The
parks
climate
and
therefore
vegetation
has
been
decisively
shaped
by
the
convergence
of
two
different
weather
fronts:
cold
currents
coming
from
Humboldt
and
warm
currents
from
Panama
.
This
phenomenon
has
divided
the
park
into
two
completely
climatic
periods
–
wet
and
rainy
from
January
to
May
and
completely
dry
and
hot
from
June
to
December.
Equally
influential
in
the
Park’s
changing
climate
is
the
coastal
weather
front
from
Chongon-Colonche
which
provokes
unique
micro-climatic
variations
and
is
to
thank
for
the
presence
of
spectacular
cliffs
in
the
area.
Machalilla
is
extremely
important
due
to
its
fabulous
display
of
wildlife
and
marine
species.
The
Park
is
considered
as
a
genuine
natural
museum
of
pre-Colombian
history
in
Ecuador
and
South
America
.
There
are
several
sites
here
containing
archaeological
evidence
of
the
most
important
cultures
of
the
Ecuadorian
coast,
of
which
the
Valdivia
culture
is
possibly
the
most
ancient
culture
in
South
America
.
These
findings
have
secured
Machalilla
the
title
as
one
of
the
most
important
maritime
commercial
centres
on
a
regional
level.
Machalilla
is
one
of
Ecuador
’s
most-frequently
visited
national
parks.
As
well
as
mainland
territory,
Isla
Santiago
and
Isla
de
La
Plata
along
with
a
number
of
smaller
picturesque
islands
and
a
marine
area
stretching
two
thousand
nautical
miles
off
the
coast
also
belong
to
the
National
Park.
Last
Updated
21st
July
2006
(DLW)
