Machalilla Tours
Machalilla Tours
4
Parasailing & Paragliding • Scuba & Snorkelling • Eco Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Kayaking & Canoeing
Read more
8:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Full view
About
Similar Experiences
Travelers talk about
(9 reviews)
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
81 reviews
Excellent
41
Very good
13
Average
9
Poor
5
Terrible
13
Wesley O
Houston, TX15 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
From Machalilla Tours store you take a walk down the street to the end where all the fishing boats are by the pier. The short boat ride was enjoyable. Once to the island you are fed by the deck hands a light snack. The walk on the island path up the hill is pretty long and can be a little dusty so my advice is no flip flops. The steps up to the peak can be exhausting but not all that bad. Once to the peak you can catch your breath under the shade of a cabana while you decide which trail to take from there. We took the short 1 mile trail and saw some wonderful views of the ocean and the Blue Footed Booby. Then back down to the boat for a ride to another cove where we snorkled. The water is a little churned up by the waves against the rocks but still refreshing. The experience was awesome. Have some change ready when you get back to shore so you can take a motor taxi back to the tour store or have your taxi pick you up at the pier.
Written June 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Extremeprejudice
48 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
All of the tour agencies appear to be much the same. The crossing is rough and 90 min each way, you can’t talk above engine noise, and the exhaust fumes are unpleasant at the stern. Most of us had seasickness. We saw 3 species of birds. The snorkelling was excellent. The boat was uncomfortable as fully loaded with 16 people. Food was good, guide was fluent in Spanish & English, but unenthusiastic. This is not the poor man’s Galapagos. Extremely hot, and with hindsight it wasn’t really worth the long uncomfortable journey. You need to be fit for this, not recommended for older people or any disability. The people at Machililla Tours are all very nice.
Written January 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
kaylagough
Grandville, MI29 contributions
Feb 2019 • Family
My family and I went scuba diving for our first time here in Ecuador and went to Isla de la Plata and it was incredible! Personally it was my first dive, they made me feel so comfortable and in control. My mom was very anxious and was struggling so the one of the guides personally led her underwater while she held his arm. It was beautiful! So many amazing fish and coral. The guides were funny, interested in your story and wanted you to see as many things as possible! We did two dives about 11-15 meters deep. Afterwards we snorkeled in another area that was perfect as well! It was an AMAZING way to spend your day. HIGHLY recommend! Their English is good too!
Written March 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
FerNanda
5 contributions
Feb 2020
2 weeks in advance of our trip we call to this agency to ask information about tours and prices, but they never send it. Despite of it, we went to this agency just because a friend recommend us they have good tours, which it was very disappointed of what we expect. During payment the owner wanted us to pay both tours that we booked, of course we were paying the tour of the day, but they had bad weather it was raining so we decide to pay the next tour on the next day because of the weather we never know if they going to cancel or something could happen they wont gave our money back, so we kindly explain that and ask him if we can pay later next tour but he in a very rude way told us and try to push us to pay both tours the same day and also because our friend "he was making us kinda favor a supposed discount" (which it wasnt necessary, tours are $40 everywhere) then we ask other travelers how much they pay for tour they say $40 so there is not a "DISCOUNT" . In addition, people that assists customers in the office dont speak english, we also were waiting the tour guide for more than a half hour and when we were in the tour the guide who was late assigned another guy for guidence who was very kind and offers an apology because he doesnt speak english which it makes us to be more disappointed of our trip because he explained everything in spanish and all the group couldnt understand much about what was he saying.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kenda
5 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
This place has the worst service ever! And many users had the same issue with them and today we had it too.. please consider any other company to go with as there are many to go with who actually respects the customer
Totally unprofessional, "cancelled " our reservation last minute
“We booked with Machalilla Tours for the day tour to Isla de la Plata one month ago and arranged our plans accordingly. Then re-confirmed the reservation two days and one day before just in case; they told us everything was fine!
Before the time of the tour with couple of minutes they told us the trip was cancelled!
This was our only day in Puerto Lopez
Looking at other reviews this is not the first time they have let people down and by their lack of apology and rude customer service it will happen again with other people
We also went to their office for further information and tried to call by mobile but no one to be found.
There are many other companies in Puerto Lopez offering exactly the same tour, I would strongly advise going with someone else such as: La plata tours.”
Totally unprofessional, "cancelled " our reservation last minute
“We booked with Machalilla Tours for the day tour to Isla de la Plata one month ago and arranged our plans accordingly. Then re-confirmed the reservation two days and one day before just in case; they told us everything was fine!
Before the time of the tour with couple of minutes they told us the trip was cancelled!
