I’m in Cuenca Ecudaor 2017
I’m in Cuenca Ecudaor as of July 2017
Photo credit – Ryan Lima Copyright Ryanjlima.com 2017
Best Time To Visit Ecuador…
Weather for Ecuador
To be honest, there really isn’t a bad time to visit Ecuador, depending on where you want to go and what you want to do. If we were talking about Costa Rica I could be more specifice but Ecuador is different. So, Quito, for example, is spring-like all year round, although its rainy season is from May to September, making it, and the rest of the highlands, more enjoyable from June to August.
The Amazon and the eastern slopes of the Andes are quite the opposite. The wet season Ecu4there runs from June to August, making the best time to explore the jungle from late August to February. Along the coast January to April seem to be the best time to visit, especially the Galapagos.
The main tourist season runs from mid-December to January, right around the holidays, and picks up again over the summer months.
See the Weather Here
Photo credit – Ryan Lima Copyright Ryanjlima.com 2017
In This Post I Will Cover :
- Adventure in Ecuador
- Best Shopping in Ecuador
- Culture in Ecuador
- Ecuador Business in Ecuador
- Ecuador News in Ecuador
- Family Friendly in Ecuador
- Gringo Favorite in Ecuador
- Must See or Do in Ecuador
- Nightlife in Ecuador
- Places to Eat in Ecuador
- Places to Stay in Ecuador
- Relocation to Ecuador
- Travel Tips in Ecuador
What’s for Dinner?
Dining out in Ecuador is one of the best parts of visiting the country! Depending on what region you are visiting and what budget you are traveling on will dictate what you enjoy for your noontime meal or late night snack. Most comedors, or restaurants, serve a plate of the day, which includes soup, the main course (meat, rice or potatoes) a drink, and dessert. These platos del dia usually only cost about 1 dollar.
Roadside stands, only for the brave of heart and iron stomached, serve typical fried Ecu2treats, such as empanadas and fritadas. At a fritada stand the vendor will carve up a slab of pork right there on the spot, pound it out and deep fry the whole thing. Sounds gross, but it’s actually pretty good.
Don’t pass up the delicious seafood served throughout the country, the ceviche in particular, along the coast and in the northern Manabi, is fantastic. As always, take care when eating fresh fruits and vegetables; oftentimes they are washed with unclean water and can have some pretty nasty aftereffects.
Photo credit – Ryan Lima Copyright Ryanjlima.com 2017
Spanish Lessons on the Beach and in the Jungle
Looking for a way to improve your Spanish while exploring Ecuador at the same time? Simon Bolivar Spanish School has one of the finest reputations in the country, with schools located in Quito and Cuenca. Now, they are offering even more for vacationers or residents who are looking to learn Spanish and see more of the country at the same time.
The Pacific Coast Program features a week of courses based out of the Alandaluz resort. Optional trips to nearby beaches, national parks, and local museums are available. In the summer months, Friday features a trip to Isla de la Plata.
For those who are looking for a little more adventure, the week-long Amazon Jungle program is the perfect trip. Over 20 hours of Spanish lessons are given in either group or in one-on-one settings. Accompanied by guided treks in the jungle, this is one of the most exciting places to improve your Spanish!
Photo credit – Ryan Lima Copyright Ryanjlima.com 2017
Quito Hotel
If you are interested in hitting the casino while visiting Quito try Jockers, connected to the Dann Hotel Carlton. Not only will you get great accommodations, you will have the chance to play around on the 100 gaming machines or the eight table games. Visitors from the hotel are constantly in and out of the casino/bar, and many locals come here in the evening hours as well. Jockers is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Dann Carlton Hotel is quite nice as well; the finishes in the rooms are standard, but they are larger than your average hotel room, and very clean. The restaurant at the GG4hotel, and next to the casino, serves excellent food, the breakfast buffet being one of the best meals. That is, of course, if you can wake up early enough to enjoy it after spending the evening at Jockers. Trust me, the exotic fresh fruit juice is totally worth it.
Jockers, and the Dann Carlton Hotel are located on the Avenue República de El Salvador, No. 513 e Irlanda. For more information, or to make reservations, call +593 2 224 9008 or visit the Dann Carlton web site.
Down on the boardwalk…
While Guayaquil may not be first on your list of cities to visit in Ecuador, over the past years it has taken definitive steps for the better. What was once dirty and unEcu6safe is now beautiful and secure, largely due to the development of the Malecon 2000.
The Malecon is comparable to a large boardwalk of sorts that starts in the Las Peñas neighborhood and runs along the Natural Guayas River. Designed by Oxford University in London, the Malecon is full of interesting pathways, parks, shops and restaurants. The design takes into account the geography of the area, playing off of its natural beauty.
The Malecon 2000 stretches for 2 miles, and is a great place to pass the afternoon, or even the whole day. Along the path you will find an IMAX theater, cultural centers, monuments, playgrounds, open air cafes, air-conditioned shopping centers and more. Safe enough to enjoy at night, consider having dinner on the waterfront at least once while in Guayaquil.
