What Bahia Ecuador is and is Not

Bahia Ecuador is a charming little town on the west coast of Ecuador. Some say the population is 19,300 some say it is 30,000. The truth is most of the people who own apartments here do not live here. All of the large apartment buildings in Bahia Ecuador are vacant and used for vacation by those from Quito.

Bahia is not a huge tourist area. By tourist, it is meant foreigners. Bahia is actually an undiscovered peninsula which is separated from San Vicente by a one mile bay. A water taxi will take you across for thirty cents. This sleepy little town boasts many of Ecuador's delightful traditions and is quiet a place to live.

Bahia Ecuador is forty miles south of the Equator which is misunderstood my many people. Here, the Equator does not mean blistering hot days and nights or humidity that no one can bare. Instead, in this particular spot, Bahia is a relatively mild place and the humidity...what humidity?

Bahia is not one of those places where one needs to worry about crime. It is true that you need to be vigilant, just as you would be any place on earth. The facts are, as long as you aren't wearing a lot of gold around your neck nor have hundred dollar bills hanging out of your pockets, you should be fine. Oh yes, do not have a sign on your forehead which says, "Hello, I am stupid".

Bahia Ecuador is about thirty miles from a mall, a movie and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Bahia is not the "wild party town" you might find in Brazil or some of those other South American cities, but during the holidays this town does have its share.

Bahia is a very cheap place to live. If you have $900 per month you and another can live like a King and Queen. We actually know many English speakers who live on a lot less.

Bahia is not a Mecca for technology, it is however a Mecca for friendly people. You cannot walk the streets without hearing the words hola (hello) or Buenos from several locals.

There is much to do in Bahia. But, unlike those big cities in other countries, you will have to go searching for those activities. This place does not have big flashing signs on every corner advertising everything under the sun. The fun that you will find here may be a little different from what you are accustomed to. In Bahia Ecuador, watching children stand against the malecon wall and waiting for the waves of the Pacific Ocean to come crashing across. When that does happen the children scream, they laugh and they run away, but they always return and snuggle themselves against the wall one more time. That, my friend, is a huge thrill for them.

There is not a lot of traffic in Bahia. While it is funny to watch bicycles, motor cycles, taxis and buses negotiate one another in the so called, downtown area, there is some since of order to it all. Regardless, you will find very few accidents in Bahia.

Bahia is my home now and I am proud to share this little snapshot with you. See more at http://www.lifeinbahiaecuador.com