Time Zone |
America/Guayaquil |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC-5 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Time Zone |
Africa/Sao_Tome |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+0 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Located in the northern part of Ecuador's Manabi Province, Porto Velo County is an important eco-tourism area on the Pacific coast. With the fishing village of Portovelo as its core, the county boasts pristine sandy beaches, mangrove forests and tropical dry forest ecosystems, and is an important base for birdwatching and sea turtle conservation.
The Porto Velo Wildlife Sanctuary in the county is a biodiversity hotspot in western Ecuador, covering nearly 5,000 hectares of forest and coastline. Humpback whale migration can be observed from June to October every year, and the surrounding waters are suitable for snorkeling and sea fishing. La Plata Island (also known as "Little Galapagos") is known for its rich marine life, where you can encounter sea lions, turtles and tropical fish.
As a traditional fishing port, Porto Velho retains the Manta cultural handicraft making tradition, and the local wooden fishing boat building technique is classified as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. The economy is based on sustainable fishing and eco-tourism, with specialty products including tuna processing and straw crafts. The annual Ocean Festival in December showcases local culture through traditional dances and seafood cuisine.
The county of Porto Vero is located about 30 kilometers from the capital city of Manta and can be reached via the Troncal del Pacífico highway. The terrain is dominated by coastal plains and the climate is tropical savannah, with an average annual temperature of 26°C. The region is characterized by the presence of a unique equatorial coastal upwelling. The unique equatorial upwelling brings rich fishing resources, making it an important port for tuna fishing in Ecuador.
São Tomé and Príncipe is an island country in west-central Africa, consisting of the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe and the surrounding islets, with the capital, São Tomé, located in the northeastern part of São Tomé. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, about 200 kilometers from the African continent, the country was colonized by Portugal in the 15th century and became independent in 1975, with Portuguese as the official language and an economy based on agriculture (cocoa, palm oil) and tourism. It should be noted that "Java" is not a city or region of the country; Java is the main island of Indonesia, with cities such as Jakarta and Surabaya, and has nothing to do with São Tomé and Príncipe, possibly due to a confusion of names.