Ecuador Vacation Travel Guide For First Timers (three months on the ground)

We planned three months in Ecuador from the start. The house sit in Canoa was already booked — six weeks on the Pacific coast in a private home, with time on either side to explore the highlands, the Amazon, and the Galápagos at a pace that actually does the country justice.

What we didn’t plan was getting pickpocketed in Quito, having our passports and credit cards stolen at the bus station, or spending four unscheduled days in Guayaquil navigating the Australian embassy while the rest of the itinerary waited. Ecuador had its own ideas about how the trip would unfold.

But here’s the thing about three months in a country rather than three weeks — you absorb the setbacks differently. The passport emergency became a story. The six weeks living as locals in Canoa became the heart of the whole trip. The Galápagos, Otavalo, Cuenca, and the Amazon — each one landed with a weight that faster travel rarely allows.

Ecuador does that. It gets under your skin through the inconvenient moments as much as the spectacular ones. By the time we left, we still felt we’d only scratched the surface.

This is what three months of actual Ecuador taught us — the practical information, the safety realities, the places worth your time, and the things we wish we’d known before we arrived.

Why Ecuador Deserves More Attention Than It Gets

Ecuador is the fourth smallest country in South America, but it contains more biodiversity per square kilometre than almost anywhere on earth. In a single trip, you can stand on the equator in an Andean highland city, walk through a cloud forest, swim with sea lions in the Galápagos, and navigate the Amazon River by canoe. The country spans four completely distinct worlds — the Sierra (Andes highlands), the Costa (Pacific coast), the Oriente (Amazon basin), and the Galápagos Islands — and each one feels like a different country entirely.

It also uses the US dollar, which removes currency exchange complexity for most visitors and makes budgeting straightforward. It is generally good value — genuinely excellent meals for $3–4, comfortable accommodation for $30–50 per night outside the Galápagos, and intercity buses that cover the country cheaply and comprehensively.

What it is not is a risk-free destination. Ecuador has real security challenges that a first-timer guide has an obligation to address honestly — and we will, because we experienced them firsthand.

Safety in Ecuador: Read This Before You Book

We are going to address safety upfront and in detail, because the standard one-paragraph “take care of your valuables” advice that most Ecuador guides offer is not sufficient. We were pickpocketed in Quito, had our passports and credit cards stolen at the Quito bus station, and had a laptop stolen in Canoa. Three separate incidents in three months. Each one taught us something specific.

What Actually Happened to Us

The Quito bus station passport theft is the incident we want every Ecuador first-timer to read carefully, because the scam is sophisticated and widely used.

We were at the Quito bus terminal heading to Otavalo. A man approached us posing as a bus company employee — uniformed, confident, directing passengers to their seats. He told me that daypacks had to be placed under the seat in front rather than overhead. I did as instructed. Duncan was outside stowing our larger bags in the luggage hold underneath the bus. By the time he boarded, the “employee” had disappeared. We didn’t discover our passports and credit cards were gone until we arrived in Otavalo several hours later.

The scam is designed around the moment of separation — when one person is on the bus, and the other isn’t, and bags are being moved and stowed, and attention is divided. The solution: never put your day bag under the seat at the instruction of someone you haven’t verified as genuine staff. Keep it on your lap or overhead and in your sight at all times.

The result was four days in Guayaquil at the Australian embassy getting emergency travel documents — not the four days we had planned, but ultimately a story that gave us a side of Guayaquil that tourists don’t usually see. More on that below.

The Quito pickpocketing happened on public transport, which is crowded, where it always happens. We were not careless travellers. We had been to over 60 countries. Ecuador’s thieves are skilled and work in coordinated teams, with one person distracting and another lifting. The distraction is the moment — the bump, the question, the dropped item, the bird poo.

The bird poo scam is worth knowing. Someone squirts ketchup or a sauce on your clothing that resembles bird droppings, then points it out helpfully and moves to wipe it off. While your attention is on your clothing, an accomplice takes your bag or picks your pocket. If anything appears on your clothing unexpectedly in a public area, hold your belongings tightly and move away before dealing with it.

The laptop theft in Canoa was opportunistic — a moment of misplaced trust in what felt like a relaxed small-town environment. Beach towns anywhere in the world have their own patterns of theft; the casual atmosphere can create a false sense of security.

