Ecuador Loves Life

(1) View of Guayaquil (2) Guayaquil Cathedral

Small country located in the northwest corner of South America, crossed by the line that carries the same name: the Equatorial Line (0° 0 ' 0 " ), which divides the world into the northern and southern hemisphere.

The effects of ocean currents to what it is exposed and its location on the planet, provide particular characteristics to its territory. That is why, unlike Peru for example, the coast is warm but full of vegetation while in the country of the Incas is desert.

Being a small country (283 520 km²) its complete territory can be explored in a short time, what is even easier by the good condition of their roads. A travel from Guayaquil to Quito or from Quito to Cuenca can be completed in just 8 hours.

But despite its small size, Ecuador has much to offer, so much that in a single day you can enjoy its coast, the high lands and the amazon. In addition to the above-mentioned areas, Ecuador has an unique and very beautiful insular area: The Galapagos Islands.

(1) Oustanding "green"cemetery in Tulcan (2) Beautiful streets in Quito

Being Peruvian and having the best cuisin in the world (according to the World Travel Awards), I can say that the gastronomic proposal of Ecuador is not as varied as ours but it is much better than I expected. Added to this, is the growing development of the tourism services, that means that there are many locals of food that compete for their quality, between them, which is beneficial for visitors. There are even many "popular" locals, called street food and stands in the markets, where you can enjoy pleasantly a good “locro” (Ecuadorian soup made with potatoes and cheese), “papas locas” (crazy potatoes), a delicious “bolon de verde” (or fried green banana) or the famous “patacon”.

Traditional Ecuadorian locro

Cities such as Quito, Guayaquil, Ibarra, Otavalo, Baños and Cuenca are unpredictable; even the small Tulcán, which has a beautiful "green" cemetery and a protected natural area (The Angel), that must be included in your list of visits.

Its biodiversity, tradition, history, festivals and customs are related with the warmth of its people. Clean streets, tidy markets, diverse cultural proposals, decentralized local governments (GAD) that are responsible for the development of each city, the rescue of forgotten spaces, and the ease of exploring an entire country in a few days are just some of the reasons why I recommend Ecuador as a placeOK.

It is not a coincidence that in 2013 Ecuador has been regarded as the second most popular tourist destination by the daily The Country of Spain, Quito is counted as one of the best tourist destinations by the National Geographic Traveller and was highlighted as the best destination in South America by the World Travel Awards, Cuenca has been rated by International Living as the best city in the world for retirees, Lonely Planet believes in addition that Ecuador is one of the best travel destinations. Ecuador is a very special place, it´s one of those countries in our bucket list especially for travelers who want to learn a lot about a country in a short time.

(1) Extraordinry view of Toreadora lagoon in Cuenca (2) Birdwatching activities in Mashpi Lodge (Quito)

Useful Data

Visa: No visa required for stay up to 90 days. Documents required: To enter Ecuador passport is necessary for six months or more since the day of entry into the country. The members of the Andean Community can enter only with its National Identity Document.

Weather: It´s varied according to the town you visit. There are areas where the heat is intense and in many cases the rains are also abundant. It´s recommended to check the weather in advanced.

Access roads: The state of the roads has recently been enhanced so they´re in very good condition. You can enter the country by land, through national and international flights and also for cruises. It´s important to mention that this year it has been established a maximum speed limit rule for public transportation units, which must be respected.

Tips: It is custom to leave 10% of the account as gratuity, although this is not mandatory. Communication: It is difficult to find public telephones but instead you will find a lot of cyber-cafes from which you can make local and international calls.

Currency: The official currency is the US Dollar so you can use bills from US$ 1, 5, 10, 20 , 50 and 100. However, due to the circulation of counterfeit money is difficult to use bills of US$ 50 and 100. There are also coins of US and Ecuadorian Dollars.

Schedules: In most of the Ecuadorian cities there is no nightlife. That is why some streets may be desert by 7 or 8 pm. This doesn´t happen in Guayaquil or in some areas of the main cities such as Cuenca or Quito.

Sale of alcoholic beverages: On Sundays is prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages and their consumption. Restaurants can only sell beer or wine during the lunch hour.

OK tip

If you don´t have so much time to visit the country, I highly recommend to take customized tours like the ones offers by Metropolitan Touring or, to contact official organization than can help you to plan your trip such as Fundacion Municipal Turismo para Cuenca or the Tourism Area of Municipalidad de Guayaquil.

Excellent hotel offers.