If you are looking for information on Montañita and Olón, Ecuador with kids, these two beach towns are only a few minutes apart but have completely different feels. Montañita is larger, busier, and known for surfing and nightlife, while Olón is smaller, quieter, and much more focused around the beach.
We spent time in both with our kids and found things we liked about each. After weeks traveling through the Andes, we were not looking for a packed itinerary. We wanted warm water, beach days, and somewhere our kids could swim, play in the sand, and slow down for a while.
Is Montañita and Olón, Ecuador Safe With Kids?
One of the biggest things we heard while traveling through Ecuador was not to go to the coast.
We heard it from people in the Andes, in Quito, in Cuenca, and in other parts of the country. When we asked why, the answer was almost always the same: the coast is unsafe.
But when we started asking when they had last actually visited the coast, many had not been there in years.
There are absolutely parts of coastal Ecuador where families should be more cautious. Guayaquil is a major city and port, and Manta is another large port city. Ecuador has also dealt with organized crime and cartel-related violence, particularly in some coastal areas. We do not think that is something travelers should ignore.
But we also do not think it is accurate to take problems happening in certain cities and apply them to the entire Ecuador coast.
We spent two weeks traveling along the coast with our kids, including taking a public bus directly from the main bus terminal in Guayaquil to Montañita, and we never felt unsafe during our time there.
At the Guayaquil bus terminal, we used the same precautions we would use in any major transportation hub. We kept our belongings close, watched our kids, avoided having anything flashy out, and stayed aware of what was happening around us. We had no problems taking the bus from Guayaquil to the coast.
Is Montañita Safe With Kids?
Montañita has a reputation as a backpacker and party town, and there is definitely a nightlife scene here.
But that was not really the Montañita we experienced with kids.
During the day, Montañita was filled with tourists, local Ecuadorians, families, restaurants, shops, and people heading to the beach. We walked around town with our kids, walked alone with them, went out to eat, spent time at the beach, and never felt uncomfortable.
At night, you could hear the clubs and nightlife getting started. We simply were not part of that scene. By the time Montañita really started partying, our kids were usually asleep.
For families, that distinction matters.
Experiencing Montañita during the day with young kids is very different from being out around the bars and clubs in the middle of the night.
Is Olón Safe With Kids?
Olón felt even quieter and more family-oriented than Montañita.
This is where we saw more Ecuadorian families, including large multigenerational families coming to spend time together at the beach. It had much less of the backpacker and party atmosphere that Montañita is known for.
There can also be a noticeable security presence in Olón because the president of Ecuador has a residence along this part of the coast. When the president was there during our stay, we saw federal police around town and boats patrolling the water. Once he left for a major holiday weekend, that additional security presence disappeared.
Overall, we felt completely comfortable in both Montañita and Olón with our kids.
That does not mean nothing can happen here, and our experience does not guarantee someone else’s. Conditions in Ecuador can also change, so we always recommend checking current travel advisories before your trip.
But we would not personally avoid the entire Ecuador coast simply because someone tells you, “the coast is unsafe.”
These are also beach towns where Ecuadorian families come to vacation, spend weekends together, eat along the beach, and enjoy the same coastline travelers are coming to see.
For our family, Montañita was busier and more convenient, with more restaurants, shops, and easier access to groceries. Olón was quieter, slower, and had more of a local family atmosphere.
Neither felt like the dangerous Ecuador coast we had been warned about before arriving.
How to Get to Montañita and Olón, Ecuador With Kids
Most families traveling to Montañita or Olón will likely come through Guayaquil, which is one of the easiest places to connect to Ecuador’s coast by bus.
We actually came from the opposite direction after spending time in Vilcabamba and Cuenca. Our route took us from Vilcabamba to Loja, Loja to Cuenca, Cuenca to Guayaquil, and finally Guayaquil to Montañita. It sounds like a lot of buses, but after traveling around Ecuador for three months almost entirely by bus, we found the system surprisingly easy to use.
The main bus terminal in Guayaquil is massive. It is multi-level and feels more like an airport terminal than a bus station. This was easily the biggest bus terminal we encountered anywhere in Ecuador, with buses constantly arriving and departing for destinations all over the country.
From Guayaquil, there are frequent buses heading toward Montañita and Olón. Both beach towns are along the same route, with Montañita coming just before Olón.
We paid $7 per adult and $3.50 per child for the bus from Guayaquil to Montañita, and we paid the same fares when we traveled back to Guayaquil.
