Ecuador People & Culture

The people of Quito are extremely friendly and accommodating. There are PLENTY of adventure trips leaving for the mountains every hour of the day. Horse back, biking, kayaking, you-name-it! Internet bars are plentiful as are hostels for backpackers.

Ecuadorians use the USD, so conversion is unnecessary. However, Ecuadorians will NOT do business with you if they don't like you.

There's a wonderful art fair in the park every Saturday. Totally worth a stroll.

Unfortunately, the cuisine is less than appetizing for my taste.
It's very beany, ricey, potatoey. The national dish is cui (whole deep fried guinea pig). I'd recommend the Magic Bean for the biggest pancakes you've EVER seen.

Ok i would like to say Quito is a great city wiht amazing people.....

Parque Bolivar is a nice place to relax.
Ovservant people will see that each tree is full of iguanas.

Esmeraldas is a fun beach city in Ecuador. The food there is amazing, especially the "empanadas de verde". Be careful not to eat off the street vendors if you have a weak stomach! All kinds of clubs open at night right on the sandy beach-music, dancing, people drinks.

A quaint little city, where it's not uncommon to see people dressed in the traditional Ecuadorian dress. The marketplace is great for people looking to buy something to take home, very cheap- and you can always bargain!

Amazing little town hidden under an active volcano (you can hear it rumble sometimes). Used as a starting place for trips to the mountains and to the jungle. Lots of culture and lots of fun.

interesting place to learn from. nice culture

Visit the small pueblo near Manta which is called San Mateo, eat wonderful marisco and go kilometers on the sandy beach...

A very nicely spent day is at the indigenous community of Chilca Totora, to be organized in Cuenca at "Mama Kinwa" (casa de la mujer).
A real insight it everyday life, with music, agriculture, cooking, eating, drinking, talking, ... Don't expect a highly organized programme, but an authentic and heartwarming slice of indigenous culture!

We stayed at the Auberge, a swiss-run backpackers. The place was beautiful and had a great view from the showers, however in retrospect we would have probably stayed in the old town. (it was in between old and new) Anyways it didn't have too much personality and had a bit of an older crowd. Plus normally I prefer to support a local run place rather than foreign run. There is a Fair Trade shop/Cafe built into the Cathedral at Plaza San Francisco. Also, wander around, if you are lucky you may run into a live music show like we did. Anyways, Quito was definitly a fave. The New Town has a bit of a dodgy reputation, and is touristy in a bad way.

Esmeraldas is a fun beach city in Ecuador. The food there is amazing, especially the "empanadas de verde". Be careful not to eat off the street vendors if you have a weak stomach! All kinds of clubs open at night right on the sandy beach-music, dancing, people drinks.

Vista Hermosa in the old town (centro histórico) just couple of blocks away from the presidential palace. It is a very nice bar/restaurant on top of the building with roof terrace with a excellent view over the city. It has live music on weekends. You can also get typical Ecuadorian drink "canelazo" here.

In downtown Canoa (not to big by the way) there are several small bars right in front of the ocean with loud music playing all the time where you can get coctails or beer and other kind of drinks, karaoke bars, clubs, etc.

Hey guys if you like hot guys and rock music: go to La fábrica!!! Its the insider place in Portoviejo..

Banos is the gate from the Andes to the Ecudorian jungle. Unfortunately it's overcrowded with tourists and lots of adventure agencies can be found here. Nevertheless it's worth visiting! Hike up the local hill and enjoy the view over Banos. The best thing to to is to rent some bikes and ride down to Puyo, which can be found on the Amazon basin! From there just put your bike on the roof of a bus and go back. If you like volcanoes, Tungurahua is an active one in the area, although sometimes too active and therefore Banos has to be evacuated...

The people of Quito are extremely friendly and accommodating. There are PLENTY of adventure trips leaving for the mountains every hour of the day. Horse back, biking, kayaking, you-name-it! Internet bars are plentiful as are hostels for backpackers.

Ecuadorians use the USD, so conversion is unnecessary. However, Ecuadorians will NOT do business with you if they don't like you.

There's a wonderful art fair in the park every Saturday. Totally worth a stroll.

Unfortunately, the cuisine is less than appetizing for my taste.
It's very beany, ricey, potatoey. The national dish is cui (whole deep fried guinea pig). I'd recommend the Magic Bean for the biggest pancakes you've EVER seen.

great place to hang loose, forget time, enjoy mid-day-breakfasts, make bike and jungle tours...

Quito is unique for its amount of churches. Even I am not a big fan of churches in general, some of them are really imressive such as "La compania" with its gold. Also the temperature is ideal for sightseeing; fresh in the morning, and about 20°C during the day. But also shopping fans will be sattisfied in on of the large malls. A third point is the nature. The mountain Pichincha is a beauty and als other volcanos further away build a breathtaking panorama.

Bring hiking shoes, wear comfortable clothes that can dry fast or bring a change of clothes, and yes more bug spray

Best and cheapest shopping in the world. Just watch your wallet.

To take pictures of the "Virgin" Panacillo from the front you may stop halfway on the street upwards.
At the statue the park is behind her so you'll see her back or climb down again!

Train to "Nariz del Diablo"
There is a train every Wednesday/Friday/Sunday at 7 am. Tickets available one day in advance from 2.30 pm at the station, costs for one way 11$ per person (2007).
Tickets are numbred - only the cabin's number but not seats! - so you should be waiting early in the morning to get a good seat with windows (there are some without!). Prefer seats on the rightside - there is the view!

The trip starts in Riobamba and after Alausi there comes the most exhilarating part of the journey, said to be one of the most spectacular in the world. The train zigzags up and down 45-degree gradient called "Nariz del Diablo" (Devil’s Nose).
Prepare for derailings and delays!

After landing in Baltra (Airport) you can take the free shuttle to the canal - takes about 5 min.
Cross the canal by ferry (50 cents) and take there a bus to Puerto Ayora - about 45-60 min. (1.80 USD)

The Angelique is highly recommended for 4 or 8 day cruises. Lovely refurbished wooden sailing boat with great food and comfy ensuite cabins.

Flying out of Quito, the Ecuadorian government charges an exit tax, you must pay this to enter the terminal, they only take cash, no debit or credit cards, at the airport there are a couple ATM's but as you will find out in Ecuador most ATM's don't work with American bank cards, so bring cash with you to the airport. Exit fee is $40 per person.