There is a great little museum in the old Banco Central building. A number of interesting artifacts from indigenous societies are on display and have been well documented. Entrance fee is $1 and a multi-lingual guide will accompany you at no additional cost.

You can get to Bahia de Caraquez by bus from Quito (eight hours) or Guayaquil (six hours). Coming from Guayaquil there is a five-hour ride offered by at least two bus companies (Reina del Camino and Coactur included) that stops in Jipijapa (a good point to get on/off to go to Puerto Lopez) and Portoviejo, the capital of the Manabi state.

Bahia can also be reached by boat - there is a cheap passenger ferry (it's $0.30 for a ten minute ride) from San Vicente, or you can ride the vehicle ferry for free.

To get to Bahía from Quito: The only company that travels Quito- Bahía is called Reina del Camino. There are two kinds of buses; the executive and regular. The executive service is more comfortable and safer than the regular services. It costs only $1-2 more and is well worth it. Security is very high on these buses and you will be frisked before getting on. You are not usually allowed to take day packs on the bus for security reasons. Remember to take a sweater with you on the bus as the air conditioning can get very cold.

From Quito It is 7-8 hours to Bahía. You can do it during the day or night, by regular or executive service. There are two executive services per day. The executives leave Quito at 12.50 pm and 11.45 pm, the regular services are at 10.30 am and 11.30 pm. In Quito Reina del Camino has 2 offices: 1. Terminal Terrestre (the main Quito bus station in the old town) 2. 18 de Septiembre and Av. Patria in the new town in the Mariscal area. (very close to the junction of Av. Patria and 10 de Agosto.) You can buy tickets for all services at 18 de Septiembre but the only service that actually leaves from there is the executive night bus at 11.pm (this is the 11.45pm service mentioned earlier, but it leaves from here at 11.pm then travels to the main bus station, picks up passengers and leaves from there at 11.45 pm). It is recommended that you get tickets at the 18 de Septiembre station as it is much safer and easier. Be careful with your belongings in the main bus station … don’t be distracted! If you come from Quito on the day bus make sure you get a seat on the right hand side for great views.

As a small beach-side town, there are few places in Bahia that cannot be reached in under 15 minutes on foot. The hospital is an exception, but may be reached by cab or the local bus.

As an "eco-friendly city," Bahia has numerous bicycle taxis that will ferry you from the bus station to the beaches or to the downtown area ($0.50). Normal taxis are also common and typically will charge $1 to get across town (this may have changed). There is one major bus route inside the town; it charges $0.18 no matter where you get off. It can be boarded near the bus station - ask when you arrive.

• Arena Bar Pizzeria - More than just pizza, on Avenue Bolivar near Hotel Italia. The pizza is good, and is popular for take out. There are many other things on the menu. The shrimp in fresh sauce is fantastic at US$ 4.79. The fish in asparagus sauce is also excellent at about the same price. One may dine inside, or sit on the sidewalk and watch the passing people. The owner, Elizabeth, is very friendly and takes great pride in the quality of the food.

• D`Camaron - Delightful al fresco restaurant. D`Camaron is located at the end of Avenue Bolivar, where it intersects the Malacon at the tip of the peninsula. As the name implies, there are many shrimp dishes on the menu, along with some fish and chicken as well. Most menu items are between $3 and $4.

• Four barbeques adjacent to the ferry landing: Restaurant Row. There are four, almost identical, barbeque restaurants next to the ferry landing. Each features charcoal broiled beef or chicken and fried fish or shrimp. Meals cost between US$ 4 and US$ 6.