Welcome to my first World Travel Pro, World Travel Report. In this report I will be covering Ecuador. Each World Travel Report will be taken from a long term backer perspective and will be focusing on the seven key elements of "backpacker Paradise".
Ecuador
Back Packer Paradise Score: 3.5
Affordability= 4
Food= 2
Culture = 3.5
Safety = 3.5
Activities = 4.5
Hotel Value= 4
Transportation = 3
Paradise Hot Spots: Vilcabamba, Cuenca, Quito, Montanita, Banos
Ecuador is a country I've spent a considerable amount of time in. It rates high in affordability, which makes it great for long term travel. You can generally find and negotiate deals for hotels in the 8-13 dollar range throughout the country. They will try to double the price for a second person, but you can often negotiate that down to an extra 5 dollars.
Ecuador is a popular retirement destination, and offers great long term visa opportunities as well. Ecuador hosts one of the biggest retirement communities in South America in the city of Cuenca. A very lovely city that has benefited immensely from the money brought in by retirees.
A pristine Central Park along side the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Cuenca; considered the biggest and nicest in all of South America. Hosting pink marble floors imported from Italy!
The second most famous retirement community is in Vilcabamba "The valley of longevity" at 5,000 ft above sea level near the equator, it has year round perfect weather. Many also refer to this place as a health-food haven, and the raw food capitol of the world!
Here is a photo of the park and church in Vilcabamba
Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in South America, but packs a big punch in terms of what you can do here. The country crosses from beaches on the Pacific to the Andes mountains, then to the jungle of the Amazon. This offers great opportunity for some incredible outdoor adventures including: surfing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, hiking, jungle trekking, bird watching, rafting, camping and more!
It's a very culturally divers country, and generally safe without many scams. The Andes and Amazon regions are much safer and traveler friendly than the coast. The main city on the coast is Guayaquil I don't advise even going there. It's like the 100% Latino Miami, only more dangerous, poorer, and expensive.
Drinking and street cred, is generally what the "Guayacas" are all about. The entire coast more or less has adopted this culture, the city of Esmereldas in the north west is even worse. However there are some gems to be found like Ayampe a humble beach town, and the touristy surf party mecca, Montanita.
The Andes region has a much safer and richer culture. It's comprised of a high population of Quichwa Indians and they hold their values to a high standard. They are polite, friendly, and interesting. Latacunga is a historic city small enough to cover on foot. A great place to take a step back in time.
Latacunga with snow capped Volcano Cotopaxi in the distance.
Banos is one of the more touristed areas for Ecuadorians and foreigners alike. It's famous for it's natural hot spring baths, hiking, rafting, scenic waterfalls, and the famous down hill mountain biking rout leading into the Amazon. The Amazon region offers tours, and eco-tourism. It's a great place to get wild and meet some serious indigenous tribes.
Natural hot water baths in Banos
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The food in this country is like I find in many Central and South American countries, bland, lacks spices, and if you find anything green on your plate consider yourself lucky! It's certainly affordable especially the "almouerzos", set lunches. They range from 2-4 dollars and should fill you up. They generally consist of a soup, juice, meat, rice, and secondary starch like potato or yucca.
The cleanliness can be an issue, one must be careful of what they eat. The best way to take precaution is to avoid eating from the stalls in the open air markets and take a good look at who is cooking, the cleanliness of the restaurant, and if they are busy.
To have your own apartment and cook for yourself can make a world of difference. Shopping in the open air markets is fun and very cheap. They have a decent range of fruit and vegetables. Meat is not refrigerated, so come early in the morning when it's most fresh. If you prefer a more western food shopping experience. The big super market chain is called Super Maxi and you can find them in the more populated cities, but expect higher prices.
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Transportation is generally done by bus. It's cheap, you can go from Quito in the north 10 hours south to Loja for less than 15 dollars. However winding through the Andes makes for slow tedious travel, some have been known to get motion sickness. Flying is an ok option, but the government has high taxes on flights and can cost about 100 dollars one way, domestic.
Overall I recommend a trip to Ecuador. This country has a lot to offer. It rates well on the backpacker paradise scale. It's downsides are made up fore in many ways. With a rich culture and lots to do, you will be in for a great travel experience!
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