Practical Safety Rules for Ecuador

Carry a copy, not the original. Keep your passport in your hotel safe and carry a clear colour photocopy in a separate bag. Many businesses and transport operators will accept a copy for identification. If you are robbed, a copy makes the embassy process significantly faster.

Distribute your cash and cards. Never keep your cards and cash in the same place. Keep one card in your hotel safe, one card on your person in a hidden money belt, and daily spending cash in an accessible pocket. If you’re pickpocketed, you lose the day’s cash, not your entire financial access.

Use ATMs inside banks during business hours, not street ATMs. Card skimming is a known issue in Ecuador. Cover the keypad when entering your PIN.

Be particularly careful at bus terminals. The Quito bus terminal (Terminal Terrestre Quitumbe) is busy, chaotic, and a known environment for organised theft. Arrive with all bags secured to your body, know which bus company and platform you need before you enter, and do not accept assistance from anyone who approaches you unsolicited.

Don’t leave anything visible in parked vehicles. Not a jacket, not a bag, not a phone charger. If it can be seen, it can be broken for.

Check the current travel advisory for Ecuador before you book. The security situation has evolved significantly in recent years, and some areas have become more challenging. The UK Foreign Office, US State Department, and Australian Smart Traveller all maintain current advisories with specific regional guidance.

Get travel insurance. Not optional. Make sure your policy covers theft of electronics, cash, and documents, and check the claims process for passport replacement costs. Purchase travel insurance here

Is Ecuador Worth It?

Emphatically yes. We are sharing these incidents not to deter but to prepare — a forewarned traveller is a significantly safer one. Millions of people visit Ecuador each year without incident. The key is not complacency, which is the state that costs most people their belongings.

Understanding Ecuador: Four Worlds in One Country

Ecuador is divided into four distinct regions, each with its own climate, culture, and character. Understanding which regions you want to visit is the first step in building a sensible itinerary.

The Sierra (Andes Highlands) runs north to south through the centre of the country — a spine of volcanic peaks, highland valleys, indigenous markets, and colonial cities. Quito, Otavalo, Cuenca, and Cotopaxi are all in the Sierra. The altitude here is significant: Quito sits at 2,850 metres, one of the highest capital cities in the world. Acclimatisation is essential.

The Costa (Pacific Coast) stretches the length of Ecuador’s western edge — a varied coastline of surf beaches, fishing villages, mangrove forests, and the port city of Guayaquil. Canoa, Montañita, and Manta are the main draws for visitors. We spent six weeks on the coast and found a side of Ecuador that most travellers miss entirely.

The Oriente (Amazon Basin) covers the eastern third of the country — primary rainforest, river systems, indigenous communities, and extraordinary wildlife. The main access points are Tena, Puyo, and Lago Agrio. We spent three nights in the Amazon; it deserves longer.

The Galápagos Islands sit 1,000km off the coast in the Pacific — a volcanic archipelago of global significance, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to wildlife that evolved in the absence of natural predators and therefore shows no fear of humans. It is one of the most extraordinary wildlife experiences on earth.

Altitude: What First Timers Need to Know

Quito at 2,850 metres is the starting point for most Ecuador itineraries, and altitude sickness — soroche — is a genuine concern for visitors arriving from sea level, regardless of age or fitness level. Even experienced trekkers can be affected.

Symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath — often arriving 6–12 hours after ascent. Most people experience at least mild symptoms in Quito on their first day or two.

What helps:

• Rest on your first day rather than sightseeing immediately
• Drink significantly more water than usual — dehydration worsens altitude symptoms
• Avoid alcohol for the first 48 hours
• Eat lightly — heavy meals are harder to digest at altitude
• Coca tea (mate de coca) is widely available in Quito and the highlands and is the traditional Andean remedy. It is mild, legal in Ecuador, and genuinely helps

What to avoid: Overexertion on arrival. Don’t try to hike Cotopaxi on Day Two. Give your body two to three days to adjust before any strenuous activity.

Medication: Acetazolamide (Diamox) is a prescription medication that helps prevent altitude sickness. Consult your doctor before departure if you are concerned — it needs to be started 24 hours before ascent to be effective.

Cuenca, at 2,550 metres, and Otavalo, at 2,530 metres, also require acclimatisation. The coast and the Amazon basin are at low altitude and require no adjustment.

