Meteo Montañita (Montanita) in gennaio

Montañita forum threads describe December through February as the reliably sunny stretch of Ecuador's coast, though one visitor's January trip still hit occasional cloudy patches mixed with plenty of sunny afternoons - genuinely good, not flawless weather. Surf-wise, December-January is generally rated as prime time for the northern swells that feed this stretch of coast, though that same visitor noted the waves ran smaller than expected despite the calendar timing suggesting otherwise. Crowds were flagged as a real factor too, with the beach town getting notably busier around the Christmas-New Year holiday stretch specifically.

Forum posters describe November as sitting within the coastal 'garua' season - cloudy, overcast and misty, generally cited as the coolest stretch of the year here, typically 60-75F. Interestingly, the real measured rain data shows November as one of the driest months of the year by rainy-day count, well below the wetter December-April stretch - so the 'garua' character described by posters is likely more about persistent low cloud and light mist than measurable rainfall, a genuinely different kind of grey weather than a heavy-rain month. A sweater for the evenings is common advice, though posters are clear it doesn't get properly cold. Waves stay good through November, though posters name December-May as the stronger window for experienced surfers and June-August as better for beginners, positioning November as a genuine shoulder month rather than peak surf season. Sunscreen remains worth packing even on an overcast day.