{"id":14843,"date":"2022-11-02T00:29:23","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T00:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/ecuador-travel-blog\/"},"modified":"2024-01-16T15:33:49","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T15:33:49","slug":"ecuador-travel-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/ecuador-travel-blog\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Things to Know Before Visiting Ecuador"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Planning a trip to Ecuador? Imagine Ecuador offers,  tips on the best time to visit, getting around, Ecuadorian food, travel costs, and how to stay safe.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate and weather in Ecuador<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since Ecuador is situated along the earth\u2019s equator (ecuador is Spanish for equator), the temperature is fairly consistent throughout the year, but does vary by region. Higher-elevation areas (such as Cotopaxi volcano and mountainous regions) can get chilly, so you\u2019ll want to pack warmer clothes as well as those you\u2019d need for a visit to the coast, Gal\u00e1pagos, or the Amazon. Ecuador\u2019s cloud forest is wet, like the rainforest, but it\u2019s also a bit cooler, so be sure to bring layers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along the Andes, February, March and April tend to be the wettest months while June, July, and August tend to be the driest. The southern coast and the Gal\u00e1pagos are sunniest and warmest from December through to May. The northern coast is best June to October. The Amazon doesn\u2019t vary too much, and you should always expect rain, so pack a lightweight, waterproof jacket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you plan to do serious hiking, good trekking boots are recommended, but most visitors who aren\u2019t trekking get by with comfortable walking shoes. I wore hiking sandals for easy hikes in Gal\u00e1pagos, but when I got to the rainforest and cloud forest, the hotels and attractions I visited provided knee-high rubber boots that not only provide protection from rain and mud, but also from snakes and other rainforest critters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Popular food in Ecuador<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ceviche (fresh, raw fish, cured in fresh citrus juice) is one of the most popular dishes in Ecuador \u2013 you\u2019ll find it everywhere from street stalls and hole-in-the-wall restaurants to five-star hotels. Unlike Peru\u2019s better-known \u201cdry\u201d version, Ecuadorian ceviche is served in a watery broth, typically consisting of lime juice and\/or the liquid the seafood was prepared in. While shrimp and fish are the most popular versions, you\u2019ll also find vegetarian ceviche made with hearts of palm or lupini beans (chocho). Regardless of the type of ceviche you order, it\u2019s sure to come with a side of popcorn, tostado\/choclo (Andean corn nuts), chifles (thin plantain chips), and\/or patacones (thick green plantain chips). Ceviche accompaniments are so addictive that you may order a separate bowl as a side dish \u2013 or is that just me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another distinctive Ecuadorian dish is cuy asado, or roasted guinea pig, which is typically barbecued whole and found in regions across the Andes. Llapingachos \u2013 pronounced ya-peen-gah-chos \u2013 are fried potato (or yucca) patties stuffed with cheese and served with a peanut sauce, sausage, eggs, and salad. Ecuadorian food is not particularly spicy, but many restaurants have hot sauce on hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAFE TRAVEL<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Is Ecuador safe?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ecuador is a relatively safe country, and I felt very comfortable traveling as a solo person. Like many countries, pickpocketing and other petty crime can be a problem, particularly in large cities such as Quito and Guayaquil. Wear your fanny pack or backpack on your front and keep your wallet and phone in front pockets. Robberies occasionally happen on overnight buses or in unlicensed taxis, so it\u2019s best to travel during the day and only with reputable transportation companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some parts of Ecuador (such as Quito and Cotopaxi) are high-elevation regions, which can put travelers at risk of altitude sickness. You\u2019ll want to allow some downtime to acclimate before jumping right into activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Currency and travel costs in Ecuador<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ecuador uses the US dollar as currency and the country tends to be less expensive than the United States, but it\u2019s not exactly a budget destination. ATMs are available in major cities, but not in rural or isolated areas, so be sure to carry cash. Large companies and high-end hotels may accept credit cards, but many small businesses only accept cash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget travelers can expect to spend about $40-50\/day and mid-range travelers should expect to pay about $50-100\/day. High-end travel varies widely, as luxury hotels and lodges can cost $300-500\/night. Gal\u00e1pagos is the most expensive part of the country to visit, both in terms of activities, tour operators, and lodging, and also in terms of food, beverages, and souvenirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicer restaurants may add a 10% service charge to the bill, but if you don\u2019t see the charge there, be sure to tip the server directly. If the service is great, add an additional 5% tip. Guides (for both group and private tours) expect to be tipped and rely on these tips, so budget in about $5-10\/person per day for group tours and $10-20\/day for private guides. Taxi drivers don\u2019t typically expect tips, but always appreciate them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Planning a trip to Ecuador? Imagine Ecuador offers,  tips on the best time to visit, getting around, Ecuadorian food, travel costs, and how to stay safe. Climate and weather in Ecuador Since Ecuador is situated along the earth\u2019s equator (ecuador is Spanish for equator), the temperature is fairly consistent throughout the year, but does vary […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15650,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_front_end_style_editor":"no","ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","_joinchat":[],"ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"off","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sin-categorizar","category-travel-tips-es","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14843"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14843\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imagineecuador.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}