This was our only day in Puerto Lopez
Looking at other reviews this is not the first time they have let people down and by their lack of apology and rude customer service it will happen again with other people
We also went to their office for further information and tried to call by mobile but no one to be found.
There are many other companies in Puerto Lopez offering exactly the same tour, I would strongly advise going with someone else such as: La plata tours.”
Written March 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Gil I
149 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
We reserved a day in advance, gave all information as requested by phone, to find out that our bookings were given to others, without prior advise.
Written July 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
mangotree76
Brannenburg, Germany6 contributions
Nov 2017
i went diving with them for a day and ...
...paid a lot...like: really lot - all other providers were full that day already...
...then they couldn`t provide me with an appropriate bottle for my equip
...then we went to a real bad spot with null visibility, wich they should have known better
...then i was basically running after the guide who didn`t care where i was or what i wanted to see - which is not nice and can be really DANGEROUS!!
...he also didn`t show me anything and was not into his job
...they didn`t povide food or drink even though they priomised
all in all: it was a ...!!-**F+#+§"A.-+#Q+##U_##::!!.-experience!
!!DON`T DIVE WITH THESE GUYS!!
...paid a lot...like: really lot - all other providers were full that day already...
...then they couldn`t provide me with an appropriate bottle for my equip
...then we went to a real bad spot with null visibility, wich they should have known better
...then i was basically running after the guide who didn`t care where i was or what i wanted to see - which is not nice and can be really DANGEROUS!!
...he also didn`t show me anything and was not into his job
...they didn`t povide food or drink even though they priomised
all in all: it was a ...!!-**F+#+§"A.-+#Q+##U_##::!!.-experience!
!!DON`T DIVE WITH THESE GUYS!!
Written November 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jorrit85
Groningen9 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
Did the whale watching + snorkling. We left 30 minutes behind schedule for reasons unclear to us. Bus ride to the boat was very chaotic with several people hopping on and off and very limited information given. After meeting the guide (Who speaks only Spanish but is a genuinly nice guy) we got on the boat. The boatride was just awful. The 'captain' steered right into the waves, giving the boat and everyone on it a serious beating, even though the sea wasnt even that rough. We saw some nice whales, and got to see them from the top of the boat too. After that we went snorkling. Nothing much to see, the water was quite murky. Lunch was 3 pieces of fruit (and a sandwich + coke later on). After the snorkling we went back to shore. We were supposed to go to some nature reserve but all information was in Spanish so I don't know why we skipped that part but we did. We then had to hang around the Village where we beached for 2 hours before they would take us back. I don't know why they Let us wait there for so long, i wasnt anticipating it so I didnt have enough money on me to do anything. On the way back we stopped to pick people up and drop other people off again. We had to wait for over 30 minutes at some point for some latecomers. They did not inform us about this, they just let us sit in the bus until these people arrived.
All in all, nice views of whales but poor planning, informing and management.
All in all, nice views of whales but poor planning, informing and management.
Written August 25, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
SugarSource
New York City, NY13 contributions
Sep 2015 • Couples
Unfortunately I have very few good things to say about our whale-watching and hiking experience with this company.
Despite correspondence in English, we quickly discovered the tour was completely in Spanish. There was no disclosure provided, causing us to feel immediately like we had gotten off on the wrong foot. The tour guide was curt, short and not particularly friendly, requesting the participants to "look at the water" as we waited for our boat to arrive.
The ride to Isla de la Plata initially was fine, and we spent a good amount of time circling a particular whale that breached a few times, slapped the water, etc. It felt almost like we were hunting the animal as we were kind of herding it in specific directions. We began our journey to the island from the whale-watching area, and an engine stopped functioning. Quickly we lost several passengers to sea-sickness as the boat rocked with the waves.
We eventually arrived, disembarked and went on the tour of the island. Despite requests to take separate paths, the guides would not split up the group and so we all had to proceed on one particular path (which did not have much varying wildlife at all). What a disappointment.
The lunch served were small sandwiches and fruit with little thimbles of Coca-Cola passed around. We hopped on the second boat (the first having been replaced because of the faulty motor), and we discovered our belongings had not been shifted to this second vessel. This included our towels, which we had brought onboard for snorkeling since none were provided by the company.
We made our way to the snorkeling area. Before jumping in, another tour boat approached ours and four of our passengers transferred to that boat and began the journey back to the continent. It was unclear why, and the remaining passengers began to snorkel. The corral was dead but there were a few beautifully colored fish swimming around.
