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Exquisite Ecuador: Ruins, Volcanoes, Wildlife, And More

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Overview

The Ardea herodias rests on a rocky surface as boaters and divers explore the rest of Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos

Introduction

Ecuador has many distinct areas to explore and is full of amazing bio-diversity, especially considering the small size of the country. The four primary areas include the Amazon basin, the Andes Mountains, the Pacific coast, and the Galapagos Islands. Quito is a charming city that is full colonial charm and modern city life. Incan ruins are many in Ecuador and the Ingapirca Ruins are a sight to see, as well as the nearby colonial town of Cuenca. However, probably the most popular reason to travel to Ecuador is to visit the famous Galapagos Islands and see all the incredible wildlife that inspired Charles Darwin to create his theory of evolution. If you are looking for a unique twist on history, Incan ruins, adventure, or a quiet vacation, Ecuador has it all.

Geography

Ecuador is a country in the north of South America that is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and northwest, Colombia to the northeast, and Peru to the east and south. Situated on the equator, the country has an area of 283,561 sq km and the terrain consists of coastal plains, inter-Andean central highlands, and a flat to rolling eastern jungle.

History

Ecuador was the northern part of the Incan Empire before the Spanish invaded in 1533. The Incans pushed north from Peru during the 14th and 15th centuries after war broke out between the indigenous tribes. This point in history saw the intermarrying of two native tribes, the Puruhas and the Caras, to create the Quitus tribe. The Quitus and the Cañaris fought with one another until the Incans moved north. Then in 1534, the Spaniard Pizarro invaded Ecuador and the area fell under Spanish rule. In 1822, Ecuador found its independence from Spain, although civil war broke out and continued well into the 20th century. Even today the conservative mountain-dwellers and the liberal coastal peoples remain divided.

Economy

Ecuador has a thriving petroleum industry upon which the country relies for much of its revenues. The natural resources of the country include petroleum, fish, shrimp, timber, gold, and hydropower and the primary exports are bananas, oil, shrimp, and gold. The greatest contributors to the GDP are mining and oil, construction, industry and manufacturing, and agriculture. Tourism in the Galapagos Islands and throughout the rest of Ecuador add to the economy as well.

Factfile

Capital

Quito

Language(s)

Spanish, Quechua

Currency

US Dollar

Time Zone

UTC-5

International Dialing Instructions

Dial Exit Country Code + 1 +593 + City Code + The Number

Power

Voltage

120V

Frequency

60Hz

Plug Type(s)

Climate

tropical

Natural Hazards

earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, floods, droughts

Diving Season

Year Round

Tourism Office(s)

Website

http://ecuador.travel/en

Phone

+1 593 3 999 33

Police

101

Hospital

131

Hyperbaric Chambers

Puerto Ayora, Galapagos

(593) 5-526-911

Trip Planning

Customs and Immigration

Citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Germany, and Switzerland require a passport to enter Ecuador and can stay for 90 days without requiring a visa. These visitors must have a passport that is valid for six months past the date of entry, a return or onward ticket, and must be able to prove they have enough money with which to support themselves. Visitors from other countries may require a visa to enter the country. Since immigration policies change frequently and without prior notice, all travelers are advised to verify the current immigration requirements for Ecuador with the local authorities prior to leaving home. For more information regarding the entry requirements for Ecuador, please visit El Ministerio de Turismo del Ecuador.

Visitors are allowed to bring with them into Ecuador any personal items that are reasonably necessary for their trip to the country, including cameras, computers, fishing and diving gear and all are allowed in duty-free. For more information regarding the customs requirements in Ecuador, please visit El Ministerio de Turismo del Ecuador or call 593 (02) 3 999 333.

Health and Insurance

The government of Ecuador does not require any vaccinations to enter the country, but getting vaccinated for hepatitis A is recommended. All travelers are also advised to ensure that their routine vaccines are current before traveling to Ecuador to help avoid infection.

Travelers to Ecuador should drink bottled water only and avoid drinks with ice cubes. Dairy products that have been made with unpasteurized milk should be avoided and visitors should only eat peeled fruit and cooked vegetables, and ensure meat is well done. Additonally, individuals should avoid food that is not served very hot or food that has been sitting at room temperature for any length of time. Lastly, avoid some types of seafood as they may contain bio-toxins, particularly Barracuda, sea bass, red snapper, grouper, and amberjack.

There is good medical care in the major cities of Ecuador. In Quito, Hospital Metropolitano (2261-520, 2269-030) offers 24-hour emergency care and many specialty services; Hospital Voz Andes (2252-142, 2241-540) is also available. Medical care on the Galapagos Islands is limited. Private health insurance is recommended for all travelers. For serious medical emergencies, travelers will be evacuated to a country with state-of-the-art medical facilities.

It is recommended that all tourists purchase a travel insurance policy that will cover theft, loss, accidents, and medical emergencies. If you plan to participate in adventure sports while on vacation, please verify that your policy will cover you for these events. All necessary prescriptions along with a letter from your physician detailing your medical condition and the medication being carried with you should accompany all visitors to Ecuador.