The Itineraries

10 Days in Ecuador

This itinerary covers Ecuador’s highlights efficiently without feeling rushed.

Notes: Flying from Quito to Cuenca saves 8+ hours of bus travel and is worth the cost. The Guayaquil nights allow for a flexible departure — fly home from Guayaquil or return to Quito for onward travel.

3 Weeks in Ecuador

3 Months (What We Did)

Two weeks in Quito — six weeks house-sitting in Canoa — four days in Guayaquil (unplanned, for passport replacement) — four nights in Otavalo — four nights in the Galápagos — four nights in Cuenca — three nights in the Amazon.

The lesson we took from this: Ecuador rewards slow travel. The places we spent the most time became the places we understood most deeply, and the six weeks in Canoa gave us an experience of Ecuador that no amount of fast touring could have replicated.

Getting Around Ecuador

Intercity Buses

Ecuador has an excellent and very affordable intercity bus network that connects virtually every city and town of consequence. Most routes cost $1–3 per hour of travel, making them by far the cheapest transport option. The buses are generally comfortable on main routes, with reclining seats and air conditioning.

Book bus tickets here

The important caveat: Bus terminals in Ecuador — particularly Quito’s Terminal Terrestre Quitumbe — are environments that require heightened awareness. Keep your bags on your person at all times, do not put luggage down to fumble with tickets or your phone, and be alert to anyone who approaches you unsolicited, offering help or directions.

On the bus itself: keep your day bag on your lap or on the rack above you, where you can see it, not in the hold underneath unless absolutely necessary. If luggage must go in the hold, make sure it is padlocked.

Flying

LATAM and Avianca operate domestic routes between Quito and Guayaquil (45 minutes, $50–100 typically), Quito and Cuenca (45 minutes), and Quito/Guayaquil to the Galápagos. Flying is significantly faster on longer routes, and the prices, while higher than buses, are reasonable. For the Quito–Cuenca leg in particular, we strongly recommend flying over the 8-hour bus journey.

Flights to the Galápagos must be booked well in advance — the islands have strict visitor number controls and seats fill quickly in peak season. Book your flights here

Taxis and Rideshare

In Quito and Guayaquil, use the inDriver or Cabify apps rather than hailing taxis on the street. App-based rides have fixed prices displayed before you confirm, eliminating the negotiation and overcharging issues common with street taxis. If you must use a street taxi, agree on a price before getting in and note the number plate.

Car Hire

Self-driving is possible in Ecuador, but not generally recommended for first-timers. Roads vary from good to very poor, mountain routes require experience, and navigating unfamiliar traffic rules adds stress. The bus network covers most destinations, and private transfers or tours are available for places buses don’t easily reach, such as Cotopaxi.

Quito: Two Weeks in Ecuador’s Capital

Most visitors give Quito two or three nights. We gave it two weeks and were glad of every day. It is a city that reveals itself slowly — the colonial historic centre takes a morning to walk and a lifetime to understand, and the surrounding Andean landscape changes the city’s character every time the clouds shift over the mountains.

The Historic Centre (Centro Histórico)

Quito’s UNESCO World Heritage historic centre is the best preserved colonial city centre in Latin America — better than Lima, better than Bogotá, arguably better than Cartagena for sheer architectural density and authenticity. The Spanish colonial grid of churches, convents, plazas, and palaces covers several square kilometres and is navigable on foot.

The Compañía de Jesús is the centrepiece — a 17th-century Jesuit church whose interior is covered in seven tonnes of gold leaf. It is genuinely overwhelming in the manner of great Baroque churches. Allow an hour to sit in it properly rather than walking through.

La Basílica del Voto Nacional is Ecuador’s largest neo-Gothic church and one of the most dramatic buildings in South America. Climb the towers — past gargoyles shaped as Ecuadorian animals (iguanas, turtles, condors) — for the finest aerial view of the city.

Plaza Grande (Plaza de la Independencia) is the civic heart — the Cathedral, the Government Palace, and the Archbishop’s Palace all face each other across the square. The changing of the guard at the Government Palace happens on Mondays.

La Ronda — a restored colonial lane of whitewashed houses in the lower historic centre — is the best place for an evening drink and live music. Local musicians play traditional Ecuadorian music in the small bars and restaurants from around 7 pm.

