Ecuador
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Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
The border crossing between Ecuador and Peru through Huaquillas: Do not exchange your dollars to sols here. Many bills are fake and if you don't know how to spot them, chances are good that you'll get one ( on genuine bills the 50 or 100 sol on the side of the note will change color depending on the angle you hold it at to light and the line underneath the writing at the top is actually tiny letters, so if it's a solid line it's a fake or if the number doesn't change color it's a fake). Most fake bills are 50 sol and 100 sol, so if it's necessary to change some, make sure you get denominations of 10s and 20s. People will tell you anything to make you change your money there: the banks are closed, the bank machine doesn't work, there's a strike, you can't use US dollars at all... Also a problem are the taxi drivers, who will do the same about transit options: there are no collectivos to Tumbes, it's too dangerous, etc. Also, make sure you ask the bus driver to stop at the immigration office (and tell you when he does) on the Ecuadorian side when coming from Machala. This will save a couple of dollars on a taxi. There are banks in Tumbes if you can hold off until there to get your sols. Most of this info is in my opinion quite essential to this border crossing due to the amount of people that will tell you very convincing stories about bank closures and collectivo "holidays."
Jason Martyn, Canada (Jan 05)
Travel Tips
None of the hotels in which we stayed took credit cards. Some would offer, but with a 21% fee, which is beyond steep. We strongly recommend that you bring enough cash with you when visiting these more remote towns and villages, as some places (like Vilcabamba) don't even have a bank! Travel Agencies also only take cash, and if you find that you want to stay longer, and prefer to fly to another town or city, you will need to have cash to pay for your ticket, or go to the airport, where they will take plastic.
Internet is widely available around $1-$2 per hour. Electricity is 110V. Quito is 2850 meters of elevation, so give yourself a couple of days to get adjusted. Carry a copy of your passport with you at all times. We were stopped and checked.
Bus rides average about $1 an hour, so if you are trying to figure out how much a trip from one place to another will generally cost, use this as a guide.
Breakfasts (desayunos) usually consist of bread and cheese, fresh juice, hot milk or water for chocolate or instant coffee, and two eggs. You may get lucky and get a fruit selection or some yogurt. They run from $1 to $1.50 most places, and in some hotels and hostals are included in your room price.
Almuerzo is a lunch offering that consists of a bowl of soup, a full plate of carne or pollo with rice, potatoes, salad, and/or lentils. Sometimes you will also get a juice, and dessert. They are standard all throughout Ecuador, and normally are at the $1 to $1.50 price. It's a cheap, efficient and rather wholesome way to get full at lunchtime. Ask even in places where they are not posted. Highly recommended.
William & Akaisha Kaderli, USA (Oct 05)
Moving About
The bus connection Loja-Pirua: You should warn travellers that this service is highly unreliable. This morning they cancelled the 7 a.m departure due to lack of fuel. However the tourist information admitted that they often do this in order to save money when the bus isn´t full. This morning we were only 7 gringos waiting.
Henrik Ebne, Norway (Oct 05)
The train ride from Riobamba to Nariz del Diablo: It needs to be made clear that this is a train strictly for tourists. The train does not go anywhere or do anything for any utilitarian purpose. It passes through some towns, then zig-zags down and back up the Nariz. Itâ??s not particularly hair raising, nor is the scenery particularly awe-inspiring. The cultural scenery is OK, but not that different from a bus ride, such as the bus from Riobamba to Cuenca. Also, itâ??s somewhat pathetic to see people throwing candy to and releasing inflated balloons at the desperately poor children who come out to wave at the train passengers. One couple near me elected to purchase and toss oranges. I thought this was better than lollypops. Be careful about renting cushions the night before. A man at the ticket office will be there and give you a handwritten voucher for a buck, but I couldnâ??t find the man in the morning, was told he was outside somewhere, and, not wanting to lose a good seat on the train, simply rented a cushion from a different man for another buck. There are plenty available in the morning. You just leave the cushions on top of the train at the end of the trip. Somebody will come collect them. You definitely want a cushion; some people rented two. The right side of the train is considered the best viewing.
Vincent Barnes, USA (Sep 05)
Road Banos â?? Riobamba: We did the road with a 4WD, but it remains an adventure. The road is still heavily damaged due to the eruption of Tungurahua, many quebradas that come down from Tungurahua have destroyed the paved road. At these places, improvised wooden bridges provide an hair-rising passage for light cars and motorcycles. But it takes a lot of time and you never know how stable these bridges are.
Joerg Haas, Germany (Aug 05)
Concerning the train ride from Riobamba, Ecuador down to El Nariz del Diablo, I would definitely add a note cautioning the traveller that it's very likely that the train will derail. This happened three different times on our trip down. Nothing against the brilliant guys that run the beast since they were able to get it back on after an hour and a half of coaxing with a giant metallic shoe-horn type thing, but it would have been nice to know about this possibility.
Mike Woodworth, USA (Aug 05)
I rented a 4-wheeler. It was a scary, scary experience. First of all, even though the vehicles you can rent are more suited to city streets (scooters) or off road environments (off-road motorcycles, ATVS and mountain bikes), the route is the same one followed by the buses: the mountainous two-lane â??highway.â??
While there are a number of places that rent vehicles in town and there does seem to be some disparity in the quality of the vehicles, in general, (with respect to ATVs), they should be closely examined before you rent them. Perhaps the biggest issue is with the lights; they have front headlights and rear taillights but these hardly generate much light and, of a group of six, we had only one working taillight. Also, some places give you real motorcycle helmets, others use rafting helmets, bike helmets, or rock climbing helmets â?? hardly sufficient protection if you crash the ATV. Also, some ATVs have keys while others are just kick-started; while not a safety issue, being able to take your key with you when you stop (for hiking, etc.) offers some protection that the vehicle you rented won't be stolen.
