Is Ecuador Safe To Travel?

Ecuador is a friendly country with beautiful nature, delicious cuisine, and warm people in South America. However, due to the escalation of crimes and some perils to the safety of visitors, you may be asking yourself is Ecuador safe for tourism? Here are the facts.

Overall Safety Situation

Overall, violent crime in Ecuador is not as high as in other countries of South America or the region of Latin America in general. Small thefts like pocket-picking and bag snatching are more rampant in large cities as compared to violent attacks or kidnappings. Nevertheless, it is also important to note that crime is sometimes a problem, or could be, particularly if one is traveling alone in some districts.

The US and Canada recommend travelers to exercise caution while in Ecuador due to high crime rates. As of the present time, there are no travel advisories in effect. Road infrastructure and tourist attractions are well maintained and travelers should not worry about being attacked or mugged when they are alone or in a group. Like most countries, the probabilities of risk incidences are more likely to occur at night, especially in cities and slums.

Violent Crime Risks

That said, violence does occur, but usually in the form of gang attacks on other gang members rather than tourists. Street crime is more prevalent in the cities, especially in Quito and Guayaquil. Express kidnappings, which are characterized by short-term abductions to obtain money within a short time and use an ATM to do so, do not happen to foreigners either.

Robbery & Theft Risks

The highest risk for travelers is general theft including pickpocketing, snatching of bags, and loss of smartphones. Be cautious in crowded places, do not flaunt costly items, avoid using phones in public places and do not carry large sums of money when going out. There are also incidents of scams, so get licensed taxi services, and be cautious of fake police identification. Criminal attacks such as mugging and armed hold-up are extremely unlikely but not impossible.

Other Personal Safety Considerations

Cases of sexual harassment and assault have been reported by female hikers at high altitude hiking areas such as Quilotoa Crater. It is advisable to keep alert and avoid deserted areas, including taxis at night.

However, express kidnappings – which involve brief abductions solely to extort cash from ATMs – do occur, along with passengers being slipped drugs in taxis and buses. It is safer to only take official/regulated transport and taxis if you are going out at night. Also, it is highly advisable not to accept any food or drink from strangers – including local people – as there have been incidents of drinks being spiked.

Scams & Corruption Risks

However, there is also petty corruption where some police officers and other officials demand bribes. Exercise some level of reasoning but it is important to know that offering a bribe is as bad as getting a ticket. Here are some common tourist scams: the taxi meters can be rigged in some countries, fake police check, loaded ATM/credit card readers who can take your data. Be alert in airports/tourist areas or when using cards.

Safety by Region

Being a busy part of town, here one has to extra cautious and avoid walking around the terminal or near the new town especially the old town. There is a high incidence of robbery and petty theft in Guayaquil even during the daytime – be cautious in the crowded places and to the existing scams.

Of course, while Baños attracts a lot of tourists in search of adrenaline rushes, safety conditions might be rather unpredictable. It is noteworthy that there are accidents when hiking in the area beyond the waterfall as people often get lost. It is always recommended to do some research on the current state of the trails before going for a solo hike. Accidents such as robbery have also occurred at times when the inhabitants were in regions beyond the town.

In other coastal areas such as Manta and Esmeraldas, both violent and street crimes may be of concern at night and in other areas that are not tourist friendly. Avoid taking ordinary taxis here use only regulated or hotel taxis instead. In Oriente or Amazon and some parts of highlands, it is better to take a guided tour and do not hike individually.

Ecuador Safety Advice

• Do not exhibit expensive items/hold cash and cards in the same place
  
• Always prefer to walk and use only officially recognized taxi services, particularly at night.
  
• Do not take food/drinks from strangers due to potential drugging.
  
• Never undertake a trip in the wilderness without a professional guide
  
• This is because it is easy for pick pockets to operate while you are busy focusing on the crowd.
  
• Don’t go to deserted areas during the day or at night, avoid walking at night alone
  
• Check the current travel advice before travel & register for travel updates

Thus, even though Ecuador is not entirely safe for tourists, the numbers of violent crimes are lower than in other countries of the region. With some care not to fall prey to pickpockets and fraudsters and exercise reasonable safety measures especially while in unknown areas especially as a lone traveler, a trip to Ecuador should be an exciting trip.

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