You can also arrange a taxi or private transfer from Guayaquil if you want a more direct option, but we found the bus to be comfortable, efficient, and incredibly affordable. Ecuador’s bus system became our primary way of getting around the country because it could get our family almost anywhere we wanted to go without spending much money.
The buses themselves were generally comfortable, especially for longer trips. Our biggest tip when taking buses in Ecuador with kids is to bring your own entertainment. Movies are sometimes played during the ride, but they are not always what we would consider kid-appropriate.
For our family, traveling by bus was one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to reach the Ecuador coast and move between destinations.
Things to Do in Montañita, Ecuador With Kids
Montañita is not a destination packed with traditional family attractions, but that was part of what we enjoyed about it.
Most of our time revolved around the beach, surfing, getting out on the water, finding somewhere for coffee, and slowing down for a few days.
Take a Surfing Lesson With Kids
If there is one thing Montañita is known for, it is surfing.
Montañita is one of the most recognized surfing destinations in Ecuador, so we knew we wanted our kids to have a chance to try it while we were here.
We booked a one-hour morning surfing lesson with Balsa Surf Camp, which ended up being one of our favorite things we did in Montañita with kids.
The morning was a great time to go because it was cooler and we could get out before the equatorial sun became too intense.
Spend the Day at Montañita Beach
You also do not need to plan anything elaborate here.
Some of our best days were simply spent at Montañita Beach swimming, playing in the waves, looking for shells, and letting the kids play along the shoreline.
The water was surprisingly warm during our visit, and at low tide the waves were manageable enough that our kids could spend plenty of time playing in the surf.
We generally went to the beach in the morning or later in the afternoon and evening rather than spending the middle of the day in the sun. Being this close to the equator, the sun can be incredibly intense.
There are several shops around Montañita selling long-sleeve SPF swimwear and sun shirts, which can be helpful with kids when you do not want to constantly reapply sunscreen.
Take a Boat Trip to Islote El Pelado
One of the best things we did during our entire time on the Ecuador coast was take a boat trip to Islote El Pelado near Ayangue.
Our host helped arrange the trip, including a taxi from Montañita to the boat dock in Ayangue. From there, we boarded a small boat and headed out toward the rocky island.
The amount of wildlife we saw was incredible.
There were thousands of blue-footed boobies and other seabirds around the island, but the highlight was getting into the water.
We spent around 30 minutes snorkeling near the island, where we could swim with sea turtles, fish, and enormous sea lions. Some of the sea lions were stretched across the rocks fighting over the best places to lie in the sun, while others slipped into the water and effortlessly swam underneath us.
The company had life jackets for the kids and adults, and snorkels and goggles were available to rent.
If you are traveling through Montañita with kids, this is one day trip we would absolutely recommend.
Grab a Fresh Coconut
One of the simplest things our kids loved in Montañita was stopping for fresh coconuts.
We found a street vendor selling refrigerated coconuts that he would chop open right in front of us and hand over with a straw.
Once we finished drinking the coconut water, he would split the coconut open again so we could scoop out and eat the fresh coconut flesh inside.
It became an easy way to cool down after walking around town or coming back from the beach.
Get Coffee at The Wave Surf Restaurant & Cafe
Montañita also has plenty of restaurants and small cafes scattered around town.
We stopped at The Wave Surf Restaurant & Cafe for coffee. It was an easy place to take a break from the heat before heading back toward the beach or continuing around town.
That was really the rhythm of Montañita for us.
We were not trying to fill every day with activities. We surfed, spent time at the beach, took an incredible day trip to see wildlife, drank fresh coconuts, found good coffee, and slowed down.
For a few days on the Ecuador coast with kids, that was more than enough.
Things to Do in Olón, Ecuador With Kids
Olón is much quieter than Montañita, and there are not nearly as many things to do here with kids.
That was exactly what we wanted.
We spent four days in Olón staying at a small bed and breakfast directly on the beach. There was no kitchen inside our room, but before booking, we asked if we could use the property’s full-sized kitchen to prepare meals for our family. They agreed, which made staying somewhere more hotel-like much easier for us with kids.
The property also had a large open-air lobby with hammocks, books, and games. We spent a surprising amount of time here reading, relaxing, and letting the kids play when we were not at the beach.
Spend the Day at Olón Beach
The main thing to do in Olón with kids is simple: go to the beach.
And we did a lot of it.
