Our tour today begins with a drive along Manta’s ‘malecón’ (promenade). Our guide will enlighten us on the area’s history, which was home to pre-Columbian peoples such as the Valdivia culture, whose pottery fragments are the oldest found anywhere in South America. The Cerro Jaboncillo archeological site allows guests to observe the distinct and complex society established in the area between 900 and 1500 AD. This developed society controlled large areas of the Guayas and Manabi provinces in Ecuador. The Cancebí-Manteños developed highly sophisticated societal practices and their mastery seaside territory allowed their culture to expand to the California Gulf, Mexico, Chile, and Peru. This place mixes culture, tourism, and nature. Located on the eastern slope of Cerro Jaboncillo, the area around the archeological site features a variety of plants and animals that survive in a unique ecosystem dependent on water cycles, especially in the summer fog. Enjoy a refreshment at the site museum before returning to the ship.