Vilcabamba’s Natural Yogurt
The little mountain town of Vilcabamba may be off the beaten path, but its natural beauty and friendly undisturbed atmosphere are attracting more and more people. If you want to live in a more remote location than say Quito or Cuenca, Vilcabamba is perfect for you. And the food there is not half bad either.
Take Natural Yogurt for example. Situated right on the Central Park, it is not only easy to find, it is also delicious! Breakfasts Ecu3offer some of the best fruit and yogurt combinations, as the name implies, and cost less than $2. Many of the main entrée choices are vegetarian… where else can you get a Tempeh burger for a dollar?
If your sweet tooth wasn’t satisfied by the yogurt, go for a dessert crepe; they run in price from $0.50 to $2. Natural Yogurt also serves up smoothies that are perfect for a mid-morning snack.
Vilcabamba is bustling with activity. Besides Natural Yogurt there are tons of great places to eat in Vilcabamba, and a trip to the city is definitely worth it. Check out more about Vilcabamba.
Photo credit – Ryan Lima Copyright Ryanjlima.com 2017
International Calling from Ecuador
Staying connected is no problem when traveling through Ecuador. Most higher end hotel offer hi-speed internet and somewhat reasonable rates when calling internationally. If your hotel doesn’t offer internet you can easily find internet cafes in town where they charge only $1 or $2 for an hour on the computer.
Sometimes, depending on the rates offered at your hotel, the best place to call internationally is actually at an internet café. Most have voice-over IP lines (VoIP) and calls to the States cost generally around $0.10 per minute with calls to Europe costing just a Ecu1touch more. Usually hotels make you call through an operator, which can cost you $3 or more per minute.
If you want to make local calls you can use a telephone cabina, a store with multiple phone booths inside. You are assigned a booth and then you pay upon exit. Avoiding using your cell phone even if you have an internationally roaming plan; your bill will be through the roof. If you want the convenience of a cell you can purchase one that runs on a prepaid basis; cards can be purchased anywhere. You can also rent a cell phone from Renta Cellular in Ecuador.
Best TOOLS as of 2017 JULY:
** iPhone – International plan – Tmobile 10 cents per minute
** Facetime ( On Phone APP Store )
** Facebook Video Chat ( On Phone APP Store )
** SKYPE ( On Phone APP Store )
AIM ( On Phone APP Store )
YAHOO MESSENGER ( On Phone APP Store )
Best Place to Retire in Latin America
Best Place to Retire in Latin America from My research and online reading research!
As the debate rages on as to which Latin American country is best to retire in, I’ve decided to take this opportunity to point out some of the pros and cons about settling in Ecuador. It seems that Panama is always the most talked about country, so I am going to compare the two, which will hopefully aid you in making your relocation decision.
To start off with, although the official language of both countries is Spanish, English is more widely spoken in Panama, whereas in Ecuador you mainly find English only in the tourist of Ecu2business areas. Panama is more similar to the United States in that its construction standards are higher and its roads are superior. Ecuador is still a little more untamed.
While Panama is hot and humid, the Andes Mountains in Ecuador provide practically perfect weather year round. Ecuador is also more diverse than Panama; despite its small size the country has Amazon jungle, Andes Mountains, and Pacific coastline. Ecuador’s culture is also more varied than Panama’s, not to mention the real estate prices are a heck of a lot lower, and so is the cost of living.
Basically, if you are looking for the United States with a hint of Latin, go Panama. But if you are looking to enjoy the true Latin flavor, Ecuador wins, hands down.
For more information about retiring in Ecuador, click here.
Buying Real Estate in Ecuador
Buying property in Ecuador is a great way to invest your money, as well as set yourself up with a retirement or vacation home. When it comes to buying property, foreigners automatically have the same right as Ecuadorians. What is more, no special visa or residency is needed to purchase property, and for those who wish to obtain their residency in Ecuador, there is no better way to prove yourself to the government than by investing in their country!
The paperwork for buying property can be long-winded, and what is more if you don’t speak Spanish you will find yourself in a bind. Therefore, make sure you hire a trusted attorney to provide you with legal advice and help you sort through the paperwork and procure and secure the property deed.
The BOE (Best of Ecuador) Network Enterprises has facilitated many in their move to Ecuador. They will definitely be able to help you with purchasing property or anything else you may need.
Responsible Traveling and Volunteering Promote Progress
An interesting initiative is being taken to promote responsible tourism and volunteering in Ecuador on the web. It is called Moving Ecuador, and it is fueled by the idea that every choice we make, every day, impacts someone and therefore small changes add up to make a big difference.
Moving Ecuador believes that development is necessary, but that in order to preserve the natural beauty of Ecuador development has to be done in a different way. The site contains a wealth of information on how the sharing of experiences and knowledge can motivate both those in Ecuador and abroad to preserve the country while helping it grow at the same time.
Check out the Moving Ecuador Website for more information on volunteering and responsible traveling throughout Ecuador.
