La bellaca, Ecuador
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About La bellaca
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (288°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (108°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 2.0 km out (1 in 200). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 25°C in July, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 27°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually February and March, with about 5 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Bahía de Caráquez, 1.4 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 25°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 15 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to MEC, changing at PTY.
See flights ORD → MEC · Skyscanner from about £320 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 10 from the airport to La bellaca.
Accommodation.
Stay in Bahía de CaráquezAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Bahía de Caráquez (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Bahía de Caráquez 3 min by car · rooms from £45 a night · 19 places to stay · where La bellaca stays
Places to stay in Bahía de Caráquez · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Bahía de Caráquez · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Bahía de Caráquez · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
La bellaca on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 41, fair | 3 ft11 ssoft | 166kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 31°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 32, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 132kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 2 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 34, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 133kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 1 knot, offshore | 28°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 25, too small | 2 ft10 ssoft | 72kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 4 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 33, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 133kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 30°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 30, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 110kJ | offshorewind from the east, 5 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 19, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 58kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 5 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 15, too small | 2 ft8 smushy | 32kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 15, too small | 1 ft10 ssoft | 25kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 4 knots | 27°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 16, too small | 1 ft14 ssoft | 43kJ | wind from the west, 3 knots | 29°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to MEC, changing at PTY, then 1h 10 by road. About 15h 10 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to MEC, changing at PTY, then 1h 10 by road. About 15h 10 door to door
Rough cost
About £690–£1,300 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to MEC, estimated from distance and season, changing at PTY, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £320–£660 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £50–£85 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £120–£200 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £115–£210 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £50–£80 |
| Total | £690–£1,300 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Bahía de Caráquez
- La Playa de BahiaBar and grill · 0.9 km from the centre
- KFCChicken · 1.2 km from the centre
- Cevicheria Punto BSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- Robin BigBoyBurger · 0.2 km from the centre
- D'Camaron0.4 km from the centre
- Muelle UnoSeafood · 0.4 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.