Once we emerged from the water, we discovered the second boat was also not functioning well. The crew was not communicating to the passengers, but thankfully my companion spoke fluent Spanish and could interpret. Yet another tour boat arrived, and four passengers again initially disembarked. When we heard they could take another two, we jumped at the chance as the sun would be setting in a few hours and this was not a well-coordinated effort.
There were six tourists left at sea with only one motor functioning in any capacity, and they were quickly out of sight. We arrived back on shore by the good graces of another company. When we went to the office to retrieve our belongings we discovered they were still on the original boat. They had to call to someone to grab them, and then they stated the office would be closing soon and requested we gather them tomorrow.
All in all, a horrible experience and one I would not recommend unless you are looking for this kind of "adventure."
Despite correspondence in English, we quickly discovered the tour was completely in Spanish. There was no disclosure provided, causing us to feel immediately like we had gotten off on the wrong foot. The tour guide was curt, short and not particularly friendly, requesting the participants to "look at the water" as we waited for our boat to arrive.
The ride to Isla de la Plata initially was fine, and we spent a good amount of time circling a particular whale that breached a few times, slapped the water, etc. It felt almost like we were hunting the animal as we were kind of herding it in specific directions. We began our journey to the island from the whale-watching area, and an engine stopped functioning. Quickly we lost several passengers to sea-sickness as the boat rocked with the waves.
We eventually arrived, disembarked and went on the tour of the island. Despite requests to take separate paths, the guides would not split up the group and so we all had to proceed on one particular path (which did not have much varying wildlife at all). What a disappointment.
The lunch served were small sandwiches and fruit with little thimbles of Coca-Cola passed around. We hopped on the second boat (the first having been replaced because of the faulty motor), and we discovered our belongings had not been shifted to this second vessel. This included our towels, which we had brought onboard for snorkeling since none were provided by the company.
We made our way to the snorkeling area. Before jumping in, another tour boat approached ours and four of our passengers transferred to that boat and began the journey back to the continent. It was unclear why, and the remaining passengers began to snorkel. The corral was dead but there were a few beautifully colored fish swimming around.
Once we emerged from the water, we discovered the second boat was also not functioning well. The crew was not communicating to the passengers, but thankfully my companion spoke fluent Spanish and could interpret. Yet another tour boat arrived, and four passengers again initially disembarked. When we heard they could take another two, we jumped at the chance as the sun would be setting in a few hours and this was not a well-coordinated effort.
There were six tourists left at sea with only one motor functioning in any capacity, and they were quickly out of sight. We arrived back on shore by the good graces of another company. When we went to the office to retrieve our belongings we discovered they were still on the original boat. They had to call to someone to grab them, and then they stated the office would be closing soon and requested we gather them tomorrow.
All in all, a horrible experience and one I would not recommend unless you are looking for this kind of "adventure."
Written October 29, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MattaRoberts82
England, UK7 contributions
Sep 2019 • Friends
We booked with Machalilla Tours for the day tour to Isla de la Plata the day. We arrived on time at 9:00 only to be told 5 minutes later that they had made a mistake and there was no space left on the boat. This was our last day in Puerto Lopez and even after explaining this 3 times the guy continued to offer us a tour the following day....
Looking at other reviews this is not the first time they have let people down and by their lack of apology and pathetic response to the situation I'm sure it won't be the last time.
We also hired wetsuits the day before to go snorkeling with, the quality was terrible, with multiple holes in them and they were well past their best.
There are many other companies in Puerto Lopez offering exactly the same tour, I would strongly advise going with someone else.
Looking at other reviews this is not the first time they have let people down and by their lack of apology and pathetic response to the situation I'm sure it won't be the last time.
We also hired wetsuits the day before to go snorkeling with, the quality was terrible, with multiple holes in them and they were well past their best.
There are many other companies in Puerto Lopez offering exactly the same tour, I would strongly advise going with someone else.
Written September 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Crystal C
Lake Placid, FL41 contributions
Would a beginner be able to go on the horseback tour through the rainforest? I've never ridden a horse, but this sounds like a great tour. Thank you
MachalillaTours
Puerto Lopez, Ecuador
Dear Crystal
Thanks to contacting us, about your question, absolutely you would do it ! You will learn with us :)
Celina S
Santa Fe, Argentina39 contributions
Hola Astrita, salieron en excursion desde Montañita y volvieron en el dia? o fueron por su cuenta hasta puerto lopez?
Andrea L
4 contributions
Hola, tomamos el tour con la agencia Go Montañita y salimos desde Montañita hacia Puerto López y regreso a Montañita igual... La agencia es súper recomendable y seria y además tienen muchos tours y actividades para realizar... Saludos, espero haberte podido ayudar ;)