Portoviejo sits on Ecuador's Pacific coast at low altitude and is hot year-round, with temperatures averaging 26–30°C. The climate follows a wet/dry seasonal pattern typical of coastal Ecuador.
December to April is the wet season: high humidity, frequent afternoon and evening downpours, and lush green landscape. The heat is intense. This is also when the Pacific coast's beaches are at their busiest, as Ecuadorian families take their summer holidays in January and February.
May to November is the dry season — locally called verano (summer) despite being the southern hemisphere winter. Temperatures drop slightly, humidity falls, and the sky is often grey rather than sunny, especially June to August. The coast is quieter and cheaper. This is the better time to visit if you want to move between Portoviejo and the beach towns without competing with crowds.
There is no bad time to eat well here. The gastronomic calendar continues regardless of season, and the city's restaurants and markets operate year-round. The UNESCO gastronomy designation has brought food festivals and events, particularly in October around the anniversary of the 2019 designation.