Safety in Quito’s Historic Centre

The Centro Histórico is generally safe during daylight hours when it’s busy, but becomes significantly less safe after dark. Take taxis or rideshare apps between the historic centre and the Mariscal/New Town area at night rather than walking. Leave expensive camera equipment at the hotel when navigating busy market areas.

El Panecillo and the Views

The hill of El Panecillo, crowned with a large aluminium Virgin of Quito, sits at the edge of the historic centre and offers panoramic city views. Take a taxi up — don’t walk, the surrounding streets are unsafe for tourists on foot.

Teleférico: The cable car up the flanks of Volcán Pichincha rises to 4,050 metres and gives extraordinary views over the city and, on clear days, multiple volcanoes. It’s cold at the top — bring a jacket regardless of the temperature below.

TelefériQo and Day Trips from Quito

Cotopaxi National Park is the essential day trip. Cotopaxi volcano, at 5,897 metres, is one of the world’s highest active volcanoes and one of Ecuador’s most iconic sights. On a clear day it’s visible from Quito. A day trip takes you to the Limpiopungo lagoon at the volcano’s base (3,800 metres — the altitude is significant, take it slowly) and, for those who want it, a guided hike to the José Ribas refuge at 4,800 metres. The national park itself is beautiful beyond the volcano — páramo grassland, wild horses, and the particular quality of high-altitude Andean light.

Book a guided day trip rather than attempting independently — the park’s access roads are rough, the altitude hits suddenly, and a guide adds context that makes the experience significantly richer.

Mindo Cloud Forest — two hours northwest of Quito in a dramatically different climate zone — is one of the world’s premier birdwatching destinations, with over 400 species recorded. Even non-birders find the cloud forest extraordinary: waterfalls, orchids, chocolate farms, and a landscape of layered green that looks like it was assembled by a production designer. Day trips from Quito are straightforward.

Accommodation in Quito – book here

Otavalo: The Market and the Mountains

Four hours north of Quito (two hours by direct transfer), Otavalo hosts what is reputedly the largest indigenous market in South America — and after visiting, we believe the claim. The Saturday market fills the Plaza de Ponchos and the surrounding streets with textiles, leather goods, carvings, jewellery, and weavings produced by the Otavaleño people, who have been trading here for centuries.

Go on Saturday. The market runs daily, but Saturday is when it explodes into something extraordinary — hundreds of stalls, the Otavaleño vendors in their traditional dress of white shirts, dark ponchos, and felt hats, the smell of cooking food, the noise of bargaining in three languages at once. Get there early — by 8 am the best light is perfect for photography and the crowds are still manageable.

Bargaining is expected but should be done respectfully. The Otavaleño are skilled traders who have been doing this longer than most visitors’ countries have existed. A reasonable counteroffer is appropriate; aggressive bargaining over a few dollars is not.

Beyond the market, Otavalo sits in a beautiful valley ringed by volcanic peaks. Laguna Cuicocha — a crater lake inside an extinct volcano, with two small islands in its centre — is worth a half-day excursion. The walk around the lake rim takes 3–4 hours and gives extraordinary views. Cotacachi, a leather goods town 15 minutes from Otavalo, has an entire street of leather workshops — bags, jackets, belts — at prices significantly below anything you’ll find in Europe or Australia.

The food at the market: Look for hornado — whole roasted pig — sold from enormous pots by Otavaleño women in traditional dress. It comes with mote (hominy corn), potatoes, and curtido (pickled vegetables). A plate costs $2–3 and is one of the finest things we ate in Ecuador.

Accommodation in Otavalo – book here

Canoa: Six Weeks Living as a Local

Most Ecuador guides don’t mention Canoa. Those that do give it a paragraph — a surf beach on the northern coast, good waves, laid-back atmosphere, move on. We spent six weeks there, house-sitting, and it became one of the most unexpectedly profound experiences of the whole trip.

Canoa is a small fishing and surf village on the Pacific coast of Manabí province, about 3.5 hours north of Guayaquil by bus. The beach is extraordinary — a wide arc of dark sand stretching for miles in each direction, surf breaking consistently, pelicans flying in formation just above the wave line at dusk. There are no resorts, no international hotel chains, no tourist infrastructure to speak of. There are beach bars, a handful of good restaurants, surf schools, and a population of locals who go about their lives with a lack of interest in performance that is genuinely refreshing after more tourist-heavy destinations.

