Vistamar is a small surf and yoga retreat in Ayampe, on Ecuador's wild Pacific coast, where no two stays are the same. You choose your dates and how full you want your days, and the team builds your itinerary around what you actually want to do: daily yoga in the ocean-view shala, surf lessons and guided trips to more than a dozen local breaks, and a long list of nature and cultural experiences along a coastline most visitors never see.

There are three ways to stay. The Relaxed gives you a private room, the Complete Breakfast each morning (a coconut super smoothie bowl, fresh juice, high-elevation Arabica coffee and a hot plate of the day) and one activity a day: yoga, a surf session with a local, a Spanish class or a guided hike. The Balanced adds bikes and doubles it to two activities a day. All-Inclusive covers three meals a day from the Vistamar kitchen, daily yoga, surf and Spanish classes, and no limit on the Experiences, from horseback rides and boat trips to cacao ceremonies, national parks and, in season, whale watching.

The surf is the reason many people come. Ayampe's beach break is right there, and the local instructors know when it's working and when to drive you to a better break down the coast. Boards come from the Vistamar rack, soft tops and fibreglass from 5'8" to 9'0", and coaching is matched to your level, whether you've never stood up or you're working on your turns. Yoga runs from restorative and yin to vinyasa and ashtanga, with sound healing and private sessions too.

The food is made from scratch: pescatarian and vegetarian leaning, greens from the garden, fresh local seafood, homemade infusions and very good Ecuadorian coffee, with special requests met. The kitchen runs zero waste.

The location does a lot of the work. Ayampe is quiet, the beach is broad and mostly empty outside weekends, and behind the village the land rises into jungle with waterfalls a short hike away. Evenings are dark and silent apart from the surf. Getting there means flying into Guayaquil or Manta and a road transfer along the coast, which the team can arrange.

The property is run by owners who live on site, supported by local surf instructors and resident yoga teachers who work there year-round, so the week can be reshuffled at short notice if the waves or your energy call for it.

What's included

Every package: - Private room at Vistamar or Mango House, a few minutes' walk from the beach in Ayampe - Use of the Vistamar board rack: soft tops and fibreglass boards from 5'8" to 9'0" - A personalised itinerary built around what you want to do most - You choose your dates - 10% off when you rent two rooms or more

The Relaxed: - The Complete Breakfast daily - One activity a day: yoga, a surf class or session with a local, a Spanish class, or a guided hike

The Balanced: - The Complete Breakfast daily, and bikes - Two activities a day from the same list

The Surfer: - Three meals a day from the Vistamar kitchen, and bikes - Two guided surf sessions a day, in Ayampe or wherever the waves are best - Daily yoga, and guided jungle or beach exploration - Drone surf analysis: 2 sessions on a 5-night stay, 3 on a 7-night stay - Swap one or both surf sessions for another experience

All-Inclusive: - Three meals a day from the Vistamar kitchen, and bikes - Daily yoga, surf and Spanish classes - No limit on the Experiences: horseback, boat trips, kayak, snorkelling, seasonal whale watching, surf trips, cacao farm and ceremony, national parks, jungle excursions, trail riding, paragliding, guided hikes, archaeological sites, clay baths, cooking classes, Wim Hof ice bath, fishing

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Travel insurance - Airport transfers (Guayaquil $115, Manta $65, on request) - Spa treatments at Mauli Spa - Scuba diving ($100–150) - Lunch and dinner on the Relaxed and Balanced packages - Alcoholic drinks - Tips for staff and instructors