Punta La Barca

Fantastic stay there! The ocean is right next door, and the view from the cabins is magnificent. The place is really peaceful, and the atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming.

Punta la Barca is like a home away from home, a community you didn’t know you needed. In the two months that I stayed there, Inge, Juan, their children, Micho, Ana, Nexar and the entire family became like my own. This place will hold a special place in my heart forever. Thank you for everything ❤️

It was the best lodging experience we had in 7 months traveling through South America! Punta la Barca is not just a beautiful place with a lovely beach, but a home of genuine connections, mutual support, and rich exchanges. I was able to work online while my son played with the other children, we ate meals together, and there was even a Montessori school next door that my son loved. A family-friendly and community-oriented environment that we will miss dearly!

Exceptionally relaxing, we love the hosts, rooms, eating together, whales, world class kite surfing! Great access to the jungle!

Spectacular.

This is a wonderful place. Friendly people, simple living, surrounded by nature, a quiet beach. It is not very touristy and feels authentic. It is a great place to work from because it has co-working spaces and fast wifi. I would visit again and recommend to anyone who is looking to get away and spend time in a peaceful place. I’m really grateful I got to stay here. Its nice to see that places like Punta La Barca exist in the world.

An amazing place to stay in Santa Marianita! Stunning view, beautiful beach, great vibe, great kitchen, clean and warm shower... Amazing place to work. Totally recommend for people who want a break in a small remote village

Beautiful

It is a very nice hostel, nice and helpfully stuff. I felt very welcome! a quite beach and peacful place without many tourrists. Unfortunutly the room where we slept wasnt very clean tho.. some animals feces felt at our bed at night,two times.. there wasnt a mosquito protection :/

Amazing view Santa Marianita blanket

paul van de voorde

Nov 29, 2019

★★★★★

Belgium

Rosa Roca

Sep 30, 2019

★★★★☆

A simply beautiful day.

Beautiful elevated view from where you can easily spot whales, excellent service, and a great family atmosphere! All built with bamboo! Great place...

Great views, nice host, Inge and Her family are very kind people. The place have an incredible outdoor room with a great views. ||It is close to town but enjoys of privacy. ||I truly recommend this unique hostel.

Andreas Braun

Aug 24, 2019

★★★★★

I stayed for two weeks and liked it a lot. The shower is very warm. The view is amazing, you really can see the Wales there. I was even lucky enough to see some dolphins. Even though it was in August (cloudy season) I had around 4 to 5 sunny days per week. I can recommend it and would come again.

María José

Aug 4, 2019

★★★★★

The comfort and service were very nice.

This place is awesome. It is right on the beach, while I was here I saw whales almost everyday, the internet is great, and Inge and Juan are awesome. I really can’t recommend this place enough. It is the perfect place to relax. The town is a bit small but it has the basics. Also you can take kite surfing lessons and you aren’t too far from two national parks. I had an amazing time.

Stunning sea view and well-maintained hostel, excellent internet and nice owners.

Michelle Dávila

May 15, 2019

★★☆☆☆

I found it very expensive for what it actually was. Although the people who greeted me were very friendly, they didn't explain that there were mice and that if I had food, they would get into the room. On the last day, there was no water to shower. I don't think the price was justified by the services offered.

Stayed here for two nights during my visit to Ecuador. When we arrived we were kindly welcomed. The place is full of good places to hang out with hammocks and a view. The special purpose made cabaña is great for working if you are a digital nomad or just wanna catch up with friends or family. Thank you for a nice stay :) I highly recommend it.

fulvio biancifiori

Apr 20, 2019

★★★☆☆

Small hostel on the Ecuadorian coast. Ocean view. Very quiet. Affordable.

It's a wonderful place overlooking the beaches of the Ecuadorian Pacific. Zero noise, far from the city and its chaos. Complete tranquility at the top of the mountain.

Maria Alejandra Monzon

Apr 5, 2019

★★★★★

An excellent place to relax and get away from it all. Beautiful facilities, only access is a bit difficult without a vehicle.

Excellent place to relax. Spectacular location. Very good prices for lodging. The staff is very attentive.

What an amazing week with Inga, Juan and there two little boys. This is more like staying with a big family of guests and friends all eating together and playing volleyball most nights.||If you are after a cheap and cheerful hostel with some private rooms and dorms + good WiFi and kitchen facilities - this place is a must.||If you normally stay in fancy hotels and guesthouses and have higher expectations than we do - do not choose Punta La Barca.||Look at the pictures and the Facebook group for it and see if it is your kind of travel experience.

A beautiful place

Beautiful place with ocean views, good facilities and services, very friendly atmosphere

Lovely. Cozy. Simple but tasteful. They need to improve the cleanliness of the rooms and the breakfast.

Punta la Barca is beautifully situated at the southern end of Santa Mariañita. It is located on a hill, so you have a great view over the sea and the village. The rooms are very clean, equipped with mosquito nets and comfortable. On the first floor they have a well-equipped communal kitchen and plenty of room to rest or work. The owners Inge and Juan are very open, friendly, helpful and always available for questions. I really enjoyed the time theret - whether relaxing on the private beach or chatting with them. Thank you, you created an awesome place!

We stayed 9 days at Hostal Punta la Barca because we absolutely loved it! Besides having fantastic lounge areas and a great kitchen, it has excellent internet connection and the location is perfect for whale watching! Plus, the vibe from everyone who lives and works here is amazing! Thanks for everything, Punta la Barca!

Yeimy Andrea Ocampo Gil

Aug 20, 2018

★★★★☆

Very nice place, beautiful architecture, with a sea view. Access to the beach is a bit far, steep, and dusty. The owners are very friendly, and the rooms are comfortable and spacious.

