Ecuador

South America

Ecuador

Ecuador packs an outsized range of landscapes into a small footprint: snow-capped Andean volcanoes above colonial Quito, cloud forests thick with hummingbirds, Amazon rainforest on one side, and the singular wildlife of the Galápagos Islands a short flight from the mainland. Giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, and marine iguanas that show little fear of people make the islands feel like nowhere else on the planet. Few countries offer this much ecological variety packed this close together.

Why go thereWildlife Nature & landscapes Volcanoes Indigenous cultures Diving & snorkelling Markets & bazaars Culture & heritage Mountain hiking Climbing & mountaineering Ancient ruins Adventure sports Hot springs

Main destinations

Food & drink to try

Encebollado

Tuna and yuca soup with pickled onion and lime, eaten to start or repair a day.

Ceviche ecuatoriano

Shrimp cooked briefly and served in its own tomato-and-lime broth, with popcorn.

Hornado

Whole pig roasted in a clay oven, served with hominy, potato cake and pickle.

Main destinations

Other destinations

Comfort in January · by notability

Food & drink to try

Encebollado

Tuna and yuca soup with pickled onion and lime, eaten to start or repair a day.

Ceviche ecuatoriano

Shrimp cooked briefly and served in its own tomato-and-lime broth, with popcorn.

Hornado

Whole pig roasted in a clay oven, served with hominy, potato cake and pickle.

Fritada

Pork simmered in orange juice then fried in its own fat, with corn and plantain.

Locro de papa

Potato and cheese soup with avocado on top, thick and mild, from the sierra.

Llapingachos

Potato patties stuffed with cheese and griddled in achiote, with peanut sauce.

Seco de chivo

Goat stewed in naranjilla juice and beer until dark, served with rice.

Bolón de verde

Green plantain mashed with cheese or chicharrón and shaped into a ball, fried.

Encocado

Fish or shrimp cooked in coconut milk on the Esmeraldas coast.

Guatita

Tripe in a peanut and potato sauce, served over rice on weekends.

Cuy asado

Guinea pig roasted whole on a spit, an Andean celebration meat.

Humitas

Fresh ground corn steamed in its own husk, eaten with coffee in the afternoon.

Empanadas de viento

Cheese pastries that puff hollow in the oil and are dusted with sugar.

Fanesca

Twelve-grain soup with salt cod and squash, cooked only in Holy Week.

Colada morada

Purple fruit and spice drink served warm with bread dolls on the Day of the Dead.

Chontacuro

Palm weevil grubs grilled on skewers in the Amazon, crisp outside and rich within.

Canelazo

Hot cinnamon and naranjilla drink spiked with cane spirit, for cold highland nights.

Chocolate ecuatoriano

Fine-aroma nacional cacao, floral and low in bitterness, grown for centuries.

Café de altura

High-grown arabica from the Andean slopes, roasted light for export.

Tigrillo

Green plantain scrambled with egg and cheese, a breakfast from Loja.

Entry & health

Set your passport

fuel-prices.eu worldpowerplug.com constituteproject.org

Advisory only — AI + web search, may be out of date. Confirm official sources before you travel.

Tipping & local customs

In most tourist-oriented restaurants in Ecuador a 10% tip is the norm, especially if the food and service were good, but many places already add a voluntary 10-15% service charge plus 15% IVA tax to the bill, so check before adding more; tipping is not obligatory and Ecuadorians themselves often skip it, but rounding up for taxis and small tips (~$1) for guides/porters are appreciated.

Dress neatly — a dapper, unrumpled appearance is expected in business circles and earns respect, particularly in the highlands where norms are more formal than on the coast.
Men should remove hats indoors, and shorts or skirts shouldn't be worn inside churches, where scruffiness of any sort will be frowned upon.
It is customary to greet people when entering shops, hotels, or taxis, or when passing locals on the street in smaller villages — politeness is a core feature of the culture.
When invited to an Ecuadorian home, wait for the host to indicate where to sit and don't start eating until they do; refusing offered food can be seen as rude, so accept small portions even with dietary restrictions.
In the Galápagos, strict conservation rules apply — stay on marked trails and keep a safe distance from wildlife without touching or feeding animals.
Bargaining is acceptable in markets for handicrafts and souvenirs, but not expected in restaurants or regular shops.

Advisory only — AI + web search, may be out of date. Confirm official sources before you travel.

Before you go

Stay connected

Get an eSIM for Ecuador — mobile data the moment you land.

via Airalo

Travel insurance

Cover trip cancellation, medical care and delays.

via EKTA