10 Ecuador Travel Tips to Know Before You Go

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Essential Ecuador Travel Tips

Are you planning a trip to Ecuador? These are the essential Ecuador travel tips to know before you go!

I spent a full three weeks traveling in Ecuador and I was pleasantly surprised by everything about this South American country. I found Ecuador to be extremely affordable, safe, and full of stunning natural beauty. It’s a destination you definitely shouldn’t miss if you’re traveling in South America.

But there are a few important things to know before you go.

Here are the top Ecuador travel tips you should know to help you prepare for your trip.

1. Be prepared to pay cash.

One easy thing about traveling in Ecuador for American travelers is that the country’s official currency is the US dollar. So you never have to worry about calculating the currency conversion!

However, most places do not accept payment by card, and paying with cash is the norm in Ecuador.

So you’ll want to be prepared with lots of cash. Small bills are also preferred in Ecuador — it will be REALLY hard to get change from a $50 bill and don’t even think about paying with a $100 bill.

2. You might experience altitude sickness.

Some travelers arriving in Ecuador’s capital city Quito experience altitude sickness.

Quito is at 9,350 feet of altitude and if you take the cable car up to the highest point in the city, you’ll be at nearly 13,000 feet! Altitude sickness can affect anybody regardless of age or fitness.

I personally had a headache the first few days I was in Quito from the altitude. I just took a couple of Advil every day and drank lots of water to stay hydrated which helped until I acclimatized.

Many people also drink coca tea, chew coca leaves, or eat coca candy to help with altitude sickness. You’ll find these coca products all over Ecuador and they are a popular local remedy.

I wrote this guide specifically about how to avoid altitude sickness in Peru, but it has some additional tips and information about altitude sickness that also applies to travelers in Ecuador.

3. You can’t drink the tap water.

Ecuador is not a country where you can drink the tap water.

I have heard that you can drink it in some parts of Quito and in Cuenca but I didn’t test this out for myself and instead, I stuck to drinking filtered water from my LifeStraw water bottle.

This is a must-have for traveling in countries where it’s not safe to drink the tap water. It cuts down on plastic water bottle waste and it’s more economical than constantly buying bottled water.

With a LifeStraw water bottle, you can fill it up at any tap and it filters the water as you drink it. This was really useful to have in Ecuador and I never had to worry about finding drinking water.

4. The sun is stronger in Ecuador.

Ecuador is located right on the equator (the name of the country literally means “equator” in Spanish) which means that the UV rays are stronger here. I got really sunburnt while I was in Ecuador!

It’s important to pack sunscreen and apply it multiple times per day while in Ecuador.

If you’ll be visiting the Galapagos Islands or other beaches on your trip to Ecuador, be sure to pack some high SPF reef-safe sunscreen to protect the fragile ecosystems and flora and fauna.

5. Stay alert while exploring Quito.

I personally felt very safe everywhere I went in Ecuador, including in the capital, but Quito does have a reputation for being a bit dodgy. It’s definitely important to stay alert while exploring Quito.

Especially in the historic center of the city, pickpocketing and theft can be an issue. I was advised by multiple locals not to walk around with my phone out while in the historic center of Quito.

You also shouldn’t walk around after dark or in unfamiliar neighborhoods by yourself. Basically, just exercise caution, stay alert, and take standard safety procedures and you will be fine in Quito.

6. Be vigilant on buses in Ecuador.

Another thing I heard is that you have to be careful on buses in Ecuador because theft is an issue.

I took one long local bus ride in Ecuador, around 7 hours from Baños to Cuenca, and I didn’t have any problems at all. But again, it’s good to exercise caution and stay vigilant about your stuff.

If you are taking a bus ride in Ecuador, don’t just throw your backpack in the storage space above you or leave it on the seat next to you while you take a nap. Instead, keep a hold on your things at all times.

7. It’s helpful to speak some Spanish.

One thing to know before you go to Ecuador is that English isn’t widely spoken.

Many people who work in hospitality and tourism speak English, but outside of that, you should not expect people in Ecuador to speak English. It’s definitely helpful to know some Spanish before you go.

I speak Spanish okay so I didn’t have any trouble getting by in Ecuador. But I thought to myself many times that certain things would have been a struggle if I didn’t know any Spanish at all.

8. Don’t just visit the Galapagos.

The Galapagos Islands are a bucket list destination for many travelers. These islands located off the coast of Ecuador are famous for their incredible biodiversity and unique plant and animal species.

Many tourists come to Ecuador and JUST visit the Galapagos, with maybe a day or two in Quito before or after. It’s a popular destination to visit via cruise, and a trip to the Galapagos doesn’t come cheap.

However, there’s so much more to Ecuador than just the Galapagos! The rest of the country is also incredibly affordable. I highly recommend visiting Baños, the adventure capital of Ecuador, heading into the Amazon rainforest, and spending some time in the beautiful colonial city of Cuenca.

I actually didn’t visit the Galapagos on my trip (I’m saving it for another time) but I was shocked by how many tourists I met in Quito who weren’t going anywhere else in Ecuador aside from it.

9. Pack lots of layers.

You might assume that since Ecuador is on the equator, it’s always hot.

But this is not the case! Since much of Ecuador is at a high altitude, it can actually be quite cool. For example, the capital Quito rarely gets warmer than 70° F and has a spring-like climate all year long.

So it’s a good idea to pack lots of layers to wear in Ecuador. You should also pack a rain jacket, especially if you’ll be visiting destinations like the cloud forest of Mindo or the Amazon rainforest.

10. It’s safe for solo female travelers.

I felt perfectly safe during my three weeks in Ecuador as a solo female traveler.

Everyone’s experience is going to be different, but I honestly didn’t have any safety concerns at all while I was in Ecuador even though the country doesn’t have the safest reputation for travelers.

I found the people in Ecuador to be friendly and open and I never felt like I was getting scammed (for example, I never got over-charged by taxi drivers) or being hassled on the street. Even though I found Ecuador to be very safe, you should always stay alert and take safety precautions as a solo female traveler.

Best Ecuador Travel Tips

These are the top Ecuador travel tips you should know before you go.

Some of these things are lessons I learned the hard way (like not bringing large US bills because it’s nearly impossible to break them, or not realizing how strong the UV rays are from the sun in Ecuador.) But even despite a couple of mishaps, I had a great time in Ecuador and I hope that you will too.

Hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes and be prepared for your trip to Ecuador!

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