Travel in
Ecuador
Travel in Ecuador is
incredibly
rewarding. As a developing country, it can also be
frustrating at
times and information is not always as freely available as you might
like it to be. The Ecuador Travel Site has put together a few
travel tips to help you make the most of your time in Ecuador and see
the best of this beautiful country. Start with Ecuador
flights, then an overview of
the country on a map
of Ecuador.
Ecuador has perhaps the
highest level
of biodiversity on earth, in some of the most beautiful, fragile and
scientifically important ecostyems. It's important to make
sure
that tourism in Ecuador is sustainable and you can play your part in
this by being a responsible tourist. Think about where you
choose
to stay, how you choose to travel and what you spend your money on - it
all has an impact. Visit our Ecotourism
in Ecuador page for more information and ideas. To
take a more active role, you could volunteer
in Ecuador.
Ecuador uses the US
dollar as
currency. US dollar bills are the only paper money accepted,
but
Ecuador also produces its own coins and accepts both those and US
coins. Travellers' cheques are not widely accepted, you will
almost certainly have to exchange them at a bank, which will be
time-consuming. Many rural areas do not even have a bank,
never
mind a cash machine, so you will need to plan ahead. In major
towns and cities, cash machines are available and are the easiest way
to access your money.
Mainland Ecuador is in a
time zone
five hours behind GMT. The Galapagos Islands, which are an
Ecuadorian province, nearly a thousand kilometres off the coast, are a
further hour behind, i.e. GMT minus 6 hours. The
international
dialling code to call Ecuador is +593. Phone numbers starting
with 09 or 08 are mobile phones.
The electricity supply in
Ecuador is
theoretically at 110 volts. In practice it fluctuates wildly,
especially in rural areas. There are different types of
sockets -
some with two flat pins, others with two flat pins and a round pin, and
others with two round pins, so you need the type of travel adapter that
can be configured in various different ways. Be prepared for
the
power supply to be off completely for hours if not days at a time in
remote areas.
Don't be caught out by
the international departure tax which must be paid in cash - see the Ecuador
Flights page for more info.
Security can be an issue
in Ecuador,
as in any developing country. Minimise the risks by leaving
valuables at home, not flaunting cameras / jewellry / expensive clothes
and by paying attention to your surroundings. Don't carry any
more cash that you need to, and divide your money up between different
pockets and / or money belts. Keep notes safely tucked out of
sight and carry a small coin purse with a just few dollars in it to pay
for small purchases. Check with your embassy or the South
American Explorers' Club for the latest safety advice and
warnings.
Your travels in Ecuador
will be more enjoyable if you can communicate effectively, both in
terms of asking for travel information and in being able to converse
with local people and make new friends. It is
strongly
recommended that
you learn some Spanish before you go. If possible try to
study Latin American Spanish, which is slightly different to that
spoken in Spain - try Linguaphone for a good Latin American Spanish
self-study
course. Once you get to Ecuador, Quito is one of the best
places to learn Spanish as the local accent is clear and people speak
relatively slowly. There are many language schools in Quito
where you can take some Spanish lessons.
Visas are not required for tourists of
any nationality staying in Ecuador up to 90 days (as of 20 June 2008),
but it is always advisable to check the latest situation directly.
For the latest information on visas for Ecuador, contact your
local Ecuador Consulate or Embassy. Consulate of Ecuador in London, for visa information phone 0207 451 0040 between 3-5pm weekdays. Other Ecuadorian Embassies & Consulates
For more travel
information, try these tips on
what
to take to Ecuador
and what not to take. Information will follow
soon about bus
travel in Ecuador and communications. There'll be useful
ideas for long-stay travellers and
information
for business travellers to Ecuador. We're developing a
section on
Ecuador's climate, how the weather might affect your trip and when is
best to visit Ecuador.
Watch
this section for
more travel information on an ongoing basis because the
Ecuador Travel Site is growing all the time.
Travel in
Ecuador
Tourist tips and travel information for Ecuador, including the
Galapagos Islands. Ecuador time zone and currency
information.
International dialling code for Ecuador.