As is the case throughout the country (and much of Latin America), the highway and its accepted â??rulesâ?? are also different â?? so it is not uncommon to see a bus passing another bus around a mountain curve; this is a scary proposition if you're anywhere nearby on an ATV (particularly considering the steep, unguarded drop-offs that are de rigueur for the highways).
Most important are the tunnels. Leading out of Baños to the Pailon del Diablo waterfall there is a series of four or five tunnels. Going through these in anything but a car or bus is absolute folly and people should be very aware of the danger they pose before getting to them. The first tunnel (heading towards Puyo) is one-way in both directions (i.e. there are two separate tunnels) so you don't have to worry about oncoming traffic. It is also relatively short, perhaps 100m (though coming back into town the same stretch of tunnel is probably a quarter-mile long). However the following tunnels are much longer and more dangerous for those on bikes, scooters, or ATVs. These tunnels are in excess of 1 km so on an ATV you may be driving though for three or four minutes. The tunnels are narrow and not lighted at all. They are carved out of living rock so they are wet, with water dripping from the top and sides. There are no dividers between lanes of oncoming traffic. On the right side is a two-foot deep drainage ditch. Add to all of these environmental issues the state of the ATVs (or scooters or bikes). They are slow next to the flow of regular traffic. They often do not have working taillights. The headlights cast only enough light to be seen but not enough to see in the dark. In addition, many Ecuadorian cars do not have all of their lights so they may not see you. Also, highway rules seem to allow for passing in tunnels which is a bit disconcerting.
Thankfully, most of the tunnels can be bypassed (although the one-way ones closest to town cannot). Please advise readers to take the old access roads around the mountain rather than the tunnels that go through it. These roads are gravel and are still quite passable; in fact there are small communities that live along these stretches. It is a far, far safer alternative and one that the renting company never mentioned.
Lee Gimpel, USA (Jun 05)
Scams & Warnings
While in Cuenca, Ecuador, we were informed about a drug referred to as escapolamina, which is being used against unsuspecting victims, primarily tourists. It is from a plant extract in the Amazon region which was/is used by some of the shamans. It can be put in a drink or blown into someones face or even transmitted through a handshake (it only has to touch your skin). It causes nausea, fatigue and headaches and can result in you consciously handing over all of your valuable possessions including yourself!
Matt Keilty, USA (Nov 05)
On Oct. 31, 2005 visitors traveling with several different tour agencies were held up en masse on the Cuyabeno River, headed into the Cuyabeno Reserve. No one was hurt but valuables such as cameras, gortex jackets and cash were taken. If you are headed in this direction inquire about security with your tour agent (this place is not really accessible to independent travelers). One tip is to check before leaving home if your renter´s or homeowner´s policy will insure your stuff when you travel. Since locals in this remote area as well as lodges are dependent on tourism for their livelihood, there is great local interest in keeping this place safe and secure for visitors.
Carolyn McCarthy (Nov 05)
Don't walk around Mariscal after dark. Apparently Sundays are particularly dangerous as they are very quiet. My friend and I got mugged at knife point by 2 men at around midnight on Sunday. There was a group of 4 men who looked like drug dealers standing on the opposite side of the road. We passed them and 2 ran up behind us and threatened us with a knife and bottle. It happened 50 yards from the hostel we were staying in and the bar we'd left had only been about 100 yards away, so we didn't think of getting a taxi. Since this happened to us we've heard of a lot of other attacks in that area and a few in other parts of Quito. Please be careful.
Nicola Eustace, UK (Oct 05)
Popular ATM scam: blocking the door and say it only will open when you put your card into a wall mounted box. Your card will be copied! No bank has a system where you need your card to get out (and I havent seen a bank in south america where you need one to get in) Normally they work with two or more people one of them inside who will try to see your pin and the other one outside which will block the door. Better do not use the atm when people hang around! This happened to my girlfriend and other people in Quito as well.
Daniel Goergen, Germany (Sep 05)
Gems, Highlights & Attractions
The Saturday morning Riobamba market is great. I spent hours there and never saw another tourist because most only come to Riobamba for the train ride and if they are doing the Sunday morning ride, they arrive later in the day on Saturday.
Vincent Barnes, USA (Sep 05)
A new cable car (teleferico) is now in operation in Quito. For $4 (or the preferred ticket at $7 which can save a lot of time in lines) one gets a 7-minute ride to near the top of the volcanic mountains immediately west of the city (ride goes to the northern end). Excellent views of the city and surroundings. There are many options for eating, souvenirs, carnival-style rides, horseback riding at the cable car site too. Prices are not much higher than in Quito itself, surprisingly.
The top is 4100 meters high and the city has in place medical stations there with oxygen for those who may need help. One can walk out onto the highland paramo meadows and into the mountains from the top of the cable car park.
The teleferico is a wonderful addition to Quito. Don't miss it. Can be reached by taxi or special shuttle bus. It starts just west of the Occidental expressway along the northwest edge of the city. Go early in the morning for best views of volcanoes and shorter lines.
Richard Knapp, USA (Aug 05)
6th January Dia de los Inocentes is my favourite festival in Cuenca. Basically there is a hilarious procession that the whole town comes out to watch, where every teenage boy and uni student male dresses up in drag and flounces through the streets. And man do they get into it! There are also some floats. It's great fun and there is an excellent atmosphere.
Helen Vint, UK (May 03)
Monastry of San Diego charges $2 per person...very interesting, you can see almost everything, sometimes an old sister falling asleep. Also noteworthy is a very nice original Jeronhimus Bosch painting in one of the exposition rooms...I know it must be very, very expensive and needs a renovation and much more security. We were astonished to see it here!
JJH Vollenberg, The Netherlands (May 02)
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