Traveling There

Ecuador has two international airports by which travelers can enter the country. These are Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre (UIO) in Quito and José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) in Guayaquil. Airlines that service Ecuador include American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Copa, LAN, Taca, and Iberia. Travelers should consider the length of the flight, mandatory stopovers, and price when selecting an airline carrier.

Visitors may enter Ecuador by bus, but it is not recommended to take the route through Colombia, particularly through the Darien Gap, for safety reasons. Instead, the best way to bus into Ecuador is from Peru. Bus lines include Rutas de America, Panamerica Internacional, and Expresso Internacional Ormeno.

The ports of call in Ecuador include Guayaquil, Manta, and San Cristobal and those travelers who wish to arrive by sea many use any of these ports to enter the country. Cruise lines that sail into Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands include Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Cunard, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruises, and Celebrity Cruises. It is possible to travel into Ecuador from Peru on the Rio Napo, although there are minimal facilities and not many boats that undertake the journey.

Traveling Around

Air travel within Ecuador is relatively inexpensive, except for traveling to the Galapagos Islands. Domestic airlines that service Ecuador include Aerogal, Icaro, and Tame.

It is common for those who visit Ecuador to take an organized tour to the Galapagos Islands; these tours are very popular and are a great way to get around. Bus travel is another option to get from one city to another and every part of Ecuador can be reached from Quito. There are several bus companies available, so it is a good idea to do some research before you arrive. Tourists should avoid traveling by bus at night. It is not recommended that visitors travel by car in Ecuador, but car rental agencies such as Hertz and Budget are available for those that choose to do so; drivers may use their foreign driver’s license, no additional documentation is required.

For those who wish to traverse the country of Ecuador by sea, the most common way to do so is by taking motorized canoes, which are the equivalent of water taxis. These are generally the mode of transport for those on a tour through the Amazon and they offer transport along all the major rivers in the country as well.

Accomodations

The high-end accommodations are generally located in Quito and Guayaquil and are geared toward the business traveler. However, the country is very well-known for its midrange accommodations, which are very comfortable. These boutique hotels are generally housed within the colonial homes and haciendas of old cities and towns. At the other end of the accommodation spectrum are the jungle lodges, which are meant to be basic accommodations. In the Galapagos Islands, travelers generally sleep on house boats and with the boats, the price of the stay is reflective of the amount of amenities you have access to. Divers can find a number of liveaboard accommodations, particularly when diving in the Galapagos Islands.

Local Attractions

The Galapagos Islands is a must see for anyone who travels to Ecuador. This is a sanctuary in the Pacific Ocean, located 1000 km (621 miles) from the coast of Ecuador. This World Heritage Site is full of a diverse and very unique endemic animal population and consists of thirteen larger islands and many smaller ones that offer up live geological excitement since it is a volcanically active archipelago.

Of course, this country is called Ecuador for a reason. The equator passes right through it and this is the perfect opportunity to stand in both hemispheres at the same time – literally. Quito offers an abundance of colonial charm and is a World Heritage Site, with its cobbled streets and colonial feel. Vilcabamba is a place many people go to find the fountain of youth because there are so many centenarians living there.

Those travelers who are really adventurous can experience the Devil’s Nose, an imposing series of switchbacks, the last surviving section of the railway between Quito and Guayaquil. Those who want a little of the “old west” Ecuadorian style can be a cowboy or a cowgirl on the High Mountain Paramo. Visitors can sign up to experience the thrill of being a cowboy or cowgirl in style and can go for a simple ride or help round up the wild bulls and horses. Between the colonial towns and the rugged expanse of the country, there is definitely something for everyone in Ecuador.

Other Activities

When one isn’t diving in Ecuador there are plenty of other activities with which to keep busy, including hiking, horseback riding, mountain and volcano climbing, whale watching, surfing, kayaking, and white water rafting.

Dining Out

Ecuador has a wide selection of locally grown fruit, vegetables, and seafood, which means that the cuisine of this country features these aspects in a fantastic array of dishes. Some of the traditional national dishes include ceviche (marinated seafood); corbina (sea bass); cuy (guinea pig); Fritada, which is roast pork served with corn, cheese, avocado, potatoes, and plantains; locro, which is a cheese, avocado, and potato soup; humitas (cornmeal tamales); and truca (trout). Ecuador is most well known for its soups and its hot sauce known as aji. Fine dining can be had in Quito and other towns and international cuisine can be found virtually anywhere you go in Ecuador.

Nightlife

The nightlife to be found in Ecuador can be found in the big cities of Quito and Guayaquil, where things get lively from Thursday to Saturday in the evenings. Bars are open between 10 pm and 2 am and nightclubs stay open until 4 am. The cinema is a popular form of evening entertainment in Ecuador as well.

