Montecristi Golf Club

Montecristi sits on the Ecuadorian coast in Manabí Province, a sun-baked town perched on the slopes of Cerro Montecristi and famous worldwide for one thing: the Panama hat. Despite the misnomer, the genuine article — woven from toquilla straw — has been handcrafted here for centuries, and the town carries a proud, unhurried character that feels distinctly apart from Ecuador's beach resort corridors to the north and south.

Golf in this part of coastal Ecuador is genuinely rare, and Montecristi Golf Club occupies an interesting position in a region better known for artisan crafts and Pacific breezes than fairways. The surrounding landscape is dry tropical forest and rolling coastal hills, with the kind of persistent wind off the Pacific that makes club selection a constant conversation. Elevation changes on the hillside terrain around Cerro Montecristi can add visual drama and strategic angles that flat coastal layouts rarely offer.

For travelers passing through — whether en route to Manta's surf and seafood or exploring the province's interior — the club represents an unexpected chance to play golf against a backdrop that very few visiting golfers ever discover.