What if for a week you change your perspective of the Ecuadorian beaches and observe and enjoy them this time from the ocean? That twist is part of the marine experience that the sustainable boat offers Kontiki Wayra, who visits important resorts and communities of our coastal profile to which it arrives from the sea, thus becoming on the first ship to offer a tour of this type along our continental coast.
“Since we were kids, we grew up with the perception that our coast is only the beachesbut there is much beyond the spas”, he stated Carlos Núñez, Founding CEO of Kontiki Expeditions for this journal.
But the coast it involves a whole range of experiences, of gastronomy, of contact with diverse communities and their traditions”, he added. “And what we’ve done is rescue that large number of experiences and put them on an itinerarywhere on board a yacht, the passenger gets to know, enjoy and get off at each destination”.
The adventure begins in Manta Yacht Club when the passengers board the yacht, whose pleasant interior environments were worked on by the designer Soledad Calderon with various comforts typical of a luxury boat: entertainment areas, experiences wellness, local guides and chefs accompanying guests on their tour.
“M/Y Kontiki Wayra is a boutique experience at sea, a new way to explore the coast of Ecuador and delve into the culture, tradition and local gastronomy without giving up the comforts of a luxury boat”, Núñez stated during the inauguration last April, which was also attended by the Tourism Minister Niels Olsen.
“Definitely It is a product for sea loversalthough the same our navigations do not extend for very long periods and remain close to the coast (no more than 2 or 3 miles from the coast), so it is a calm navigation, not in open or international waters, where greater turbulence could be experienced”, explained Núñez for greater security of those who have never ventured into a similar experience on the ocean.
The Kontiki Wayra cabins are designed in a sustainable way in a warm atmosphere illuminated by woody tones that provide passengers with a contemporary space to relax while enjoying the panoramic view. The boat, with capacity for 18 passengers, has nine rooms in total (each with different characteristics), distributed over three floors.
There are currently two routes available: Toquilla Expedition Y Spondylus Expedition.
Depending on the route you choose, you can visit Mompiche, Bahía de Caráquez, Puerto López, Machalilla National Park, passing through Isla de la Plata, Salango, Ayampe, Ayangue, Playas, Puerto Bolívar, with land excursions to places like Zaruma, Puyango or Naranjito. The disembarkation will be in the Guayaquil Yacht Club.
“There’s a lot people who still do not know these wonderful places within Ecuador and thanks to Kontiki Expeditions we are giving them greater visibility”, Nunez points out.
The tour also allows guests discover local communitiessuch as that of White water in Puerto Lopez, staying respectful of their culture while learning about their traditions.
“We are one perfect mix of nature with culture. For example in Silver Island we make a walk in all the island where we see from blue footed boobies, red footed boobies, Nazca boobies, frigatebirds and a wide variety of marine fauna and, in the afternoon, we already have activities of snorkeling where we see manta rays, sea turtles and a wide variety of fish. Now that it’s drawing near humpback whale season, It will definitely also be a ‘plus’”.
That appreciation for nature goes hand in hand with your commitment of eliminate single-use plastic and reduce your CO2 footprint.
For the more active tourists, in addition to sailing, they will have at their disposal a crew to organize kayak, paddle and snorkel trips directly from the yacht deck. But if you prefer to relax, there is also a spa with specialized therapists.
“We are quite happy to be pioneers in developing this type of activity along the Ecuadorian coast that has always been in front of us and Kontiki Expeditions had to get to the task of publicizing the wonders it has”, he expressed. “We are teaching the world something unique and promoting Ecuador from another perspective, another look”.
Reports: http://www.kontikiwayra.com/, https://kontikiexpeditions.com/en/
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
