Welcome to my first World Travel Pro, World Travel Report. In this report I will be covering Ecuador. Each World Travel Report will be taken from a long term backer perspective and will be focusing on the seven key elements of "backpacker Paradise".
Ecuador
Back Packer Paradise Score: 3.5
Affordability= 4
Food= 2
Culture = 3.5
Safety = 3.5
Activities = 4.5
Hotel Value= 4
Transportation = 3
Paradise Hot Spots: Vilcabamba, Cuenca, Quito, Montanita, Banos
Ecuador is a country I've spent a considerable amount of time in. It rates high in affordability, which makes it great for long term travel. You can generally find and negotiate deals for hotels in the 8-13 dollar range throughout the country. They will try to double the price for a second person, but you can often negotiate that down to an extra 5 dollars.
Ecuador is a popular retirement destination, and offers great long term visa opportunities as well. Ecuador hosts one of the biggest retirement communities in South America in the city of Cuenca. A very lovely city that has benefited immensely from the money brought in by retirees.
A pristine Central Park along side the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Cuenca; considered the biggest and nicest in all of South America. Hosting pink marble floors imported from Italy!
The second most famous retirement community is in Vilcabamba "The valley of longevity" at 5,000 ft above sea level near the equator, it has year round perfect weather. Many also refer to this place as a health-food haven, and the raw food capitol of the world!
Here is a photo of the park and church in Vilcabamba
Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in South America, but packs a big punch in terms of what you can do here. The country crosses from beaches on the Pacific to the Andes mountains, then to the jungle of the Amazon. This offers great opportunity for some incredible outdoor adventures including: surfing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, hiking, jungle trekking, bird watching, rafting, camping and more!
It's a very culturally divers country, and generally safe without many scams. The Andes and Amazon regions are much safer and traveler friendly than the coast. The main city on the coast is Guayaquil I don't advise even going there. It's like the 100% Latino Miami, only more dangerous, poorer, and expensive.
Drinking and street cred, is generally what the "Guayacas" are all about. The entire coast more or less has adopted this culture, the city of Esmereldas in the north west is even worse. However there are some gems to be found like Ayampe a humble beach town, and the touristy surf party mecca, Montanita.
The Andes region has a much safer and richer culture. It's comprised of a high population of Quichwa Indians and they hold their values to a high standard. They are polite, friendly, and interesting. Latacunga is a historic city small enough to cover on foot. A great place to take a step back in time.
Latacunga with snow capped Volcano Cotopaxi in the distance.
Banos is one of the more touristed areas for Ecuadorians and foreigners alike. It's famous for it's natural hot spring baths, hiking, rafting, scenic waterfalls, and the famous down hill mountain biking rout leading into the Amazon. The Amazon region offers tours, and eco-tourism. It's a great place to get wild and meet some serious indigenous tribes.
Natural hot water baths in Banos
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The food in this country is like I find in many Central and South American countries, bland, lacks spices, and if you find anything green on your plate consider yourself lucky! It's certainly affordable especially the "almouerzos", set lunches. They range from 2-4 dollars and should fill you up. They generally consist of a soup, juice, meat, rice, and secondary starch like potato or yucca.
The cleanliness can be an issue, one must be careful of what they eat. The best way to take precaution is to avoid eating from the stalls in the open air markets and take a good look at who is cooking, the cleanliness of the restaurant, and if they are busy.
To have your own apartment and cook for yourself can make a world of difference. Shopping in the open air markets is fun and very cheap. They have a decent range of fruit and vegetables. Meat is not refrigerated, so come early in the morning when it's most fresh. If you prefer a more western food shopping experience. The big super market chain is called Super Maxi and you can find them in the more populated cities, but expect higher prices.
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Transportation is generally done by bus. It's cheap, you can go from Quito in the north 10 hours south to Loja for less than 15 dollars. However winding through the Andes makes for slow tedious travel, some have been known to get motion sickness. Flying is an ok option, but the government has high taxes on flights and can cost about 100 dollars one way, domestic.
Overall I recommend a trip to Ecuador. This country has a lot to offer. It rates well on the backpacker paradise scale. It's downsides are made up fore in many ways. With a rich culture and lots to do, you will be in for a great travel experience!
Please up-vote, follow, and resteem.................... Next week we will cover Panama!
Banos, in particular looks very beautiful. Great post.
Thank you. It is very beautiful, but it can get pretty rainy there at times.
@world-travel-pro
Wow! You wasn't kidding when you said I might find your article interesting. No doubt it most definitely was I enjoyed it and look forward to learning about Panama..
Will be following you!
Yeah, @world-travel-pro commented on my Steemit pageand I came over to check out this post and was not disappointed. I couldn't tell from the article but I'm guessing that that the paradise scale is from 1-5?
Great article and can't wait to read about Panama!
I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the article. I certainly enjoyed yours. Yes the scale is from 1-5. Good tip I should ad that to the post. The link I put in the article is to a detailed description of my Backpacer paradise scale. You can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/what-is-backpacker-paradise
Thank you for the compliments. Glad you enjoyed Jaiwada!
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Great post and thanks for the helpful insights.
Thank you! This is so exciting. I always wanted to be a travel writer. Waking up this morning to 250 + votes and over 70 dollars. Holly Shit! Looks like my dream is coming true! Will certainly like to buy you a drink when I get to Playas.
What's an interesting post. I love the shots. I should to visit the Ecuador has a lot of offers as well. Now I am only buy straight from them the bitter chocolate btw it is the best one I have been ever eaten. I follow you. You welcome to follow me as well. Of course upvote and resteem. Have a good one ;)
Thank you for the kind comments. Yes Ecuador is famous for it's chocolate, that have a very rich agricultural scene going on there. Will check out your blog now!
Great ;) See you there ;)
Congratulations @world-travel-pro!
