has taken the popularity with a sense of indifference, and the town lacks the feel of full-on beach destinations like Salinas or Atacames. It also lacks the stylish and varied lodging options you can find in those resort towns. The beach itself is long and wide, with a gentle curve and hard-packed light-colored sand. Still, on weekends and holidays, this place is packed, and the restaurants and bars that line the seafront Malecón bustle and buzz. The beach is popular with surfers, who come for the well-formed point break.
Artisans in Playas still produce ancient-style balsa fishing rafts, as well as finely crafted balsa surfboards. The unique fishing rafts are usually made by joining together three long balsa logs, and then fitting them with a triangular sail.
Good lodging options are very limited in Playas. The best hotels in town are the beachfront Hostería Bellavista (tel. 04/2760-600; hoteriabellavista@hotmail.com), located toward the quieter eastern end of town; and the Hotel Arena Caliente (tel. 04/2761-580; www.hotelarenacaliente.com), which is 1 block inland, but near the center of the action. Both of these hotels have air-conditioned rooms and swimming pools -- two very important perks down here.
Playas is easily reached by heading out of town on the coastal highway and taking the well-marked turnoff for General Villamil. Buses leave Guayaquil's main terminal for Playas roughly every 15 to 20 minutes from 6am to 8pm, with less frequent departures during the few hours on either end of that time frame. Transportes Villamil (tel. 04/2760-190) and Transportes Posoria (tel. 04/2140-284) both run this route. The ride takes about 1 1/2 hours and the fare is around $2 (£1.10).
