Republic of Ecuador

Democracy

13,022 millions (growth rate: 2%), 15.000.00 persons in Galapagos (from 5.000 to 15.000 in last 15 years)

40% mestizo, 40% Indian, 15% Spanish descent, 5% African descent

Quito (population 1.5 million)

Ecuador has adopted the US Dollar as their monetary unit.

Major credit cards are widely accepted in mainland Ecuador.
U.S. dollars and travellers checks are accepted on the galapagos islands.  Mastercard is the most commonly accepted credit cards while Visa and American Express are not usually used.

To prevent the circulation of $100 counterfeit bills, Ecuador’s commerce and banking system has stopped accepting $100 bills. All passengers traveling to Ecuador are advised not to bring US $100 bills with them because these will not be accepted, changed or cashed even at banks.

GMT minus 5 hours for the mainland and GMT minus 6 hours for the Galapagos Islands.  Daylight Savings Time is not observed in Ecuador.

Spanish and indigenous languages

With each purchase you must pay a tax of 12%.  For hotel and restaurants services you have to add another tax of 10%.  A $25 departure tax is paid on flying out of Ecuador.

shrimp, fish, coffee, bananas, and Oil

110V, 60Hz

Metric

Travel Requirements
(Visas & Passports )

It is highly recommended that you confirm your return international flight 72 hours before your departure.  Although not essential, it is better to arrive at least 2 hours before the departure time.

Smoking is not permitted inside the yachts but in some yachts is allowed in designated areas on the outside decks. Park rules forbid smoking on the islands of the Galápagos.

Most places in Ecuador have a dry season and a wet season The weather in the Eastern Sierra is such that the wet season is from June to August with average temperatures around 20ºC.
The weather in the eastern sierra is quite the opposite, having a dry season with little rain, strong winds and higher temperatures. For the rest of the year the pattern reverses except that around December there is usually a break in the weather of the western sierra's wet season, producing fine weather.
The Amazon basin is wet from September to April with temperatures around 28ºC. From May to August the frequency of rainfall increases with an average temperature around 32ºC.
The dry season on the coast runs from about June to December. Temperatures drop to about 26ºC with a frequent overcast and a damp mist; garuha, settling in and the sun can disappear for three months at a time. From January to June temperatures go up and days will be bright and sunny with occasional heavy rain.
The pattern is roughly the same in the Galapagos, there are two seasons in the islands: the rainy, hot season from December to June when humidity is high and average temperatures are in the 8 0s F (26° -30° C). There may be occasional showers, but the days are generally hot and sunny.From June to November, you can expect cool winds, bringing with them occasionally a light misty-type drizzle called "garúa". Temperatures average in the 70s F (20°-24° C) during the day and lower at night.

-Mainland: Ecuador is a fairly safe country to travel. The normal rules of large city applies everywhere and so Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca the country's most highly populated areas should be respected for tidy safety precautions.
-Galapagos: All safety and fire prevention measures have been implemented on all vessels.

We recommend that you drink bottled water to prevent illness.  No immunizations required at the time this was written, for the mainland and the Galapagos islands, excluding some deeply forested areas.  Check with a local health official at least two week prior to departure.  To avoid getting sick the US Center for Disease Control recommends:

• Don't eat food purchased from street vendors.
• Don't drink beverages with ice.
• Don't eat dairy products unless you know they have been pasteurised.
• Don't share needles with anyone.
• Don't handle animals (especially monkeys, dogs, and cats), to avoid bites and serious diseases.
• Don't swim in fresh water. Salt water is usually safer.

For more information see the Center for Disease Control`s recommendation

Though generally below U.S. standards and varying in quality, medical care is available.
It is important that you advise us of any medical conditions or any special medical or dietary needs you may have, well in advance of the trip. Some Cruise ships have a doctor on board. If not, yachts have first-aid kits and the guides are trained in first-aid procedures. Vessels have radio contact with the mainland in case of emergencies.

Visitors to the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon rain forest, the Cotopaxi National Park and other National Parks and Natural Reserves must pay entrance fees.
The Galapagos Islands are part of the Ecuador National Park system and there is a one-time entrance fee of $100 to access the islands.

The quality of service should determine the extent of any gratuity. This is our suggestion: 10% of the bill at restaurants , $0.50 per bag for porters and bell-boys at hotels
$1 per bag to porter at the airport when you arrive , Private tours in mainland Ecuador (per person):
US $10 for a full day, for the guide , US $ 5 for a full day, for the driver
US $3 per transfer, for the guide, US $1 per transfer, for the driver.

It’s always a good idea to travel light by bringing only what you need for your trip. Being over burdened with luggage can make transfers and travel difficult. Keep in mind that flights to and from the Galápagos limit you to a maximum of 20 kg or 44 lbs.

Internet communications on the mainland are improving but very fluid. Almost all of the upscale chain hotels in Quito and Guayaquil offer the ability to connect a laptop to the internet, but don’t count on a wireless connection as very few hotels offer that service. You are advised to bring an Ethernet card that permits a direct hook up. Many hotels offer high speed connections, but you can’t count on that either.

During your Galápagos cruise you can call home on y our visit to Puerto Ayora or San Cristobal, where you will find an Internet café to use for checking web-based emails, or the crew and staff members of your yachts will be happy to assist you in passing on messages through radio.

-Mainland Ecuador: Most city offices and shops open from 9:00 to 18:00 Monday through Friday. Currency exchange facilities are open week days and Saturday morning in major hotels. Banking facilities are not available in remote areas. U.S. dollars are accepted throughout the country. ATM's are easily found throughout the main cities. Cash advances can be made at most banks or ATM's.
-Galapagos: El Banco de Pacifico in Puerto Ayora and Puerto Barquerizo cashes dollars, the rates are a bit lower than on the mainland. The bank is open Monday to Friday 8:00 - 3:30 and Saturday 9:30 -12:30 (subject to change). Personal checks are not accepted. The ATM operates between 7 am -11: 30 pm and accepts only Cirrus and Mastercard. The ATM is not totally reliable but if it is not working you can ask the bank teller to make a cash-withdrawal with your Mastercard (not with a Cirrus card)
Please note: Most boats accept Traveler's checks. Mastercard is the only accepted credit card on the islands. Some businesses may take others. A surcharge is always applied to purchases on credit cards and most places don't take credit cards at all.