According to naturegnosis, Ecuador is a country in South America bordering Colombia and Peru. The name Ecuador comes from the Spanish word equator (which runs right through Ecuador). The capital of Ecuador is Quito. A number of large cities in Ecuador are: Ambato, Cuenca and Guayaquil. Ecuador also owns the Galapagos Islands, which are about 1000 kilometers away from Ecuador. The most famous islands of the Galapagos Islands are: Isabela, Santa Cruz, Fernandina and San Cristóbal.
Ecuador is known for the Inca ruins, the Amazon region, the Andes mountains and the many (active) volcanoes. You will also find several hot springs around the active volcanoes that are very popular among tourists. According to militarynous, there are several National Parks in Ecuador. Furthermore, it is a country of poverty and of many small and larger traditional markets. The Galapagos Islands are very suitable for diving and snorkeling. You will find huge schools of hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, whale sharks, sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas, dolphins and countless tropical fish.
Where is Ecuador located?
Travel information of Ecuador
Official name: Republic of Ecuador
Continent: South America
Area: 283,561 km²
Capital: Quito
Country code: EC, ECU
Population: 16,904,867 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 6,267 m (Chimborazo)
Distance (Amsterdam – Quito) : 9,579 km
Flight time: approximately 14 hours and 30 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: All travel to certain areas in Ecuador is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow, orange and red. Due to this status, a partially negative travel advice
is in effect for Ecuador.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Ecuador that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Ecuador, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Ecuador. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Ecuador?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Ecuador at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Ecuador has several climate zones. In the higher areas the temperatures are between 5 and 20 degrees. In the lower areas, temperatures are around 30 degrees. On the Galapagos Islands the temperatures are between 20 and 30 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Ecuador can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Ecuador can be found at Climate info.
Best time
June, July, August and September are the best months to travel to Ecuador. This way you avoid the long rainy season and you also have the best chance of pleasant temperatures.
Language
Spanish is the official language in Ecuador.
Would you like to translate from or into Spanish for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Ecuador.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Ecuador for less than 90 days.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Peru (also for Ecuador): netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in Ecuador: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Ecuador in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
Consulates of Ecuador in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Ecuador it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria Malaria
occurs in Ecuador (with the exception of Quito and Guayaquil). Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Ecuador, payment is made with the US dollar (USD).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Ecuador can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Ecuador are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -37% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (62% cheaper), food (20% cheaper), imported beer in catering (20% cheaper), cigarettes (26% cheaper) and public transport (92% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Ecuador it is customary to give a tip of approximately 5-10%.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 7 hours earlier in Ecuador.
During our winter time it is 6 hours earlier in Ecuador.
Ecuador has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Ecuador can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Ecuador you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Ecuador.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Ecuador.
Electricity
In Ecuador you need a travel plug. In addition, in some cases you need an inverter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Ecuador can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 911 or 101
– Fire: 911 or 102
– Ambulance: 911
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Ecuador can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Ecuador can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Ecuador end in.ec.
Ecuador’s official website: ecuador.travel.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Ecuador is 00593 or +593.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Ecuador? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Phone numbers can be found in the Ecuador Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Ecuador.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Ecuador.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Ecuador.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Ecuador can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Ecuador, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Ecuador?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Ecuador. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Ecuador can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Ecuador can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Ecuador? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported from Ecuador.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Ecuador.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.7.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Ecuador is named after the equator, which runs right through the country?
…There are more than 30 varieties of bananas in Ecuador?
…Ecuador has several active volcanoes?
…More than 45% of the population lives below the poverty line?
…Ecuador was inhabited by the Incas from the 15th century?
