Plan Your Travel To Ecuador
Ecuador Travel Essentials
Currency: United States Dollar (USD)
Best Time: June - August, December - January Read More
Budget: Moderate
"The Land of Evolution and Cultural Fiesta"
Ecuador Tourism
Ecuador, located on the west coast of South America is a land bearing one of the best treasures of nature. Quite small in size as compared to its surrounding countries, the place is also an astounding package of cultural attractions with its many sites and cities listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The country offers from an enthralling safari in Amazon and admiring the diverse wildlife, especially in Galapagos Island to a ride through the valley of active volcanoes and meandering along the white sand beaches on the Pacific coast. With an abundance of biodiversity, Ecuador makes as a perfect destination for vacationers.
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Best time to visit Ecuador
Ecuador experiences highly uncertain climate, which also vary from region to region. In general, June to August and December and January are considered to be the best months to explore the country ow (Read More)ing to pleasant weather conditions during earlier months while slight cooler ones during the latter. Make sure to book for Galpagos in advance, as it is often a busy season for the island.
Holidify's opinion on Travel to Ecuador
What's Great?
Natural Beauty. Rich flora and fauna. Cultural attractions. Alluring beaches. Plenty of active volcanoes. Beautiful architecture. Bustling markets.
What's Not So Great?
Petty crimes. Bumpy roads. Bad traffic. Macho culture.
For Whom?
Adventure buffs. People who admire natural and scenic beauty. Chocolate lovers. Shopaholics. Those interested in the cultural excursion.
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Exchanging Money in Ecuador
In Ecuador, foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and exchange houses or as they are locally known as Casas de Cambio with latter offering best exchange rates. The commission rate may vary from 1% to 4%, so confirm it beforehand. Also, getting your currency exchanged in the Oriente may be difficult. ATMs are available in many banks in urban areas.
Nightlife in Ecuador
The nightlife of Ecuador is concentrated only in Quito and Guayaquil where tourists will find plenty of brilliant restaurants and other attractions. One will find restaurants of various types in Quito offering all sorts of cuisine. Usually, the bars and nightclubs are warm and welcoming places, but te word nightclub in Ecuador is also used brothel, so be careful. Also, bars and clubs are often raided by police for the drug search. La Mariscal is the hub ofÊQuito's nightlife including many cultural events taking place all over the city, mostly free of charge. In the case of smaller towns, nightlife suffices either at home or in private clubs. Cinema is the most liked form of entertainment. Overall, bars are open from 8:00 pm till 2:00 am while clubs stay open until 3:00 am.
Shopping in Ecuador
Shopping in Ecuador is inexpensive and a magnificent experience with so many things and variety to buy from. From smaller shops and huge markets to street market and fairs, the place is a treasure trove for shopaholics. Jewellery, weavings, paintings, ceramics, woolens, hand embroidered clothes, carvings, leather goods, baskets, hats and antiques are some of the popular products of the country. Panama hats locally are known as sombreros de paja toquilla, mazapan figures, figures made from bread dough, hand embroidered clothes and balsa wood and models are the traditional purchases of Ecuador.
Festivals of Ecuador
Ecuador is known for its colourful and vibrant celebrations where every member of family participates with great fervor. Their celebration usually comprises of loud music, parades, and public dances; great food and drinking form an integral part of it. New Year's Eve in Guayaquil is the time to fend off the bad luck up in smoke and time start afresh in the coming year. According to a custom, people burn life-size puppet along with the list of all the misdeeds; they did in the year at the center of town at a large community display at midnight. Easter Week, Independence Day, Simon BolivarÕs Birthday, All Saints Õ Day and All SoulÕs Day and Christmas are some of the other most celebrated events in the country.
Hygiene in Ecuador
Medical facilities in Ecuador are available at good standards in Quito, Guayaquil and other major big cities along with plenty of pharmacies in urban areas. However, outside the major towns, the facilities are limited. Galapagos Island is completely devoid of delicate surgical and cardiac services. It is strongly advised to all the visitors to acquire a health insurance. Always use the bottled water or sterilised water in the country. It is recommended to get the vaccinations for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, typhoid, and if required then for malaria and yellow fever as well.
Customs of Ecuador
A handshake with an eye contact and a smile is the most common way of greeting someone. Kissing on cheeks is reserved for close family and friends only. It is customary to use an appropriate title of Seor or Seora with a surname while referring to someone. First name is used for close acquaintances. Casual wear is widely accepted for any occasion other than business. Also, dress smartly while visiting a hotel dining room or high-end restaurant. Avoid revealing clothes in towns. Tipping in Ecuador is not mandatory but is always appreciated, as employees are usually under-paid. 5-15% of the bill amount should be given to serves or waiters depending upon how one like the serving.
Tips for visiting Ecuador
Take care of your belongings including expensive jewellery while in crowded areas or tourist places as mugging and pick pocketing is quite common. If possible, wear your back at the front of your body. There has been a serious increase in sexual assault against women, especially in the city of Montanita. Avoid travelling alone after dark, particularly solo female travellers. A dayrape drug names scopolamine is used in many such cases. Try to use authorised taxis to avoid frauds and mugging. Carry mosquito repellent, especially for the coastal areas. Brush up your bargaining skill as price usually goes down by 20%.
Food of Ecuador
The commonÊbreakfast of Ecuador comprises of eggs, toast or bread rolls and sometimes of sweet corn tamale (served with coffee). The lunch is usually fixed on the menuÊas Almuerzo, which is a meal with soup along with stew with pots of rice as the secondÊdish. Dinner, similar to lunch is a hearty meal consisting of all meats (beef, fish, chicken and pork) served with rice or French-fries. Seafood dominates the coastal areas of the country, Oriente dinner features banana, rice, yucca and fish including piranha. Pisco (local brandy), chichi (fermented corn drink), herbal teas and Pilsner (most favoured beer brand in Ecuador) are the popular beverages in the country.
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FAQs on Ecuador
How to reach Ecuador from India?
There are no direct flights from India to Ecuador owing to the great distance between them. However, there are many airlines including Air India, United Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Delta Airlines etc that offer service between the two countries. One can board flights from many India cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai etc.
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