Living there rather than visiting it changed how we understood the coast. Our days had a rhythm: morning coffee on the terrace, walk to the market for vegetables and fresh fish, a few hours of work, afternoon at the beach, evening at one of the beach bar tables as the sun went down. The house-sit gave us a kitchen, a local neighbourhood, and the experience of shopping at the same stalls and eating at the same places as the people who actually live there.

The whale watching is exceptional and almost unknown outside Ecuador. Humpback whales migrate through the coastal waters off Canoa and the surrounding coast from June to September — this stretch of Pacific is one of the best whale watching environments in South America, with mothers and calves frequently visible close to shore. We watched whales from the beach. Take a boat trip for closer encounters.

The 2016 earthquake hit this part of Ecuador’s coast severely, and Canoa was significantly damaged. The village has rebuilt, but the rebuilding process is still visible in places — it adds a layer of resilience and community to what might otherwise feel like just a pretty beach town.

Surf lessons are available from multiple local schools at very reasonable prices. The beach break at Canoa is well-suited to beginners — consistent, not too powerful, with instructors who are patient and genuinely skilled.

What to watch: Our laptop was stolen in Canoa. Beach towns have opportunistic theft patterns, and the relaxed atmosphere can create a false sense of security. Don’t leave anything unattended on the beach or visible in accommodation that isn’t properly secured.

Accommodation in Canoa – book here

The Galápagos Islands: Four Days That Changed Everything

The Galápagos Islands are unlike anywhere else on earth, and that is a sentence we use sparingly. The wildlife here evolved over millions of years in the absence of natural predators, which means the animals have no fear of humans. Sea lions sleep on park benches. Marine iguanas ignore you from a distance of 30 centimetres. Blue-footed boobies perform their mating dance two feet from your face. Giant tortoises regard you with an expression of ancient indifference.

The experience of walking through this landscape — where the wildlife neither flees nor performs for you but simply exists in your presence — is unlike any safari, any aquarium, any wildlife experience we’ve had anywhere in the world.

Practical Galápagos Planning

Getting there: Fly from Quito or Guayaquil to either Baltra Island (for Santa Cruz) or San Cristóbal. Flight time is approximately 2–3 hours. LATAM and Avianca operate the routes. Book as far in advance as possible — seats fill quickly, and last-minute prices are high. Book your flights here

Entry fees: All visitors pay a Galápagos National Park entrance fee of $200 USD per person, children USD 100 (as of 2026; confirm current fee before travel). This is paid on arrival and must be in cash. Keep your permit — you’ll need to show it throughout your visit.

Cruise vs land-based: This is the central planning decision for the Galápagos.

A liveaboard cruise (3–14 days) takes you to multiple islands, including the outer islands that are inaccessible from land-based operations. You wake up on a different island each morning, wildlife encounters are exclusive to your group, and experienced naturalist guides add depth to everything you see. It is the best way to see the Galápagos. It is also expensive — budget $250–500 per person per day for a mid-range vessel, and significantly more for premium operators.

Land-based (staying on Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, or Isabela island) is considerably cheaper and still extraordinary. You take day trips to visitor sites, sleep in a hotel, and eat in local restaurants. You won’t reach the outer islands, but the accessible sites include some of the finest wildlife encounters in the archipelago. We did four nights land-based on Santa Cruz and had experiences we will not forget.

How many days: Four nights is the minimum to do the Galápagos meaningful justice from a land-based position. A week is better. For a liveaboard, 7–8 days covers the main island circuit.

What We Saw on Santa Cruz

Charles Darwin Research Station is the starting point — the tortoise breeding program here is where the famous Lonesome George (the last Pinta Island tortoise, who died in 2012) lived, and where giant tortoises at various ages from hatchling to century-old are present in extraordinary numbers. The station explains the conservation story of the islands with real clarity.

Tortuga Bay — a 45-minute walk from Puerto Ayora — is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Galápagos and almost deserted. Marine iguanas line the path. At the far end of the bay, a calmer lagoon has white-tipped reef sharks in the shallows and sea turtles nesting on the beach.

