The coast around Esmeraldas has a wet season from January through April — warm air, regular afternoon downpours, and the sea at its warmest. May through December is drier and a few degrees cooler, with the heaviest tourist crowds at Atacames and Súa during Ecuadorian holidays (Carnaval in February, Easter, July–August school break, Christmas–New Year).
The Festival Internacional de la Música y la Danza Afro is held in Esmeraldas in early October — the best week of the year to come if you want to hear marimba bands and see the currulao danced properly. It draws performers from across the African-Andean coast, including Colombian groups from Buenaventura.