If you’ve always wanted to learn how to surf and you’re due for a trip to a beautiful country, this exclusive Flytrippers deal is for you! For just US$255 for 6 nights (with promo code “Flytrippers”), you’ll be able to go discover the famous Free Spirit Hostel, a unique Canadian-owned hostel on the Pacific Ocean in Ecuador!
We got you this discount again (we did it last time in 2021) to coincide with the many great flight deals we’ve been spotting to Ecuador from a few Canadian cities, most notably a record-low $347 roundtrip from Montreal.
Lodging and activities are always this cheap if you travel to affordable countries, but flight prices vary a lot more obviously.
Here are the details of this deal.
Ecuador deal
You can get a 6-night “Learn to surf” package for only US$255 (≈ C$351). That’s just C$59 per night.
You have to use the FLYTRIPPERS promo code on the Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador website to get this 15% discount. This same 15% discount also applies to private rooms too if you prefer, with the same promo code.
In all cases, you only have to make a 15% deposit; the rest can be paid on arrival.
More pictures are provided below, but in short, it includes:
- 6 nights of accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- 6 vegetarian dinners
- 6 days of surfboard rental
- 3 surf lessons
- 6 yoga classes (1hr per day)
- Recent dorms with only 4 beds
- Private rooms available for an additional fee
The promo code is for a limited time only obviously!
You need to book before December 15th 2023 but you can travel until December 1st 2024. So it’s like most flight deals we spot for you: you need to book quickly, but the dates for the trip itself can be far away.
Even better: the Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador allows you to change your dates for free, so that you can coordinate your dates with the cheapest dates for plane tickets (with at least 48 hours advance notice for the change, and the new dates still need to be before December 1st 2024).
October to June are the best months to visit this area, but as always, prioritize dates with the cheapest plane tickets if you want a cheaper trip (to travel more, or just to save).
The Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador is in a peaceful area on the Pacific and the people who live there (and who are in an infinitely better position to comment than anyone else) have confirmed that everything is as quiet as usual. What you heard about the situation in Ecuador is mostly in the big cities, so if you’re even slightly an experienced traveler or not too scared, it’s a deal that can be interesting for you.
The Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador
You may have already heard of the famous original Free Spirit Hostel in Nicaragua, a favorite destination for many Canadian travelers. Their 2nd and newest location is in the Playa Puerto Engabao area of Ecuador, in South America.
It is very close to Guayaquil, the largest metropolitan area in the country.
It’s obviously right on the Pacific Ocean to facilitate the surfing experience.
It makes me want to go and perfect the surfing skills I acquired in Sri Lanka in 2019.
Apparently, the sunsets there are really pretty too.
It’s a perfect spot to relax. Why not go do some yoga by the water?
Or maybe you just want a relaxing retreat just steps from the beach in a small authentic fishing village.
This seems like a great spot to discover the local culture.
There Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador also has a swimming pool.
The meals included are vegetarian. Like any good hostel, there is of course a shared kitchen if you want to make your own food.
And if not, your lunches won’t cost you much in the little village since it’s not a place full of restaurants for tourists: As always, living like the locals as much as possible is both more authentic and more affordable. Talk about win-win!
Even the other co-founder of Flytrippers, Andrew, who is not necessarily a fan of beaches and vacation-type travel, is almost tempted to go there.
The Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador offers board games, musical instruments, a ping-pong table, a slackline, and beach games like volleyball and washer toss. You can take an organized trip to the nearest town to discover another area, or you can go by yourself for less than US$1 by bus (about 30 minutes). You could go fishing or horseback riding for example.
If you want to become a digital nomad or are already one like me, the Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador offers free Wi-Fi to stay connected. They even have long-term rates if you’re interested.
If you want to extend your stay, I highly encourage you to explore this beautiful country. I spent 2 weeks in Ecuador in 2017 and loved it.
You can even go visit the famous Galapagos Islands from Guayaquil, and it’s not that expensive since you’re already almost there. I’ll share a post about that very soon.
How to book the Ecuador surf package
Go to the Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador website and indicate your dates.
It will show you the package’s regular price of US$300 for the 6 nights (that’s twice the price as the lodging alone, without the surf package). Click on “Have a promo code?” on the right and enter “Flytrippers”.
The price will go down to US$255.
And then you book just like you’d book any lodging.
How to get to Ecuador for cheap
It’s true that for a long while, flights to Ecuador seemed a bit more expensive than usual. We’re now seeing more deals on our cheap flight deals page.
As mentioned, the good thing with the Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador package is that you can change your dates without any issue depending on the price of flights (depending on the hostel’s availability and with prior notice).
We already told you, one of the most common basic mistakes is to book your lodging first.
By doing this, you are almost guaranteed to pay too much for the plane ticket, because you don’t have any flexibility… and flexibility is the key to get cheap flights, it’s not complicated (not necessarily easy, but it’s not a complicated rule)! Even a single-day difference can save you hundreds of dollars!
Anyway, from Toronto (YYZ), there are still flights in the $400s roundtrip… just not many dates available today (obviously airfares change every day).
So if you want, you can wait for the next deal to Guayaquil (GYE) in the $400s, as we sometimes spot. It’s not very frequent, but there are some! You can also look at Quito (UIO) if it’s cheaper. It really depends on your departure city, as always.
In any case, by using our favorite flight search tools and being a bit flexible, you will be able to find good prices on flights to take advantage of the package!
Once you land in Guayaquil, it’s not too expensive to get to Puerto Engabao where the Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador is located. A bus leaves from the “Terrestre” bus terminal just across the street from the airport and takes you to Playas for a few dollars. And from Playas, there are other buses to Puerto Engabao (or a cab for US$7 for that last leg).
Buses in Latin America are another typical local experience that you really must try!
Again, if you want travel to be more simple and more convenient rather than travel to be more affordable, it is always possible. The Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador can arrange a cab directly from the airport for US$70 (a few hundred percent more).
Flights around $400. A few dollars for the bus. Package at ≈ C$351. Lunches for $5. That’s it.
As you can see, it’s not very complicated to plan an independent (and affordable) trip… even if you prefer a vacation-type trip where you can relax 🙂
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Summary
A surf, yoga, and beach package at the Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador in Ecuador for only US$255 is a pretty good deal!
What would you like to know about this deal? Tell us in the comments below.
See the deals we spot: Cheap flights
Explore awesome destinations: Travel inspiration
Learn pro tricks: Travel tips
Discover free travel: Travel rewards
Featured image: Yoga platform facing the Pacific (photo credit: Free Spirit Hostel Ecuador)
