Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Travel
Information
When to Go
T
he best time to visit
Ecuador is any time
.... depending on where
you plan to go. Geogra-
phy and climate patterns vary con-
siderably throughout the country.
The hot, rainy season in the
Galápagos coincides with the wet
and relatively cold “winter” in the
Sierras, as well as the less-wet sea-
son in the Oriente. The busiest
travel time along the “gringo path”
through Ecuador is June through
August and aroundChristmas, both
of which coincide withNorth Ameri-
can and European vacations. This
also happens to be the best weather
in the Andes, with cooler temperatures and rain picking up from
around October through May. Any time is a good time to visit Ecua-
dor.
IN THIS CHAPTER
When to Go
33
Getting Here
34
Getting Around
37
What to Bring
39
Customs & Entry
41
Leaving Ecuador
43
Money Matters
43
Health & Safety
47
Communications
52
Time Zone
54
Electricity
54
Language
54
Women & Children
55
Disabled Travelers
56
Gay/Lesbian Traveler
56
Holidays & Festivals
57
The hot, rainy season along the coast generally occurs from late De-
cember/January to May. You will find the beaches full on the week-
ends during this period of nice weather and school vacations. Along
the south coast, the middle and upper classes fromGuayaquil flock to
the shores, and in the north they generally visit from Quito and Co-
lombia. Expect washed-out bridges and poor road conditions at this
time of year, but unless it is an El Niño year, this is usually only a mi-
nor inconvenience. By June itmay still be nice, but the Pacific Coastal
mist, known locally as
la garua
, covers the land for the next several
months. During this time the beaches are practically deserted, except
for foreign backpackers.
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