Shopping

There is a wide variety of shopping experiences throughout Ecuador including Otavalo Market, the most famous market in all of Ecuador and one of the most well known in South America. There are other markets in Ecuador, including Quito and Cuenca. The country is the place to go for all sorts of amazing handcrafts, including alpaca sweaters, paintings, wood working, rugs, and wall hangings. Galapagos is known for its unique and exquisite jewelry.

Scuba Diving

Overview

Ecuador is known for its diving, particularly around the Galapagos Islands, although mainland Ecuador also offers some very good diving. Located at the equator, Ecuador offers comfortable diving all year round. The average air temperature in Ecuador is a balmy 25 C (76 F) and the water temperature is even better at 29 C (84 F) in the summer and 26 C (78 F) in the winter. There is something for everyone when it comes to diving in Ecuador and types of diving include reef, wall, shark, and big fish diving and for the more advanced diver there is also deep and drift diving. The marine life in Ecuador is abundant and includes black coral, sea turtles, the largest sea horse in the Pacific Ocean, hammerhead sharks, eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions, fur seals, amberjacks, whale sharks, trumpet and coronet fish, butterfly fish, and marbled rays.

Dive Sites

The Galapagos Islands have more than thirty dive sites and the Machalilla National Park on mainland Ecuador offers a number of dive sites as well. Shallow dives reach an average depth of 11 m and deep dives average 20 m with a maximum depth of 100 m (328 feet). Visibility is fair at 5-10 m (16-33 feet) to good at 10-30 m (33-100 feet) depending on the area. Currents tend to be medium, between 1 and 2 knots, although in some areas they can be strong (>2 knots). Dangers to watch out for when diving in Ecuadorian waters are depths, current, and in some areas dangerous animals can also be a concern.

Top Dive Sites

The very best place to dive in Ecuador is off the Galapagos Islands. There are a few reefs here, but even more important is the amazing abundance and combination of marine life to be seen. When diving in the Galapagos Islands there are a few sites in particular that are worth a visit. Wolf Island and Darwin Island are both fantastic and may just offer some of the best diving in the world because they are the location where all the fish in the area, big and small, go for feeding and cleaning. Off Cousins Island divers will experience rock and wall diving at its best and will also experience some species seen nowhere else in the world. For divers who want even more action, consider diving around an active volcano at Roca Redonda or taking in a volcanic crater at Gordon Rock. When it comes to diving from mainland Ecuador, the primary destination is Machalilla National Park. This is the only coastal national park in Ecuador and it is home to two larger islands and a group of smaller islands as well as beaches, a fog forest, and a dry forest.

Special Requirements

There are no known diving restrictions or special requirements for diving in Ecuador.

Scuba divers are not required to be certified prior to arrival to dive in Ecuador. For those who have never dived before, training will be provided by the local dive center. Specialty dives such as deep diving or cold water diving will require extra training, most of which are available from the dive centers in the area.

Dive Operators

Ecuador has many dive centers that offer equipment, training, and tours. Divers are advised to conduct thorough research before making their booking.

Hyperbaric Chambers

Ecuador has one hyperbaric chamber located in Puerto Ayora, Galapagos – (593) 5-526-911. Divers in need of recompression therapy will be evacuated to the nearest facility. Divers are advised to discuss, finalize, and agree upon an Emergency Assistance Plan, which includes obtaining all local medical emergency contact numbers, prior to beginning any dive. When a diving emergency arises, divers are strongly urged to follow any agreed upon Emergency Assistance Plan.

Conservation Efforts

The people of Ecuador recognize the beauty and diversity of their country. They have worked hard to protect their marine habitat and have established the Machalilla National Park as well as ensuring the protection of the Galapagos Islands, which have been established as a World Heritage Site. The country is also creating an action plan to ensure the protection of sharks.

Maps

Location:

South America
Ecuador

Keywords: diving guides, south america dive travel, ecuador dive travel, galapagos islands dive travel, ecuador diving, galapagos islands diving Author:

Melissa Gwaldis

Related Tags: Diving Guides

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Exquisite Ecuador: Ruins, Volcanoes, Wildlife, And More

Accordion Content

ecuador_travel_guide_santa_cruz_island_galapagos.jpg

Introduction

Geography

History

Economy

Customs and Immigration

Health and Insurance

Traveling There

Traveling Around

Accomodations

Local Attractions

Other Activities

Dining Out

Nightlife

Shopping

Overview

Dive Sites

Top Dive Sites

Special Requirements

Dive Operators

Hyperbaric Chambers

Conservation Efforts

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You are here

Warning message

Exquisite Ecuador: Ruins, Volcanoes, Wildlife, And More

Accordion Content

Introduction

Geography

History

Economy

Customs and Immigration

Health and Insurance

Traveling There

Traveling Around

Accomodations

Local Attractions

Other Activities

Dining Out

Nightlife

Shopping

Overview

Dive Sites

Top Dive Sites

Special Requirements

Dive Operators

Hyperbaric Chambers

Conservation Efforts

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