[draguer]

Hi guys

Does anyone have experience of these two places and have a preference?

Taking into account quality of:

-Girls (locals and tourists)
-Surf
-Value (is one cheaper?)
-Action (is one busier than the other? I am particularly interested in July/August)
-Weather

Or are there other, better places in this region to relax, learn some Spanish and game?

[psychodad420]

(01-15-2014 04:12 AM)draguer Wrote:  

Does anyone have experience of these two places and have a preference?

Taking into account quality of:

-Girls (locals and tourists)
-Surf
-Value (is one cheaper?)
-Action (is one busier than the other? I am particularly interested in July/August)
-Weather

Or are there other, better places in this region to relax, learn some Spanish and game?

Mancora, Peru is a shithole, but cheap and fun. Surf is good if there is a swell, but weak if not. Saw some gnarly fights on the beach between locals over a pair of flip flops. Crazy. Good food and cheap living. Mars-like landscape. Lots of traveling tourists. If you need any info about surfing around South America, just let me know. I spent some time there and know good spots to surf in many countries.

[Road_Less_Taken]

And Montañita is in Ecuador I believe, if your talking of a surf town

[Hencredible Casanova]

(01-15-2014 01:08 PM)Road_Less_Taken Wrote:  

And Montañita is in Ecuador I believe, if your talking of a surf town

Yep. It's in Ecuador, not Colombia. I skipped out on Montañita and chose Mancora instead. If you do Mancora, don't get an apartment or hotel, just stay in Loki Hostel. This is the one place where a hostel is the better choice. It's nicely done and right on the beach. You won't have no problems logistically.

Aside from that place, there's nothing really special about Mancora. There's just one dusty road in town (Pan-American Highway that goes right along the coast).

My friends who went to Montañita really enjoyed it. Bohemian hipster vibe. Lots of weed. Good surf.

Both are pretty much backpacker towns though.

[draguer]

Thanks for your input guys.

[Yeti]

(01-15-2014 01:25 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

(01-15-2014 01:08 PM)Road_Less_Taken Wrote:  

And Montañita is in Ecuador I believe, if your talking of a surf town

Yep. It's in Ecuador, not Colombia. I skipped out on Montañita and chose Mancora instead. If you do Mancora, don't get an apartment or hotel, just stay in Loki Hostel. This is the one place where a hostel is the better choice. It's nicely done and right on the beach. You won't have no problems logistically.

Aside from that place, there's nothing really special about Mancora. There's just one dusty road in town (Pan-American Highway that goes right along the coast).

My friends who went to Montañita really enjoyed it. Bohemian hipster vibe. Lots of weed. Good surf.

Both are pretty much backpacker towns though.

I agree that Mancora is a shithole.

Go there for coked-up Germans. It's a selfish place but yeah, the surfing is good.

A friend of mine was from Mancora. Whilst we both lived in the same shitty mountain city in Japan, he told me stories of his hometown. He inspired me to the point where I spent a few days there on my way up to Colombia. Unfortunately the opulence with which he described Mancora did not live up to the reality. I'm all for grimy shitholes, but not when the people are of a low caliber.

My friend died a couple years after I visited. He was living in Bali and spent too long under the water, whilst diving without any gear. He should have come up for air sooner. I miss my friend.

For surfing, cheap prices, and friendly people, I hear good things about Lobitos, Peru - but don't tell anyone.

[scotian]

I'm currently on the Pacific Coast of Colombia in Bahia Solano doing some fishing, apparently there's some decent surfing to be done here, I'll keep my eye out. This is the second Pacific town I've visited in the past couple of weeks, I also went to a place called Ladilleros, I"m gonna post a data sheet on it soon.

[Sonsowey]

Scotian I'd love a Pacifico Colombiano datasheet

Cómo sigue tu español parce?

[psychodad420]

(01-15-2014 09:37 PM)Yeti Wrote:  

(01-15-2014 01:25 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

(01-15-2014 01:08 PM)Road_Less_Taken Wrote:  

And Montañita is in Ecuador I believe, if your talking of a surf town

Yep. It's in Ecuador, not Colombia. I skipped out on Montañita and chose Mancora instead. If you do Mancora, don't get an apartment or hotel, just stay in Loki Hostel. This is the one place where a hostel is the better choice. It's nicely done and right on the beach. You won't have no problems logistically.