Fantastic place to relax, get some work done and just enjoy the simple things. Great setup for digital nomad types with 2 very nice work areas and good internet. Awesome beach for kitesurfing too.

Anyone who loves evenings spent around a campfire, pleasant conversations, or relaxing in a hammock or on a lounger on a lovely balcony while watching whales migrate by will feel right at home here. When I had to leave after 16 days because my time was up, tears streamed down my face. Punta la Barca is home to such lovely, wonderful people, and the hostel is also a place where you'll find a wonderful group of people. This place is truly special, filled with love and life. Thank you so much for the wonderful time, Ana, Inger, Javier, Logan, and Jago 😍 and to all my amazing fellow residents!

María Cedeño

Jun 7, 2018

★★★★★

Good service, quiet and comfortable hostel

Dagma Betancor

May 27, 2018

★★★★★

Very peaceful cabin with a beautiful view, an excellent place to relax. There are several room options (private, shared) with or without a bathroom, offering a wide range of prices. Breakfast is served :)

Orlando Cevallos

Apr 6, 2018

★★★★☆

Peaceful, the view and the breeze

Alfonso Jose Cuasquer

Mar 11, 2018

★★★☆☆

For the beauty and tranquility of the place

Luis Jimenez

Feb 13, 2018

★★★★★

Spectacular sunset

It's a very nice, quiet place with comfortable beds, but in some rooms the shower is outside, and there are no mosquito nets.

Ran by a very nice couple and two adorable kids. Everything you need and more to unwind and relax. Surf, SUP, kite, nature, beachtennis,...

A wonderful hostal where the owners made us feel like family. Simple yet tasteful decor with beautiful views of the beach and town. Good kitchen facilities and relaxation spaces. Perfect for enjoying kite surfing in Santa Marianita or a relaxing escape.

Nice place with a nice vibe run by cool owners. It's a hostel but camping is also possible. WiFi is available and kitchen to make own food. Great views over the ocean.

Paolo Cattaneo

Oct 15, 2017

★★★★★

Nice, clean, modern and very welcoming host. Nice and quiet place to enjoy the beach or the view

Very nice place, super close to the beach. Very relaxing with an incredible ocean view. Breakfast is included and very good. There's a kitchen for cooking. The owner is very friendly and attentive. Very good price.

I stayed at the hostel Punta la Barca for a while (2 months). It is such a great place to relax and to find to yourself. There are barely any tourists which make the 8km long beach even longer and bigger :). As promised: it was windy almost every day. I was kitesurfing a lot. ||The owners of the hostel Juan, a local, and his Belgium girlfriend are so relaxed and love to hang out with all the travelers. Bonfire, beach tennis... there was always something to do. Santa Marianita is no party place. If you liked chilled vibes without the drugs people offer in montanita you will find a place you love!

The owners are very friendly; we played beach tennis with them and they even offered us a barbecue! The hostel is well-maintained, with hammocks, games, a perfect ocean view for whale watching, and a kitchen (but they don't sell vegetables in the afternoon, only in the morning!). I highly recommend this place! Many thanks to Juan and Ange for making our last day on the coast so enjoyable!

Julian Bonpland

Apr 10, 2017

★★★★★

Amazing place on the hill to volunteer and enjoy the view of the sunset and santa marianita!

I had a really nice time staying at this Hostel. Juan and Ingrid are really inviting and very welcoming. I felt totally at home in a new environment.||||The location is awesome if you like to be a little bit (20 mins walk on the beach) away from the main drag. Besides, the views from here are fantastic.||||I would totally recommend this to anyone who likes to be a bit off the beaten track.

Rooms in this little hostal are rustic, but cozy. The hostal sits atop of a hill just above the beach, and from the balcony on the first floor, you have a perfect view. Pelicans are passing by - it's a perfect place to relax. It's a 30 min walk to the touristic part of Santa Marianita ("Playa Bonita") with all the kitesurfing activities and small eateries along the beach.Alternatively, walk along the main road through town, it's also half an hour. For USD 5.-, you can get a fresh meal (fish) at the cabana. Breakfast is included. Pick-up from Manta Airport is provided upon request at a low fare. They also sell cold drinks. The only downside is, it can be very noisy when all the rooms are rent.

Great atmosphere, tranquility, and a spectacular view.

We were pleasantly surprised by this hostel in this small fishing village. The hostel charmed us with its lovely bamboo construction and palm-leaf roof. It's perched on a small hill, just 100 meters from the Pacific Ocean. For us, it was the perfect spot, as we were able to watch wonderful sunsets, pelicans and frigatebirds fishing, and humpback whales mating. The hosts are very friendly and readily recommend walks in the area or offer kitesurfing lessons, as the spot is renowned for it. In short, instead of staying two days, we stayed five to relax and enjoy this magnificent place.

We sayed one week in this familar hostal. Everyday we enjoyed the amazing view on the ocean with jumping whales! At the hostal they offer lunch and dinner for 5.00 $ each, which is really worth it as you always have fresh fish. The family tells you also about their lifestyle. Santa Marianita is excellent if you want an non touristic experience in Ecuador!

We planned to stay there for a few days but eventually stayed two weeks :-) Very welcoming hosts : a couple of belgian and ecuadorian who can recommend you the best things to do around. He was born here! It's a great place to relax on a hammock with a great view on the sea and getting to sleep with the sound of the waves. access to a very quiet beach in 2 minutes and walk to the beach restaurants in 15 minutes.||Best wifi we ever had in all south america||Great diner for cheap price, laundry service, great spot for kite surf