The Atacames river meets the sea at the eastern end of the main beach, and the estuary — a tangle of mangrove roots and shallow channels accessible by small boat — is worth a couple of hours if you have any interest in birds or mangrove ecosystems. Herons, egrets, kingfishers, and wading shorebirds work the edges of the channels. In the rainy season (December to May) the estuary fills with water and the birdlife is most active.
Local boatmen offer short tours of the estuary for a modest fee — negotiate at the waterfront. The mangroves also serve as nursery habitat for the shrimp farmed along this stretch of Ecuadorian coast, and you will pass working shrimp farms on the edges of the estuary. Early morning is the best time, before the heat and noise of the day build up.