Aside from that place, there's nothing really special about Mancora. There's just one dusty road in town (Pan-American Highway that goes right along the coast).

My friends who went to Montañita really enjoyed it. Bohemian hipster vibe. Lots of weed. Good surf.

Both are pretty much backpacker towns though.

I agree that Mancora is a shithole.

Go there for coked-up Germans. It's a selfish place but yeah, the surfing is good.

A friend of mine was from Mancora. Whilst we both lived in the same shitty mountain city in Japan, he told me stories of his hometown. He inspired me to the point where I spent a few days there on my way up to Colombia. Unfortunately the opulence with which he described Mancora did not live up to the reality. I'm all for grimy shitholes, but not when the people are of a low caliber.

My friend died a couple years after I visited. He was living in Bali and spent too long under the water, whilst diving without any gear. He should have come up for air sooner. I miss my friend.

For surfing, cheap prices, and friendly people, I hear good things about Lobitos, Peru - but don't tell anyone.

i stayed at this place which is a 1km? south of Mancora. http://www.casadeplayamancora.net/ it was very nice and only 15 bucks per night in early March in 2007.

also, i went to Punta Sal which is a little north of Mancora. Very quiet but a little nicer than Mancora and a lot less people.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(01-17-2014 09:35 PM)psychodad420 Wrote:  

i stayed at this place which is a 1km? south of Mancora. http://www.casadeplayamancora.net/ it was very nice and only 15 bucks per night in early March in 2007.

Damn. That spot looks straight. Loki was also very elegant. What was the atmosphere like at the place you stayed at? Any chicks?

[scotian]

(01-16-2014 10:00 AM)Sonsowey Wrote:  

Scotian I'd love a Pacifico Colombiano datasheet

Cómo sigue tu español parce?

Muy bien, I got back to Medellin today from 5 days in Bahia Solano, its a nice spot and there is surfing although the surfers at the hostel I stayed at said it wasn't as good as Peru, but still decent. There's very few gringo tourists there, its mostly undeveloped but the beach was great, weather was perfect and I had a very relaxing few days out there. I also hit up the Pacific city of Buenaventura and the small beach towns of Januchaco and Ladilleros, which are all farther south. I'm gonna work on the data sheet tomorrow.

[psychodad420]

(01-17-2014 09:58 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

(01-17-2014 09:35 PM)psychodad420 Wrote:  

i stayed at this place which is a 1km? south of Mancora. http://www.casadeplayamancora.net/ it was very nice and only 15 bucks per night in early March in 2007.

Damn. That spot looks straight. Loki was also very elegant. What was the atmosphere like at the place you stayed at? Any chicks?

mostly couples, but a little of the beaten path. there was an older Peruvan lady who ran the place. good looking, 40-ish. i think she was getting plowed by the danish guy who stayed next door.

[limeno]

Hello,

Here is a video from Mancora's night..

Mancora is in Piura city(very close), here is a video with his ladies..

BTW, Metallica spend one day in Lima(free time between bogota and quito concert) and Kirk Hammet did surf 3 days ago. Then they return to Lima for the Lima's concert.

[InternationPlayboy]

Moñtanita was awesome. Probably not the best place to pick up (quality) girls but a lot of fun. Great surf too if you are experienced. Regarding costs, moñtanita is pretty cheap.

I only drove through mancura so I can't speak much of it, but I can vouch that Loki hostel is most likely a great choice if you end up staying there. I stayed at the one in Lima and it was awesome. I don't even like hostels but I would return to this one. I have seen pictures of the one in mancura and it looks sick. Also hear great things. There's a pool in the middle of the court yard. All in all my impression driving through was, "this place looks like a shithole." Not that moñtanita has the best facilities, but the landscape is much nicer on the eyes. Before I drove through the way I heard moncura being spoken of, I expected something different. Not quite as.... Shitty.

[loveblondes]

I hear montañita is full of easier girls I want to pay a visit to this place, seems to be promising from what I've heard.

[InternationPlayboy]

Moñtanita is a really cool place. You should go in their summer. Girls are on the easier side since it's a hippy party town, but quality won't be great. I'd assume the same goes for mancura. I'm sure the girls are nothing to write home about.