A busy harbor set on the central Pacific coast, Manta (pop. 136,000) offers the Banco Central Museum (ancient Amerindian artifacts), an old wooden church and a picturesque fishing harbor. The surrounding countryside has pristine beaches, backed by lush, rolling hills covered in orchards and cotton plantations. Nearby Portoviejo offers Casa de la Cultura, a museum. Don't go out of your way to see it, but Manta does merit a few hours if you happen to be driving along the coast. 80 mi/130 km northwest of Guayaquil.
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