โฐ Minimum Connection Times
Domestic โ Domestic
45
minutes
Domestic โ International
90
minutes
Interline Connections
120
minutes
๐ข Terminal Information
Reales Tamarindos Airport formerly served Portoviejo, the capital city of Manabรญ Province in coastal Ecuador, operating at 34 meters elevation with a single runway oriented 12/30. Located in one of Ecuador's most economically important agricultural regions known for producing cacao, coffee, and tropical fruits, the airport historically provided domestic aviation services connecting Portoviejo with Quito and other major Ecuadorian cities.
The facility ceased aviation operations following the devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Ecuador's coast on April 16, 2016, which killed nearly 700 people and caused extensive infrastructure damage throughout Manabรญ Province. Portoviejo, as the provincial capital with over 300,000 residents, bore significant impact from the disaster, experiencing widespread building collapses and infrastructure failures that fundamentally altered the city's transportation networks.
Post-earthquake, the closed runway was repurposed as emergency housing, with tent settlements established to provide shelter for displaced households whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged in the disaster. This humanitarian use of the former aviation infrastructure demonstrates the airport's continued importance to the community, albeit in a completely different capacity than originally intended.
Currently, air travel to and from Portoviejo relies on Eloy Alfaro International Airport in Manta, located 26 kilometers west of the city. This regional hub, despite sustaining earthquake damage including the collapse of its control tower, was eventually reconstructed and resumed operations, now serving as the primary aviation gateway for the Manabรญ Province region. The reconstruction challenges faced throughout Manabรญ Province, where infrastructure projects experienced significant delays and funding diversions, exemplify the complex recovery process that has affected transportation networks across this economically vital coastal region of Ecuador.
๐ Connection Tips
Reales Tamarindos is the airfield for Portoviejo, and it matters because the Manabรญ coast and the surrounding agricultural belt both use the airport as their regional shortcut. The airport sits close enough to the city that a taxi or hotel pickup is normally the only ground leg you need. The passenger side is small, but the city-side effect is real.
For travelers needing to reach Portoviejo, the standard and highly recommended connection is to fly into Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) in nearby Manta. From Manta, frequent intercity buses and private taxis depart every 30 minutes and reach Portoviejo in approximately 45 minutes for a low fare.
That makes it a practical gateway to the interior of the province, especially when the trip continues toward the coast, the market districts, or the business side of Portoviejo. The field is small, but the city is near enough that it functions as a quick urban handoff. Locals feel the airports value because it cuts a long road trip down to something manageable. Because Portoviejo sits inland from the coast, the normal handoff is a taxi or private car into the city, with Manta often serving as the fallback airport when schedules or weather make that route easier.
โฐ Minimum Connection Times
Domestic โ Domestic
45
minutes
Domestic โ International
90
minutes
Interline Connections
110
minutes
๐ข Terminal Information
Los Perales Airport serves the Bahรญa de Carรกquez and San Vicente area on Ecuador's central coast. Although it no longer functions as a normal scheduled-passenger airport, it still matters as a local airfield for general aviation, state activity, and emergency access. Its location near the estuary and the Los Caras bridge gives it a practical role in a coastal zone where local geography shapes transport choices.
The infrastructure is basic and should be understood in that context. This is not a modern commercial terminal but a small local airfield with limited passenger-facing services. Travelers relying on the area usually organize the airport piece as part of a broader regional plan rather than treating it like an independent transport hub.
For most visitors, the airfield's real relevance is historical or logistical, since many standard commercial itineraries now flow through Manta instead. Even so, Los Perales remains a useful local aviation point in a part of Ecuador where short-distance coastal movement can still be operationally important.
๐ Connection Tips
Los Perales Airport (BHA) functions primarily as a general aviation facility without scheduled commercial service, requiring travelers to utilize Manta's Eloy Alfaro International Airport located 80 kilometers south (1. 5 hours by road) for all commercial airline connections to Ecuador's national and international aviation networks. The 2010 inauguration of Los Caras Bridge over the Chone River estuary revolutionized regional connectivity by directly linking Bahรญa de Carรกquez with San Vicente, completing Ecuador's strategic Spondylus Route tourist corridor and eliminating previous ferry dependencies. Road transport from Manta Airport involves either direct bus service via Cooperativa de Transporte Turรญstico Manabรญ (hourly departures, 2-hour journey, $3 fare) or taxi/rental car options following Highway E15 coastal route through Rocafuerte and Tosagua. Ground transportation infrastructure at Los Perales Airport reflects its diminished commercial role following the cessation of scheduled passenger service, with no established taxi stands, rental car facilities, or public transit connections operating from the airfield itself.
Local transport options in Bahรญa de Carรกquez include traditional yellow taxis charging approximately $5-10 for city center destinations, ubiquitous mototaxis (motorcycle taxis) costing $1-2 for short trips but unsuitable for luggage transport, and informal shared pickup trucks (camionetas) serving rural routes. The Los Caras Bridge's 1,980-meter span includes dedicated bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways with three scenic rest balconies, making non-motorized crossing viable for lightweight travelers exploring the 10-kilometer San Vicente connection. Private aviation arrivals must coordinate ground transport through local fixers or hotel concierges, as the airport's remote location from Bahรญa's urban core and absence of communication facilities make spontaneous transport arrangements virtually impossible. Ecuador's coastal Manabรญ Province infrastructure positions Los Perales Airport as a remnant of pre-bridge transportation networks, when air service provided essential connectivity before Los Caras Bridge transformed regional dynamics along the Spondylus Route. The airport's strategic value now centers on emergency medical evacuations, disaster response capabilities following Ecuador's frequent seismic events, and supporting government operations in this ecologically sensitive coastal zone where the Chone River estuary meets the Pacific Ocean.
Charter operations occasionally utilize the 1,500-meter paved runway for eco-tourism access to nearby Machalilla National Park and Isla Corazรณn wildlife refuge, though most commercial tourism flows through Manta's superior facilities. The airfield's proximity to shrimp farming operations and agricultural zones maintains its relevance for cargo and business aviation supporting Ecuador's coastal export economy. Weather patterns influenced by the Humboldt Current create relatively stable flying conditions year-round, though morning coastal fog can delay operations until mid-morning clearance. Emergency contingency planning should account for the region's vulnerability to El Niรฑo events that periodically cause severe flooding and infrastructure damage, making alternative routing through Guayaquil or Quito necessary during extreme weather events that can isolate Manabรญ's coastal communities for extended periods.
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