MANTA, ECUADOR

Departing from the ship we will make our first stop at the archaeological museum of Banco Central which highlights the local culture and ethnic origins of the area.

Departing from the ship we will make our first stop at the archaeological museum of Banco Central which highlights the local culture and ethnic origins of the area. We will then take a drive along the scenic seaside promenade and through the suburbs of Manta to charming Montecristi, home of the famous Panama hat. This beautiful little town is indeed the highlight of the tour, and still retains the atmosphere and faded elegance of its Spanish heritage. We will stop by a picturesque blue and white wooden building that once served as the first girls’ school in Ecuador. With its adobe walls and wonderful well-worn wooden floors, this rustic building now holds a cornucopia of artisan stalls selling straw baskets, jewellery, colourful handicrafts, and Panama hats. Montecristi’s central square and many narrow streets provide additional local shopping opportunities. Before returning to our ship, we will make a visit to the Tagua factory. Tagua phytephas equatorialis is the nut of a 15-18 foot tall palm tree found in the tropical rain forests on the coast and Amazon lowlands of Ecuador. Tagus nuts have a colour and consistency very similar to ivory and, because they can be dyed, were originally used as buttons. Button manufacturing is still the main source of income for the factory, but now this unusual natural material is fashioned by skilled craftsmen into a variety of small, reasonably priced sculptures that provide a distinct and unusual souvenir of our day. At the conclusion of this excursion we shall return by the same route to the Port of Manta. Please note there are approximately 40 steps into the museum and therefore this tour is not recommended for passengers with limited mobility.

DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2008 SOUTH AMERICA CRUISE