Montañita is considered the Ecuadorian city of surfing. The distance between Cuenca and Montañita is 228 km. Although, driving distance is 379.3 km. There are no direct flights or buses from Cuenca (Andes Mountains) to Montañita (Pacific Coast). To complete this trip you must travel from Cuenca to Guayaquil. From there, travel to Montañita.
The cheapest way to get from Cuenca to Montañita is by bus, which costs around $13 and lasts between 6 and 9 hours, depending on the bus departure time. To obtain an interprovincial bus you must go to the bus station known as the "Terminal Terrestre". Usually, buses leave every hour or so. The work schedule starts from 4:30 a.m. at 7 p.m. Tickets cost between 6 and 8 dollars. This trip takes around 3.5 to 4 hours.
Once in Guayaquil, you will definitely notice that Guayaquil has a large bus terminal with many commercial stores and some food courts. From here, you must buy tickets ($8 to $10) for a bus that goes to Montañita. The trip takes approximately 2.5 hours. Optionally, you can travel to Santa Elena and get another bus from there. But, it is not worth the time to choose that alternative route.
Keep in mind that some buses do not have a restroom or it is used only to urinate. Although buses make some stops along the way for people to go to public restrooms, it is advisable to use those located at bus stations. Remember to carry some toilet paper with you.
About flights, there are flights from Guayaquil to Manta. From Manta you can catch a bus or a taxi to Montañita. It may seem that it saves you some time, but not really.
Happy traveling!
