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Community · Puerto López, Manabí
Comuna Agua Blanca
Community inside Parque Nacional Machalilla, with a museum of items from the Manteña culture, ruins of an ancient town and a sulfurous lagoon.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Comuna Agua Blanca
Agua Blanca is a community that lives inside Parque Nacional Machalilla, about 5 km northeast of Puerto López, in the middle of the dry forest. Residents care for the place and guide visitors along the trails.
In the village there is a small museum with items from the Manteña culture, which occupied this coast before the arrival of the Spanish: ceramics, stone objects and remains of funerary urns. Near the village, a trail passes by ruins of the old Manteña town.
The trail goes through the dry forest, with palo santo trees and hummingbirds, to a sulfurous lagoon, greenish in color and with a smell of sulfur, where visitors often bathe and apply the mud to their bodies.
Visits are conducted with a community guide.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 2 to 3 hours.
Best time
In the morning, when the trail is cooler. Confirm guided tour times in advance.
How to get there
It's about 5 km northeast of Puerto López, leaving the coastal road onto a dirt road. Go by taxi, motorcycle taxi or on an organized tour.
Tip
Bring swimwear and a towel for the lagoon, and closed shoes for the trail. Buy handicrafts made by the locals in the village.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Comuna Agua Blanca
What is the Manteña culture?
A people who lived on the coast of Manabí before the arrival of the Spanish. The museum at Agua Blanca houses artifacts from that culture.
Can you bathe in the Agua Blanca lagoon?
Yes, the sulfurous lagoon usually receives bathers. Bring swimwear.
Is a guide required?
Yes, the visit is conducted with a community guide.