We swam in the ocean, built sandcastles, collected seashells, played along the shoreline, and spent hours doing absolutely nothing that needed to be scheduled.
During the week, Olón Beach was incredibly quiet. There were times when it felt like we had almost the entire beach to ourselves.
That changes dramatically during holidays and weekends. We were here over a holiday weekend, and Olón went from being a quiet little beach town to absolutely packed with Ecuadorian families coming to spend their holiday at the coast.
Just like Montañita, we usually went to the beach in the morning or later in the afternoon and evening. The midday equatorial sun can be intense, so we preferred spending those hours somewhere shaded before heading back outside.
Take a Ballet Class at the Olón Cultural Center
One of the more unexpected things our girls did in Olón was take ballet lessons.
We connected with Punto Verde Centro Ambiental y Cultural and found ballet classes for each of their age groups. Both girls were able to join a one-hour class with other kids, including other foreign children staying in the area.
After traveling for a while, finding something as normal as a kids’ ballet class can actually be really fun.
They got to spend an hour dancing and interacting with other kids, and they had a blast.
Walk Around Olón
Olón itself is small and easy to explore on foot.
We spent time simply walking around town, going to the beach, and settling into the slower pace here. There are restaurants and small shops, but nowhere near the number of options you will find a few minutes down the road in Montañita.
If your family needs activities and attractions every day, Olón may feel a little too quiet.
For us, four days was perfect.
Between Montañita and Olón, we had already decided that this part of our trip was going to be about the beach. We swam, built sandcastles, collected shells, read books, and let the kids play.
After traveling through the Andes for weeks, that was really all we needed.
Montañita vs Olón: Which Is Better With Kids?
Choosing between Montañita and Olón really depends on what you want from your time on the Ecuador coast.
Choose Montañita if you want more restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, shops, and things to do with kids.
Montañita is the larger of the two towns and simply has more amenities. There are restaurants serving different types of food, small tiendas and markets, a grocery store, coffee shops, and even a playground in the central square.
When you are traveling with kids, having easy access to food and groceries makes a bigger difference than you might expect.
Montañita also gives you easier access to activities like surfing lessons and boat trips. The tradeoff is that there is a nightlife scene. Depending on where you stay, you may hear music from the clubs at night.
Choose Olón if you want somewhere much quieter.
Olón does not have nearly as many restaurants, shops, or amenities as Montañita, but that can also be part of its appeal.
During the week, the beach can be incredibly quiet, and the entire town has a much slower feel. If your plan is to wake up, walk to the beach, swim, eat, relax, and head back to the water later in the day, Olón works really well.
If we returned to this part of Ecuador with our kids, we would personally choose Montañita. Having more restaurants, groceries, cafes, and different food options made everyday life easier for our family.
Where to Stay in Montañita and Olón With Kids
If you stay in Montañita with kids, where you stay can make a difference.
The northern part of town is quieter and farther away from the nightlife, but you will have a longer walk to the main supermarket and central part of Montañita. There are still small tiendas scattered around where you can pick up basic groceries and snacks.
We stayed closer to the center of town, which made getting to restaurants, groceries, and the beach incredibly easy. The downside was that we could hear music from the nightlife at night.
It was noticeable, but it was not a chaotic party scene that kept us from enjoying our stay. We used sound machines in our room and the kids’ room, which helped drown out some of the music.
In Olón, location matters much less because the town is so small.
We would prioritize staying close to Olón Beach. Being able to walk out of your accommodation, spend an hour or two swimming, come back for lunch and a break from the midday sun, and then walk back to the beach later in the afternoon made our days incredibly easy.
Final Thoughts on Montañita and Olón With Kids
Before we went to the Ecuador coast, we had heard plenty of reasons why we should skip it. Instead, Montañita and Olón ended up giving our family exactly what we wanted at that point in our trip.
These are not destinations where you need to plan every hour of your day. We took surfing lessons, snorkeled with sea lions, watched blue-footed boobies, joined a local ballet class, drank fresh coconuts, and found some good coffee. But we also spent a lot of time doing absolutely nothing besides swimming in the ocean, collecting seashells, building sandcastles, and reading.
Montañita gave us more convenience and things to do, while Olón gave us a much quieter beach experience. If we came back, we would probably base ourselves in Montañita and visit Olón when we wanted a quieter beach day.
For families traveling through Ecuador with kids, especially if you have spent weeks exploring the mountains and cities of the Andes, a few days along the coast can be a really nice change of pace.
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