Ecuador Bound

TIME ZONE: GMT minus 5 hours on mainland Ecuador and GMT minus 6 hours in the Galapagos Islands. Daylight Savings Time is not used in Ecuador.

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COUNTRY CALLING CODE: +593 + city code.

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LANGUAGE: The main language spoken is Spanish, followed by Quechua and then 20 or so other indiginous variations.

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REGIONS: Ecuador is basically divided into four unique regions. They are called different names depending on who you are talking to. They are:

• The Pacific Coast (La Costa)
• The Andes or Sierra (La Sierrra)
• The Amazon Rainforest or El Oriente (Amazonia) and
• The Galapagos Islands (Galapagos)

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RELIGION: Ecuador Religion can be defined as a secular in nature because the country of Ecuador practices freedom of worship, as mandated by The Ecuadorian Constitution of 1998. The dominant religion in Ecuador is Catholic. During the many festivals in Ecuador the indiginous people also parade their religions alongside of the Catholic traditions.

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MONEY: The official money used in Ecuador is the American Dollar (USD). The bills are the same as those used in the United States but the coins are printed in Ecuador with the images of historical personalities in Ecuador. They are the same in size, weight, etc. but they are only valid within the territory of Ecuador.

Additionally, Ecuador, at the time of dollarization, issued centavo coins. These coins are issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and $1. These are equal in value to the U.S. coins. The $1 centavo coin is commonly used.

ATM’s are found in most towns and cities and in some remote areas as well. Just be sure you pay attention to the logos on the ATM terminal to check which companies service it such as Pulse ATM or Cirrus ATM. This is common in the States. Also, for added protection please note that the safest ATM’s are those that are found inside shopping centers and in front of actual banks themselves.

Credit and debit cards are used heavily, with some surcharge, and Traveler’s Checks are accepted at the banks for a surcharge as well.

If you are going to do a bank transfer note that it takes at least 3 working days.

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WEATHER: The weather and climate of Ecuador depends on where you are. As a general rule: The climate is tropical along the Pacific Coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations such as in The Sierra; and back to tropical in the Amazonian jungle lowlands (Oriente).

I have included a weather widget for each of the 3 largest cities for your convience:

Forecast for Cuenca

Forecast for Guayaquil

Forecast for Quito

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TAXES: 12% VAT and 10% service in most hotels and restaurants. Be sure to ask if this tax is already included in the bill, most are, but some are not.

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ELECTRIC CURRENT: 110/AC. So bring along your small electric appliances like shavers and hair dryers. NOTE: It is good to bring, or buy, a 3-pronged adapter as some of the outlets are the old style and don’t accomodate the newer 3-pronged connectors.

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HEALTH RISKS: No vaccinations are needed to enter Ecuador. As with any tropical country around the world there is a risk of malaria, as in certain areas of the Amazon and the Coast. Discuss these issues with your local Dr. or Health Department.

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EXPORT PRODUCTS: Oil, bananas, shrimp, fish, flowers, coffee, wooden products, etc.

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YOUR SAFETY: The safest way to carry money is a money belt worn under clothing. As in most touristy locals, pickpockets can spot a traveler a mile away. Also keep spare cash in a separate purse or wallet for easy access. This actually helps out in the event you do get pickpocketed, as the theif will NOT get all your money and won’t suspect he hasn’t gotten it!

Remember to leave your documents and valuables in a safety deposit box in your hotel (most hotels will accomodate this need). You just need to carry the copy of your passport. I have heard make sure the copies are in color (never leave without at least that).

Unfortunately, a general rule of thumb is don’t take busses and chances at night. After 6 p.m. it’s best to call a taxi from the hotel or restaurant for evening visits to the city or going out for dinner. Avoid walking the streets after dark also, unless you are not in the city and have the go ahead from people who know the area.

You’ll be surprised by the clean, modern and efficient airports in Ecuador (videos below).

There are 3 main airlines that fly to Ecuador on a regular basis. They fly to all 3 of Ecuador’s largest cities:

• Quito – Quito – Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO/SEQU) which was refurbished just a few years ago, however, a brand New Quito International Airport (NQIA) is currently being constructed 10 miles from Quito and the first phase is expected to open in late 2009 – early 2010. This new airport (video below) will be at a lower altitude and the NQIA will have a new airport terminal and 10 times more space than the existing airport (3,500 acres). It will be able to schedule more convenient take off and arrival times.
• Guayaquil – José Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport (GYE/SEGU) which opened in mid-2006 &
• Cuenca -Mariscal Lamar Airport (CUE/SECU).

The 3 Main Airlines are:

• American Airlines (http://www.aa.com)
• LAN (http://www.lan.com) – Site is in Spanish
• AeroGal (https://www.aerogal.com.ec) – Site is in Spanish

Flight options from the U.S. to Ecuador have recently expanded by AeroGal, an established Ecuadorian airline. They added Miami-Guayaquil and Miami-Quito flights. American Airlines and LAN (a highly regarded South American airline) have been flying these routes for years. AeroGal, the new kid on the block, is a good choice if you are looking to save a bit.

You have other options as well according to A-Z Airports:

Airlines Serving Quito Airport: Aerosucre, American Airlines, Arrow Cargo, Atlas Air, Avianca, COPA, Cielos Airlines, Continental, Delta Air Lines, Florida West, Iberia, Icaro, KLM, LAN Airlines, Martinair, SJM, TAME, Tampa, UPS Airlines, Vipair.

Once in Ecuador, you probably will want to continue on your adventure. Getting to the coast (la costa) takes approximately 20 minutes from Quito and flying to the jungle or Amazon (el oriente) takes just 30 minutes.

According to Ecuador Explorer:

TAME has flights to almost all destinations in the country including: Guayaquil, Quito, the Galapagos, Bahía, Esmeraldas, Manta, Portoviejo, Machala, Cuenca, Loja, Tulcán, Coca, Lago Agrio, and Macas. The up and coming Icaro now flies to most major destinations and is in the process of expanding its service.

While prices vary depending on the destination and the season, non-national tourists can expect to pay under USD 50 each way for mainland flights (with the exception of flights to and from jungle destinations in the Oriente which tend to be a little more expensive) and between USD 300 and USD 380 for a round-trip flight to the Galapagos from Guayaquil or Quito.

For the most up-to-date fare and scheduling information, it is always best to check with TAME and or Icaro. Also, don’t forget that students who have a valid ID card from their home university may receive a 10-25% discount. There is no departure tax on internal flights.

Tame.com.ec has a translator on their site for your convenience. I counted 16 different destinations in Ecuador they service. They had this under their current specials: “From now on all customers of TAME to present their boarding pass at any of the Hertz office at the national level will receive a 20% discount on their car rental services, among other important benefits.” Not too bad of a perc for taking a short trip.

Another Ecuadorian airline for in-country flights is Icaro. This site is in Spanish only. The site is nicely done, but if you can’t read Spanish yet, it might be a problem. I will give you some pointers on that issue in another post.

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Be sure to read my post on Choosing Travel Accommodations – Hotel & Airfare for a few money saving tools to book your flights and hotels.

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