Why I loved . . . Ecuador

Ecuador is a captivating blend of the Spanish and indigenous cultures, as in this open-air market in Guaranda, where you can hear Quechua -- the language of the Incas -- spoken among the Spanish colonial ...

[Quin]

My wife and I are traveling to ecuador in November. We will be there for 6 weeks. Can anyone who's traveled there provide us with any tips or advice for our trip? We are concerned about our camera. Did anyone run across any problems?

[Vangelist]

Quin wrote:

My wife and I are traveling to ecuador in November. We will be there for 6 weeks. Can anyone who's traveled there provide us with any tips or advice for our trip? We are concerned about our camera. Did anyone run across any problems?

I had a camera stolen in Europe... So anywhere you go you take your chances especially in bigger cities.

[Bob]

I have been to Ecuador 10 times in the last 2 years. It is a beautiful country and the people are even more beautiful. I have taken camera and computers and more and just use the same precautions you would use in my hometown of Houston and you will be fine. The jungle is beautiful, the mountains incredible and we have much to learn from people who value people more than task.

[USA is the best]

I had my camera stolen in San Francisco, but never in Ecuador. Last word on that! LOL

[Michelle]

Quin wrote:

My wife and I are traveling to ecuador in November. We will be there for 6 weeks. Can anyone who's traveled there provide us with any tips or advice for our trip? We are concerned about our camera. Did anyone run across any problems?

I would recommend La Casa del Suizo, in the Amazon. http://www.amazonadventures.com/suizo.htm
It is really cool.

Cuenca is a nice city worth visiting. I assume your going to Quito, but if on the coast, try Montanita, a new little surfing town.

[blackguy]

Are the people racist ?

[Fatima]

One correction...indigenous people in Ecuador speak Quichua, not Quechua...they are different. If you are careful with your camera, it won't get stolen. Must-visit-places are Quito, which is the capital, the people are sooo nice, they are funny and they love tourists, they even try to speak english just to make you feel confortable, and i love the way they talk, their accent is very entertaining and their modisms are cool..i know a lot of them. Go to Cotopaxi, which is the higher active volcano in the world, it is sooo cool. If you go to the beach, go to Mindo before, it is beautiful, you can bring your own tent and sleep in the middle of nowhere and it is really safe! And then go to the beach, visit Atacames, Tonsupa, Salinas, Bahia de Caraques....all of them!!! Oh my God!! i've been in Ecuador so many times and i still have like million places to visit. I love Ecuador. My favorite southamerican country. Small but awesome!!! Don't forget the dictionary!=D

[Shelly]

Fatima wrote:

One correction...indigenous people in Ecuador speak Quichua, not Quechua...they are different. If you are careful with your camera, it won't get stolen. Must-visit-places are Quito, which is the capital, the people are sooo nice, they are funny and they love tourists, they even try to speak english just to make you feel confortable, and i love the way they talk, their accent is very entertaining and their modisms are cool..i know a lot of them. Go to Cotopaxi, which is the higher active volcano in the world, it is sooo cool. If you go to the beach, go to Mindo before, it is beautiful, you can bring your own tent and sleep in the middle of nowhere and it is really safe! And then go to the beach, visit Atacames, Tonsupa, Salinas, Bahia de Caraques....all of them!!! Oh my God!! i've been in Ecuador so many times and i still have like million places to visit. I love Ecuador. My favorite southamerican country. Small but awesome!!! Don't forget the dictionary!=D

Fatima, I also live in Chicago and have visited Ecuador many times and am thinking of living there. Can you contact me at [e-mail] ?

[Ecuachet]

I'm a US citizen with resident status in Ecuador. I've lived in Ecuador for 4 years and own a house in Pusuqui, just north of Quito and 5 minutes south of Mitad del Mundo (the equator). Right now I am in Kennebunkport, ME visiting family and friends. If you go into Quito, you have to take care of your stuff...it's just like any big city. If you're going to ride a bus downtown, then you'll need to take care of anything you carry in your pockets as there are stealthy pick-pockets riding with you; you'll never feel a thing! Believe me, I know! If you're driving, you'll need to park in safe areas...I've lost several radios and a TV from vehicles here; I'm lucky I haven't lost a car. In the city itself, especially downtown, you'll want to stay in the lights at night and avoid the dark spots - again, as in any large city. There are plenty of guards and police around and you can always approach them for aid. We were followed once and paid a cop $5 to walk to the car with us. There is less violent crime here than in most large US cities, but petty crime is a problem. You just need to be aware and protect those things you're carrying.

[Ecuachet]

Ecuador is a beautiful country to visit. There are no horizontal, parallel lines anywhere (except for the beaches, perhaps). The country has been described as being about the size of Nevada, but packs a lot to see within those boundaries. You can go into the Amazon(Oriente)region, the Sierra (mountains), the coast and beaches, and there are the Galapogos islands as well. Mindo, a few hours north of Quito has more variety of birds than any other place on the planet; a bird watcher's paradise they say. I love "volcano ally". There are lots of volcanos through the mountains as you head south of Quito. Pichincha sits right on the edge of Quito, and a simple google search'll get you some nifty pics of that one blowing its top many years ago. When the sky is free of clouds, you can often see Cotopaxi off in the distance. It's one of the largest active volcanos on earth. It's about a 3 hour drive South of Quito, but can dominate the horizon on a clear day. It's a picture perfect snow-capped cone. If you're coming for a visit, Banos is a nifty place to check out. It's a touristy place with lots of things to do, from hot-springs to cliff-climbing. It's also a jumping off place for touring the Amazon. I was confused when I first went there, because I thought Banos was a town full of bathrooms! Bano in Spanish means bathroom. I haven't been to Cuenca in the south, yet, but the pics look nice and friends tell me it's a beautiful little city. My wife has a cousin living there, so we'll be going soon. As far as the beaches go, the water is warm along the northern shore of the country; you can stay in the water all day. I haven't been south to Manta, but everyone tells me the nicest beaches in Ecuador are there. When I got off the plane in Quito 4 years ago, I felt that I had arrived home. I love it here. To me, there is more freedom than in the States; Ecuador is truly a libertarian place, and you are required to take responsibility for your own life. When I visit the US now, I feel constrained; I sense there is this whole background of rule-bound paranoia that I don't recall when I was younger. Perhaps this is the price of freedom in the US. Frankly, I prefer the price of taking responsibility for my life in a beautiful place. But, if you're interested in touring nifty and beautiful places, you should consider Ecuador. You can go north to Otavallo and the indian markets, and there are whole towns that focus on a single theme: furniture, leather, plants, etc. The only negative I can think of is the pollution in Quito. There are too many busses, taxis and cars and this has resulted in congestion and pollution. Quito is a long skinny city in a narrow valley so all the exhaust gets trapped. But, travel outside of this area and you'll be in a wonderland.

[Truth]

Thanks to Ecuachet for a great post!

[MLC]

Ecuachet, Great, great words. I'm married to an Ecuadorian, and she opened my eyes to a great country. Don't for get Tonsupa (near Atacames)! Some of the best food I've ever had! You really can't go wrong, except for making your vacation too short. The longer the better, because there is always something else to see!

[pepe]

Don't forget to mention all year around spring weather

[pepe]

check this place out www.haciendaprimavera.com