Manta is Ecuador's boom town with new construction and new plazas popping up daily! With a population of 268,000, it is economically the third most important city of Ecuador and is also the most developed beach town on Ecuador's coast. Whether you surf, fish, swim, sunbathe or play volleyball on the beach, Manta's the spot. Manta also has a world famous International Theater Festival in September, the Banco Central Museum has a renowned artifact collection of Manta's pre-Colombian history, and of course, nearby is the birthplace of the Montecristi, also known as the Panama Hat.