4 reviewed party hostels · from €4.21/night · verified ratings
Montañita hits you the moment you step off the bus. The sand between your toes, the bass from Club Casa del Sol thumping down Calle Principal, and the smell of saltwater mixing with barbecue smoke. This is Ecuador’s surf-and-party hub, a place where backpackers, surfers, and Ecuadorian holidaymakers collide. The hostel scene here is small but loud: most places sit within a five-minute walk of the beach, and nearly all of them turn into pre-drinks venues by 10 PM. My Little House Backpackers, 50 metres from the shore, is the kind of spot where you’ll end up sharing a bottle of rum with strangers by midnight, then waking up the next afternoon in a hammock with a fresh coconut in hand.
Ranked by verified guest rating · Prices per dorm bed per night
At €6 a night and rated 9.2, Esperanto B&B Surf and Backpacker Hostel has a rooftop terrace, a combination that narrows the field in Montanita. Club Casa del Sol on Calle Principal, centre. The biggest club in town, right on Calle Principal. Mango’s on Beachfront, south of the pier is the fallback option if the first place is packed.
Montañita hits you the moment you step off the bus. My Little House Surf and Backpacker Hostel is in Centre (Calle Principal), which puts it at the start of that circuit. Club Casa del Sol on Calle Principal, centre. The biggest club in town, right on Calle Principal. Mango’s on Beachfront, south of the pier is the fallback option if the first place is packed. The hostel runs group BBQ nights, useful for people arriving without a plan. At €5 a night and rated 9.6. A 9.6 rating is consistently high for Montanita, it holds up across multiple review cycles.
Montañita hits you the moment you step off the bus. Hidden House Hostel Montañita is in Centre (Calle Principal), which puts it at the start of that circuit. Club Casa del Sol on Calle Principal, centre. The biggest club in town, right on Calle Principal. Mango’s on Beachfront, south of the pier is the fallback option if the first place is packed. The hostel runs group BBQ nights, useful for people arriving without a plan. The on-site bar handles pre-drinks before the city takes over. At €4 a night and rated 7.9. The 7.9 score is low, but at €4 a night it's priced to account for the trade-offs.
Montañita hits you the moment you step off the bus. Munay Backpacker Hostel is in Centre (Calle Principal), which puts it at the start of that circuit. Club Casa del Sol on Calle Principal, centre. The biggest club in town, right on Calle Principal. Mango’s on Beachfront, south of the pier is the fallback option if the first place is packed. The on-site bar handles pre-drinks before the city takes over. At €5 a night. No rating available in current data.
How Montanita's nightlife zones break down
The heart of Montañita, where the beach meets the main drag. Calle Principal is lined with bars, hostels, and souvenir stalls, and it’s where the party starts every night. During the day, it’s all about surf shops and ceviche stands. By 10 PM, the street fills with music, street performers, and vendors selling glow sticks.
A quieter stretch of beach with a handful of hostels and beachfront bars. The walk from the centre takes about 20 minutes along the sand, but it’s worth it for the sunset views. The crowd here is more relaxed: think bonfires, acoustic guitars, and fewer foam parties. Selina Montañita is the main hub.
A mix of local homes and backpacker hostels, with a few hidden beach bars. The surf breaks here are better for intermediates, and the vibe is more local. Mango’s is the only real nightlife spot, but it’s a great place to start the night with a $2 beer and a sunset view.
Bars, clubs and live music in Montanita
The biggest club in town, right on Calle Principal. Reggaeton, salsa, and EDM blast from two floors until 4 AM. The crowd is a mix of backpackers and Ecuadorian holidaymakers, and the dance floor gets packed by midnight. Entry is free before 11 PM, but drinks jump to $5 after that. If you’re here on a Friday, expect foam parties and glow sticks.
A two-storey beachfront bar with sand underfoot and hammocks strung between palm trees. Happy hour runs from 6–8 PM, with $2 cocktails and $1 beers. By 10 PM, the place turns into a reggae lounge, then a full-on dance floor. The crowd is mostly travellers, and the vibe is loose: expect fire dancers after midnight.
Not a club, but the best spot for late-night eats after the bars close. This Peruvian-Chinese joint serves heaping plates of fried rice and chow mein for $4. It’s open until 3 AM, and the benches outside are always full of backpackers nursing hangovers with greasy food and Coke.
A tiny, unmarked bar tucked behind a surf shop on Calle del Tigrillo. The bartender, Carlos, mixes the strongest mojitos in town for $3. There’s no sign: look for the blue fairy lights and the queue of locals. Open from 8 PM until the last customer leaves, usually around sunrise.
A Cuban-themed bar with live salsa bands most nights. The mojitos are $4, and the dance floor is tiny but always packed. It’s a great spot to start the night: arrive by 9 PM to grab a table. The crowd is a mix of travellers and Ecuadorian couples, and the music switches from salsa to reggaeton after midnight.
A hostel-bar hybrid with a rooftop terrace and daily events. The bar serves $2 beers during happy hour (5–7 PM) and hosts pub quizzes, live DJs, and sunset yoga. The crowd is slightly older than at My Little House, but the parties still spill into the street by 11 PM.
What's on in Montanita