Ecuador

Spanish is Ecuador's official language and is spoken everywhere. Kichwa and other indigenous languages are common alongside Spanish in Andean and Amazon communities. English is spoken at hotels, tour agencies, and in the Galápagos, but is limited outside tourist areas, so a few Spanish phrases go a long way.

Prepaid SIM and eSIM plans from Claro, Movistar, or CNT are cheap and quick to set up at the airport or any phone shop; bring your passport, since registration is required to buy a SIM. Coverage is strong in cities and the Andes but patchy in parts of the Amazon and on the more remote Galápagos islands.

Tap water isn't recommended for drinking outside a few filtered systems; stick to bottled or boiled water, including for ice in smaller towns. Quito and Cuenca both sit above 2,500 meters, and altitude sickness - headaches, fatigue, nausea - is common in the first day or two. Rest, hydrate, and go easy on alcohol on arrival. Travelers heading to the Amazon are usually advised to get a yellow fever vaccination, and mosquito repellent helps against dengue risk on the coast and in the jungle. Pharmacies (farmacias) are widely available in cities and can advise on minor ailments.

Citizens of the US, Canada, the EU, the UK, and most Latin American countries can enter Ecuador visa-free for up to 90 days as tourists. Longer stays or other purposes require an appropriate visa arranged in advance. The Galápagos Islands charge a separate entry fee, payable in cash on arrival, in addition to any visa requirements.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Ecuadorians typically greet with a handshake, or a single cheek kiss between women and between a man and a woman. Dress modestly when visiting churches and indigenous communities - avoid shorts and sleeveless tops. Ask before photographing people, especially in indigenous highland and Amazon communities, where an unannounced photo can come across as intrusive. Bargaining is normal at craft markets like Otavalo, but not in shops or restaurants with fixed prices.

Public holidays close banks, government offices, and many shops, and intercity buses fill up fast around long weekends, so book transport and hotels ahead if you're traveling then.

Most shops open Monday to Saturday and keep shorter hours or close on Sunday, except in shopping malls, which typically stay open every day.

• By air: Quito and Guayaquil have Ecuador's main airports, with frequent domestic flights connecting them to Cuenca, Manta, and other cities. Flying is also the only practical way to reach the Galápagos Islands from the mainland.
• By bus: An extensive, inexpensive network of intercity buses connects almost every town, including Baños and the coast. Buy same-day tickets at the bus terminal (terminal terrestre); book ahead only for holidays or overnight routes.
• By train: Ecuador's historic rail network mostly runs short, scenic tourist routes rather than practical transport between cities, including the Nariz del Diablo switchback line near Alausí.

Ecuadorian food changes with the region: hearty potato and pork dishes in the Andean highlands, ceviche and seafood on the coast, and plantain- and fish-based cooking in the Amazon. Breakfast is often simple - bread, eggs, or a bolón de verde (fried plantain ball) - while lunch is the main meal of the day, usually a set menu (almuerzo) of soup, a main course, juice, and dessert for a few dollars.

Street stalls and markets sell empanadas, humitas (steamed corn cakes), and grilled meats, while colada morada, a spiced purple corn drink, appears everywhere around Day of the Dead in early November. Highland towns often serve canelazo, a hot cinnamon drink, on cool evenings. Locals eat at simple set-menu restaurants and market stalls as much as at sit-down restaurants, and both are worth trying.

Ecuador's most-visited destinations cluster into a few regions.

In the Andean highlands, Quito pairs one of South America's best-preserved colonial old towns, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with easy access to volcanoes and crater lakes. Baños is the country's adventure-sports hub, ringed by waterfalls, and Otavalo draws visitors to its long-running indigenous market. Riobamba sits at the foot of Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest peak.

Further south, Cuenca is Ecuador's second UNESCO World Heritage city, known for its rivers and Panama-hat workshops, while nearby Loja and the retreat village of Vilcabamba are quieter, greener stops.

On the coast, Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and main port, Manta is a fishing and beach town, and Montañita is a laid-back surf village popular with backpackers.

Far offshore, Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island is the main gateway to the Galápagos Islands and their wildlife.