Today, I would like to share with you a tiny slice of my idyllic life. When I chose to opt out of the rat race and turn my back on suffocating city-living fourteen years ago, I decided to head to the beach where I could breathe.
After decades of searching, I finally found peace in Mompiche, a sleepy fishing village on the northwest coast of Ecuador. I found my "place" in the world in this wonderful paradise and decided to put down roots. With a grand population of about 1500, we all know each other!
Although there were numerous challenges to overcome, Mompiche offered a simple life, fresh healthy food, easy-going people, and an incredible environment. Nestled between the jungle and the beach, my house was built from sustainable woods and bamboo and is now surrounded by a lush tropical garden.
Over the years, as funds gradually trickled in, I worked on my house, planted a permaculture garden, wrote several books, created some artworks, began rescuing abandoned cats, and started teaching local people how to recycle glass, plastic, fabric, paper, wood and old tires. On weekends, I open a small restaurant and sell chili sauce and chutney to bring in a little income.
Meanwhile, days off are spent on the local beaches. Mompiche’s main beach is 7km long with the best point break in Ecuador at one end. That’s where we all gather to swim and surf on a regular basis. An aquatic meet and greet, as it were.
Spectacular Black Beach (Playa Negra) is a twenty-five-minute walk from the village. The black sand is 97% metal; it contains titanium, nickel, manganese, magnesium, copper, and other minerals that make the sand black sparkly like the night sky. It's powdery and heavy and, as it turns out, fabulous for exfoliating.
Once on the beach, we rub warm sand on our skin from head to toe, lie in the sun to let it dry while it tingles all over our bodies, and then go and jump around in the breakers to rinse the sand off in the sea. Our spontaneous "day spa" costs nothing more than a boxed lunch and some fresh fruit juice or water.
Cradled by tropical jungle, where howler monkeys and other species live, Black Beach is one of Mompiche's most famous tourist attractions, bringing in travelers from all corners of the globe to visit this magnificent wonder of nature. A few years ago, after a long-fought battle against corrupt authorities and mining companies, the village united to stop illegal mining on this beach—the sand was being sold for its titanium—and it's now used exclusively for tourism. We saved our hidden treasure, but it does bear some scars.
To get there, head down the dirt road from the south end of the main beach and keep walking until you reach the curve on the main road. Follow the paved road to a sign that points to a walking track down to the beach and you'll soon reach a secluded strip of soft black sand that shines like silver under the summer sun. It’s usually busy-ish on weekends, depending on surf conditions, and fairly quiet during the week.
If you're ever traveling in Ecuador, you're invited to come and visit our very special Black Beach. If you’re really lucky, I might even take you there myself.