The highlands of Santa Cruz contain the lava tubes (tunnels formed by ancient volcanic activity) and the best place to see giant tortoises in their natural habitat — roaming freely through farmland that has been preserved specifically for them. Seeing a tortoise that may be 150 years old moving slowly through long grass in the mist is one of those experiences that stays with you.

Snorkelling with sea lions, sea turtles, reef sharks, and schools of tropical fish is available from multiple points around Puerto Ayora. The sea lions in particular treat snorkellers as playmates — they spiral around you, blow bubbles in your face, and generally behave as though you are the most entertaining thing that has appeared in the ocean today.

Accommodation in the Galapagos Islands – book here

Cuenca: The Most Liveable City in Ecuador

Cuenca is where we went, expecting two days and wanted to stay two weeks. It is, by some distance, the most beautiful and most liveable city in Ecuador — a colonial gem of cobbled streets, flower-filled plazas, and the Rio Tomebamba running below the old town walls, with the blue domes of the new cathedral as the city’s defining skyline.

Where Quito is grand and somewhat overwhelming, Cuenca is human-scale. You can walk from one end of the historic centre to the other in twenty minutes. The restaurants are exceptional by any standard — we ate better in Cuenca than in most cities in South America. The accommodation is warm and personal — small boutique hotels in converted colonial houses that are some of the best-value stays we’ve found anywhere.

What to Do in Cuenca

The Historic Centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the colonial architecture here is better maintained and more complete than almost anywhere in Latin America. The Cathedral de la Inmaculada Concepción (the “New Cathedral” despite being begun in 1885) has the iconic blue domes and a cavernous interior that rewards a quiet hour inside. The “Old Cathedral” adjacent to it — actually older, now a museum — has a beautiful baroque façade and excellent city views from the bell tower.

The Pumapungo Museum contains the most significant collection of Cañari and Inca artefacts in Ecuador — the site it stands on was a major Inca administrative centre, and excavations have revealed extraordinary material. The adjoining ethnographic museum covers Ecuador’s indigenous cultures with genuine depth.

The Flower Market in Plaza San Francisco and the daily Mercado 10 de Agosto give you Cuenca at its most local — women in traditional pollera skirts selling produce they’ve brought from the surrounding countryside, the smell of cooking food, the noise and colour of a market that exists for residents rather than visitors.

The Hat Factories: The “Panama hat” is famously Ecuadorian rather than Panamanian — it acquired its misleading name during the construction of the Panama Canal when the hats being worn by workers were imported from Ecuador. The finest quality Panama hats in the world are made in Cuenca and the surrounding Azuay province. The Homero Ortega factory has been producing them since 1900 and offers tours showing the production process, from the toquilla straw to the finished hat. The difference in quality between a $10 hat sold at a tourist market and a $200–500 hand-woven Cuenca hat is visible and significant.

Where to Eat in Cuenca

Cuenca’s food scene is the best in Ecuador, outside possibly Quito, and in our experience, better than Quito for the combination of quality and value.

Café Austria on the main plaza does exceptional breakfasts and has been a Cuenca institution for decades. Tiesto’s — a few blocks from the historic centre — is the best restaurant in the city for Ecuadorian cuisine: guinea pig (cuy) if you’re adventurous, lomo saltado, ceviche, and the corviche (fish and peanut fritters) that appear on menus across the coast and highlands. Los Copihues does excellent traditional Cuencano cooking for lunch at prices that seem impossible for the quality.

Cuy (guinea pig) is the traditional Andean delicacy that appears on menus across the Sierra. Whole-roasted and served with potatoes and salsa, it tastes more like rabbit than chicken. It is definitely a “when in Ecuador” experience.

Where to Stay in Cuenca

The boutique hotels in converted colonial houses around the historic centre are some of the best-value accommodations in South America. Expect to pay $50–80 per night for beautifully maintained rooms in buildings that are two or three hundred years old, with interior courtyards and personal service that chain hotels cannot replicate.

Check out the accommodation available in Cuenca here

Guayaquil: Four Days We Hadn’t Planned

We went to Guayaquil because we had no passports and the Australian embassy was there. We stayed four days while the emergency travel documents were processed and came away with a far more nuanced view of Ecuador’s largest city than we would have got from a planned two-night stopover.

Guayaquil has a complicated reputation — it is Ecuador’s commercial capital and largest city, historically rough around the edges, and often dismissed by travellers as merely an inconvenient gateway to the Galápagos. That dismissal undersells it.

