Canoa and Cell Phone Use (Guayaquil)

I am a retired teacher (USA) and have recently resided as an expat in Africa and Asia. I will be coming to Ecuador this summer and I'm thinking about spending a few months (or more) in Canoa. I am ready for a simpler life and I love the ocean. Two questions: 1. Do you have any comments from your personal experiences about Canoa? 2. About cell phones- I had a cell phone with me 24/7/365 when overseas. Is it possible to purchase a cell phone in Ecuador, buy a SIM card for it, and load minutes on it for both in-country calls and U.S. calls? Thanks. Tom