Canoa

Canoa is a town in the Canton of San Vicente in the Manabí Province of Ecuador.Canoa is located north of Bahía de Caraquez, Province of Manabí – Ecuador. Local stories and tales say that the natives of Canoa hid deep in the hills when they saw invaders approaching, leaving the beautiful beach deserted. 100 years later, Jesuit priests arrived and along with Canoans, they celebrated the birth of yet another Spanish community.In its beginnings, Canoa was called Pantaguas o Pintagua. Juan de Velasco, a priest, was the first to include Canoa in a map of the old Reino de Quito (Kingdom of Quito). At the turn of the 20th century, the beach was officially recognized and became part of the Cantón Sucre (Bahía de Caraquez). Canoa was registered as part of the Cantón San Vicente at the end of the 20th century.There are two ways to cross the bay of Bahia de Caraquez to Canoa. You can take a ferry to cross the bay, or you can go across the bridge. Once you've crossed you can take a bus to the town or you can hire a bicycle carriage to take you there.Once in the town, there are a variety of hostals to choose from. If you're on a tight budget, locals will often let you pitch your tent in their yard for just a few dollars a night. This usually grants you access to their bathroom and shower as well.The town has an active night-life, and people will often stay up dancing and drinking $1 Pilsener Grandes. If you get hungry, there's a man who sells the most amazing shawarma off the back of his truck for about $2.During the day if you are not relax on the beach, eat the fresh ceviche, or stick a straw into a young coconut.