Whale watching from Salinas

Salinas, at the tip of the Santa Elena peninsula, is one of the easiest places on Ecuador's coast to see humpbacks, and in a good season you do not even need a boat. From a platform at La Chocolatera, the point of the peninsula that juts furthest out, inside the Puntilla de Santa Elena reserve, people watch whales breach and slap their fins offshore. Entry to La Chocolatera is through an air force base, so carry ID.

On the water, a handful of authorised operators run boats from the port at Salinas and from La Libertad next door, from late June into October. The whales come up from Antarctic waters to mate and calve, and the boats are required to stay 100 metres off, or 200 metres from a mother and calf. Down the coast at Ayangue, trips from the beach last an hour to an hour and a half. Bring sunscreen and a hat, and check the operator is authorised before handing over money.