Las Peñas — the colourful neighbourhood of painted wooden houses climbing the Cerro Santa Ana hill above the Malecón — is one of the most genuinely charming urban neighbourhoods we encountered in Ecuador. The steps winding up the hill are lined with art galleries, small restaurants, and bars, and the view from the top over the Rio Guayas estuary and the city below is excellent.

The Malecón 2000 — the riverside promenade along the Guayas — is where the city relaxes. Morning joggers, families on weekends, boats heading to the far bank. The MAAC (Museum of Anthropology and Contemporary Art) at the north end has an excellent pre-Columbian collection.

The food market at Mercado Artesanal is the best place to eat cheaply and well — ceviche, encebollado (a fish and yuca soup that is Ecuador’s unofficial hangover cure and one of the finest things in the national food repertoire), and fresh tropical fruit juices.

For Galápagos-bound travellers, Guayaquil is typically the departure point, and most people spend one night before the morning flight. Two nights allow you to actually see the city. It earns the time.

Book accommodation in Guayaquil here

The Amazon: Three Nights in the Oriente

Three nights is not enough time in Ecuador’s Amazon. We say this having only had three nights. It gives you a taste — a river trip, a canoe into flooded forest, a night walk listening to the sounds that an Amazonian night produces — that leaves you wanting significantly more.

The main gateway towns are Tena (the most accessible and best base for first-timers), Puyo, and Lago Agrio. Tena is 4–5 hours from Quito by bus and has an excellent infrastructure of lodges and tour operators offering Amazon experiences at various price points.

A reputable jungle lodge with guided activities is the right approach for a first Amazon visit — the forest requires interpretation to understand, and a skilled local guide will show you things you would walk past unseeing. Look for lodges that work with and employ local indigenous communities rather than operations that are purely extractive.

What to expect: River journeys by dugout canoe into primary and secondary forest, night walks (the Amazon at night is another world of sound and movement), piranha fishing, visits to indigenous communities, and wildlife that ranges from the spectacular (giant river otters, caiman, pink river dolphins) to the endlessly fascinating (poison dart frogs, tarantulas, leaf-cutter ant highways). Mosquitoes are a constant — bring strong repellent and consider anti-malarial medication (consult your doctor).

Book a 3 day stay here

Food in Ecuador: What to Eat and Where

Three months of eating in Ecuador taught us that the food is significantly more interesting and varied than its reputation suggests. Here is where to start.

Ceviche: Ecuadorian ceviche is different from Peruvian — it uses a tomato-based marinade rather than citrus-cured, and is typically served with popcorn and chifles (fried plantain chips) rather than corn. It is excellent and available everywhere on the coast. In Guayaquil and the coastal towns, order it from busy local restaurants where turnover is high, and freshness is guaranteed.

Encebollado: Ecuador’s national breakfast and the best hangover cure in South America — a thick soup of albacore tuna, yuca, and pickled red onion with tomato and coriander. It is sold from early morning at market stalls and local restaurants across the country and costs $1–2. Order it with patacones (twice-fried green plantain) on the side.

Llapingachos: Fried potato cakes stuffed with cheese — the Andean comfort food staple, served with fried egg, avocado, and chorizo. Found everywhere in the Sierra and one of the great simple pleasures of highland Ecuador.

Seco de Pollo/Carne: A slow-cooked stew of chicken or beef with naranjilla (a sharp citrus fruit native to Ecuador), tomato, and spices, served with rice and beans. The standard Ecuadorian main meal is one of those dishes that is done a little differently in every household.

The Almuerzo: The midday set lunch — typically a soup course, a main of rice with meat or fish, a small salad, juice, and sometimes a dessert — available at small local restaurants (restaurants serving this call it “almuerzo” and display it outside). Cost: $2.50–4. It is how Ecuador eats lunch, and it is how you should eat lunch if you want to eat well and cheaply. We ate almuerzo most days for three months, and it never bored us.

Chocolate: Ecuador produces some of the finest cacao in the world — the Arriba Nacional variety has a floral, complex flavour profile that the finest European chocolate makers use. Buy single-origin Ecuadorian chocolate before you leave — the airport has good selections, or visit a producer in Quito or Mindo.

