Los Frailes is the beach that justifies Puerto López even for travellers who do not take a boat trip. It sits inside Machalilla National Park, north of town, reached by a park road or by a walking trail that passes smaller coves, dry forest, and viewpoints before opening onto a wide curve of pale sand.
There are no beach bars or resort buildings here, which is precisely the point. Bring water, shade, and patience for the heat. The reward is one of the cleanest and most beautiful stretches of mainland Ecuadorian coast, with calm swimming in good conditions and enough space to feel like you have left the noisy beach towns behind.