Manta

Manta, also known as San Pablo de Manta, is an Ecuadorian city; cantonal head of the Manta Canton, as well as the largest and most populated city in the Manabí Province. It is the tenth most populous in the country. Manta has existed since Pre-Columbian times. It was a trading post for the Manta, also known as Manteños.

Located on the Pacific coast, Manta has the largest seaport in Ecuador. The port was used by Charles Marie de La Condamine upon his arrival in Ecuador in 1735 when leading the French mission to measure the location of the equator. From Manta, Condamine started his trip inland towards Quito.

Manta has an international airport, Eloy Alfaro International Airport, with passenger airline service, and an important military base (known as Manta Air Base or Eloy Alfaro Air Base). Between 1999-2009 Manta Air Base was used by U.S. air forces to support anti-narcotics military operations and surveillance flights against Colombian drug trafficking cartels. The lease was not renewed by the Ecuadorean government.

Manta is recognized for its international film festival, featuring groups from different places in the world. The Ecuadorian actor Carlos Valencia was invited to Cannes Film Festival for his performance in Ratas Ratones y Rateros (1999), directed by Sebastián Cordero. The latter was born in the capital city of Quito.

Sport

Sporting events take place in November, and from January through April. Football is the main sport of the city, as it is in the nation. The city has two professional teams: Delfín S.C. and Manta F.C., who used to be Manta S.C. Other teams have included Green Cross F.C., America, Juventud Italiana, and River Plate. However, most residents are fans of Barcelona Sporting Club and Club Sport Emelec, the teams with the largest fan base in Manabí.

Given the city's location along the Pacific Ocean, water sports are also very significant here. These include surfing (Manta was the host for the 2004 Bodyboarding World Cup), scuba diving, water skiing, and kitesurfing. Nearby Salinas was the site of the ISA World Junior Surfing Games Ecuador in 2009. Surfing in Ecuador is very popular because of the year-round steady climate.

Manta has some of South America's most breathtaking beaches. The city was selected as the site of the sixth South American Windsurfing Championship. It is renowned for its diving and sport fishing, with Black and Blue Marlin reaching even the 1,000-pound mark.

Tennis is also widely played in Manta. A number of ATP Challenger Series have been played in the city.

Tourism

Kitesurfing has recently become very popular in Santa Marianita (Playa Bonita) because of the excellent wind conditions and long beaches. Manta receives numerous visits from foreign as well as local tourists. The most visited beaches include "El Murciélago", "Santa Marianita", "San Lorenzo" and "Barbasquillo". Surfers often travel to San Lorenzo to find powerful waves, which are regularly head high.

Nearby is the small town of Montecristi, founded in the early 17th century. It has colonial architecture but is best known for its wickerwork weaving. It is also the original birthplace of Panama hats; despite their name, they were historically produced in Ecuador.