Salinas in Ecuador is a great place to escape those long, cold North American winters (I took the photo above on Nov. 23). The sunny season goes from mid-December through April, and you’ll find the warmest waters between January and March–so now is the perfect time to go for a swim.

The beach here is wide, sandy and clean, bordered by the blue, calm Pacific waters. To the left, the sun is gleaming off a few dozen motor yachts and sailboats parked in the marina. To the right, the curving shoreline stretches for miles into the distance, with scores of modern, tall buildings mixed with old-fashioned apartments and seaside restaurants.

While the entire miles-long beachfront is bustling during peak periods, it tends to quiet down as you go west along the water. My favorite area here is called Chipipe (chee PEE peh), located at the western end of the public beaches where they adjoin the property owned by the naval base. Since this is the “end of the line,” the area gets less cruisers, no through traffic, and a somewhat quieter crowd. Yet the beaches are generally wider and nicer than anywhere along this stretch.

Chipipe is home to some fine, old mansions on the beach, as well as a shady, manicured park with a lovely old Spanish-style church at one end. (See a photo here, also taken Nov. 23.)

I expected the properties to be overly expensive in Chipipe, since it had somewhat of an exclusive feel…but that wasn’t the case. An attractive four-bedroom, 2,350-square-foot house only three blocks from the beach was just $100,000…and a three-bedroom, 1,570-square-foot apartment directly on the malecón (boardwalk) was a negotiable $120,000.

I’ve written a full report on my trip to Ecuador which subscribers to the IL Magazine will get soon. If you’re not yet a subscriber, become one with this link.

Editor’s Note: A great climate, sunny beaches, cheap beach houses, and a low cost of living…it’s no wonder Ecuador is so popular with IL readers, In fact, Ecuador: The Owner’s Manual is one of our top sellers during our massive clearance sale. You get 20% off and free shipping…but only as long as stocks last. We’ve already sold 105 copies of this Manual…so get yours now while you still can with this special discount link.

To read more IL articles abouts Salinas, Ecuador, see:

Salinas, Ecuador: The World’s Least Expensive Beach Resort