Practical Information

Money

Ecuador uses the US dollar. ATMs are widely available in cities and major towns; carry cash when heading to rural areas, smaller coastal towns, and the Amazon, where ATMs are scarce or unreliable.

Daily budget guide:

• Budget traveller: $30–50 per day (almuerzo lunches, hostel dorms, public buses)
• Mid-range: $60–100 per day (private hotel rooms, some restaurant meals, occasional taxis)
• Galápagos adds significantly — budget $150–300 per day on top of your mainland costs for land-based island travel

Visa

Most nationalities, including Australian, British, American, Canadian, and European Union citizens, can enter Ecuador visa-free for up to 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your entry date. Check the current requirements for your nationality before travel as regulations can change.

Health

Vaccinations: Consult your doctor or travel clinic at least 4–6 weeks before departure. Hepatitis A and Typhoid are commonly recommended. Yellow Fever vaccination is required if arriving from certain countries and is recommended for travel to the Amazon. Malaria prophylaxis should be discussed with your doctor if you’re spending time in the Oriente.

Water: Drink bottled or filtered water throughout Ecuador — tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled water is cheap and universally available.

Food safety: Eat hot food hot and be cautious with raw vegetables in local markets that may have been washed in tap water.

Medical facilities: Quito and Guayaquil have good private hospitals. Outside the main cities, medical facilities are basic. Good travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage is essential.

Voltage and Plugs

120V, 60Hz — the same as the United States. Plugs are US-style flat two or three-pin. Most Australian, European, and British devices will need a voltage converter as well as a plug adapter.

Emergency Numbers

911 — Police, fire, and ambulance across Ecuador.

Language

Spanish is the official language. English is spoken at major hotels, tourist operations, and in the Galápagos, but outside tourism-facing businesses in smaller towns, Spanish is necessary. Learn at minimum: greetings, numbers, food vocabulary, and “where is…?” The Ecuadorian accent is considered one of the clearest in Latin America and relatively easy for Spanish learners to understand.

Best Time to Visit

The highlands (Quito, Otavalo, Cuenca, Cotopaxi): Dry season runs from June to September and December to January — clear skies, cold nights, good volcano views. The rest of the year is wetter but still generally manageable, with rain typically arriving as afternoon showers.

The coast: December to May is warm and relatively dry; June to November is cooler and greyer but excellent for whale watching (June–September). Canoa is good year-round for surfing.

The Galápagos: Two seasons — the warm/wet season (December to May) brings calmer seas, warmer water for snorkelling, and green vegetation; the cool/dry season (June to November) has rougher seas but excellent visibility and large marine animal aggregations. Both seasons are good. December to January and June to August are peak booking periods.

The Amazon: The driest months (October to February) have lower rivers and easier land access. The wet season (March to September) floods the forest floor, enabling canoe access to areas impossible to reach otherwise — both have their advantages.

The Verdict

Ecuador is not the easiest country in South America. It asks more of its visitors than neighbouring Peru or Colombia in some respects — the altitude hits you, the security requires constant awareness, and the infrastructure in rural areas can be challenging. But what it gives back is extraordinary.

The Galápagos alone would justify the trip. Otavalo alone would justify the trip. Six weeks in Canoa taught us that the most rewarding travel experiences are often the ones that weren’t on the original itinerary — the long stays in places that weren’t famous, the mornings at the market buying fish for dinner, the afternoons watching whales from a beach that most people drive past.

We went to Ecuador for a few weeks and stayed for three months. We left with stories we’re still telling and a country that we’re still not finished with.

The passports were replaced. Eventually.

Quick Reference

Don’t miss: Otavalo Saturday market, Galápagos Islands, Cuenca historic centre, Cotopaxi day trip, Canoa coast, Amazon jungle lodge, encebollado for breakfast.

Eat: Almuerzo (set lunch, $2.50–4), encebollado, ceviche ecuatoriano, llapingachos, hornado at Otavalo market, single-origin Ecuadorian chocolate.

Safety essentials: Carry a passport copy not the original; distribute cash and cards; use ATMs inside banks; book bus routes in advance and guard bags at terminals; use app-based taxis in cities.

Emergency number: 911

Check before you go: Current Ecuador travel advisory (situation has changed in recent years); Yellow Fever vaccination requirements; Galápagos National Park entry fee (currently $200, cash only on arrival).

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