Bahía de Caráquez

This Pacific-coast town in Ecuador's Manabí province with a walkable centre, a café and restaurant scene, and scenic viewpoints in the surrounding area. Sitting at the mouth of the Chone River, it was founded by Antonio de Morga — a chronicler of the Spanish conquest of the Philippines — and carries a long history as a pre-Hispanic capital of the Kingdom of the Caras and a key entry point for Spanish expeditions into what is now Ecuador.

• Population37,056
• Nearest water1.4 km
• Nearest mountain26.2 km