What to do in Puerto Jeli, El Oro
Puerto Jeli is one of the most important gastronomic destinations in the province of El Oro, Ecuador along with Puerto Hualtaco (Huaquillas) and Puerto Bolívar (Machala). For seafood lovers, this is a destination that you cannot miss. Most of its inhabitants are dedicated to fishing and the culinary arts of the typical food of the area.
Where is Puerto Jeli?
Puerto Jeli is located 35 km south of Machala and 6 km from Santa Rosa.
The top things to do in Puerto Jeli
1. Savor its delicious and varied cuisine
The locals recommended to eat at the Arsenal restaurant and the truth is we loved it. It was one of the most delicious lunches we have had on our road trip of Ecuador. The food in Puerto Jeli is not cheap compared to other small towns in Ecuador, the dishes are around $10 to $15 but the portions are large and the quality of the food is high. We tried the fish casserole and the seafood rice; we liked it so much that we are planning a return trip just for the food. The typical dishes of the area are: Shrimp ceviche, mixed (conch and shrimp), conch ceviche, breaded sea bass, shrimp, fried fish, roasted conch, sailor sweat, seafood soup, seafood octopus, grilled octopus, and rice with conch.
Recommended restaurants: Hola la Ola, El Arenal y La Choza del Lobo.
2. Take a boat ride along the estuary
You can rent a motorboat and take a ride through the estuary and enjoy the beautiful mangrove that surrounds this beautiful town. It is a great opportunity to spot birds, including the pink heron, pelicans, and herons, among others. We even saw an iguana!
3. Walk along the malecón
Take advantage of the beautiful boardwalk along the banks of the Santa Rosa River, which flows into the Gulf of Guayaquil, and take a tour of the food, handicraft and seafood kiosks.