Your post was mentioned in my hit parade in the following category:
awesome article!! i want to learn from you and become a perpetual traveler :) - maybe work on a "guide for dummies"?
Wow. What a compliment. I hope you have no problem resteeming my article. Seems that's the best way to get attention.
On that note. if you are serious about working together. I can make that happen. I'm not so good with computers and internet marketing, but I have probably 10 books on budget travel/lifestyle in my head. If you've got a business plan email me at [email protected] or dan.gardner.82 skype.
Here is my intro to inform you more about who I am
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@world-travel-pro/who-is-the-world-travel-pro-a-re-introduction-to-the-steemit-community
Awesome, I'll message you ;)
Great blog. I just wish that volcano pic was bigger. Looks awesome.
Thanks for the tip. I'm so new here, I'm still learning the tech side of posting. Will keep things like that in mind!
I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro
Nice post. I've been living in Cuenca for 6 years now. Your description of the country and life here seems on target to me. One thing I would add is that here in Cuenca there is something of a backlash against the gringo community.
This is not so much against people like me (many local friends, married to a woman from Zamora-Chinchipe) but against the gringos who come here and live apart. There are a lot of North Americans here who speak no Spanish, go only to known gringo hangouts, and generally want nothing to do with the Ecuadoreans. That causes much of the stress.
I don't know much about your lifestyle, but see backpackers mostly around Calle Larga and Presidente Borrero. There seem to be a lot of hostels and the like that cater to your crowd there.
Keep the posts coming!
Great bonus info for the audience. Yes that is what happens when you have two cultures that generally don't integrate, with a heavy language barrier. The American's don't come to Ecuador to be Ecuadorian that is for sure.
I have lived in Cuenca for a bit over a month. I'm familiar with the city quite well, including where the backpackers hang out on Calle Largo.
What you say is true. But in general I don't see a lot of hate. I speak fluent Spanish and have one foot in both worlds. If you speak Spanish, you get accepted quickly and it makes a world of difference.
It's true many Ecuadorians are negative about the gringo invasion. But there are many including shop owners who appreciate it, and understand that their, and their cities financial success has a lot to do with it.
One thing for sure. There is no such thing as the perfect place on this planet. I hope you enjoy what you have there in Cuenca. It's a very nice place to live!
Thank you for reading my post. I'm glad you enjoyed!
You sound like me with being in both worlds. I have had a few incidents of anti-gringo sentiment aimed at me in the last 6 years. But most of the anti-gringo stuff I hear is from Ecuadorean friends bitching about those who live separate. I don't hear much about the backpacking crowd from anyone, which is probably good news for you guys.
I like the quality of your reporting. What you say describes very well what I see out there. Much better than a lot of the reporting out there. Example: this Breitbart writeup about Cuenca that talks about "Cuencans," a term I have never heard used by anyone (expat or Cuencano) who has actually spent time here.
Keep the quality content coming!
Thank you for the ringing endorsement. Part of my motivation on this platform, is that I'm tired of everything you read online just being about how great everything is, which is a just total misleading propaganda. International living magazine is a perfect example. Everyone is trying to sell you something! It can often set people up for disappointment and worse.
Every location on the planet has it's advantages and it's pitfalls. When you read three pages of wonderful and nothing more. You need to take it with grain of salt!
All I want to do is get the real information out there, and those who value it will value me. In turn I am rewarded, even if not financially, inside I know I'm doing good.
On a further note; I'll be posting about how to get the best deal on ariline tickets later today. Hope you find it useful. Have a great day. -Dan, World Travel Pro!
I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro
Very beautiful and love the beautiful produce.
Thank you. Ecuador has some the best quality produce on the planet. Most of the country is very rich in Volcanic soil.
Right back at you :)
Thank you..:))
excellent article, looking forward to more!
Thank you. I plan on covering a country I've explored ever Sunday night. Stay tuned! Next up....Panama!
Awesome travel blog mate. Makes me want to go Equador now ;)
So glad you enjoyed! :)
Never been to Ecuador, but now I want to go see!
Glad you enjoyed!
Came to this late, apologies! Great read, a lot to take in, will be back! Upvoted and resteemed
Awesome. Looks like me dream to be a travel writer is coming true. Over 250 up-votes and 70 + dollars. I can't believe it! I'm so happy! Thank you so much for your encouragement and help! There will be many more great articles to come!
Awesome post ! I dont even have a passport but one day if i could ever afford it I may go outside the country !! thanks for shareing ! upped and resteemed !!
You are awesome! Thank you so much!
This looks like an amazing adventurous ride.. thanks for sharing @world-travel-pro ... Following you now!
Thank you!
I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro
This post has been ranked within the top 25 most undervalued posts in the first half of Jun 12. We estimate that this post is undervalued by $45.34 as compared to a scenario in which every voter had an equal say.
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Wow! You really nailed it my friend!! It's really amazing that you get to live these great experiences and travel so much. I'm looking forward to your next post from Panama!
Thanks for commenting today as well, my attempts at meditation are getting a bit better, so far so good!
Keep doing these great posts! :)
Hey there brother! I couldn't wait until Sunday to do my report on Panama.
So I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- Dan, World Travel Pro
Hey man!! That's so cool, I will check it for sure :) where in the world are you now? I'm intrigued
I'm in Panajachel, El Amigo hotel on Lake Atitlan until Monday, then one night in Antigua Guatemala before catching a flight to Cancun, Mexico. Then I'll stay a week south of Cancun in Playa Del Carmen, before flying out to NY to spend a month with my Dad.
That's amazing man! Take some pics at Cancun, I've been there and it's beautiful
Will do. Looking forward to it!
Sounds good brother. Thanks for the encouragement. Tomorrow I'm going to post "Travel Questions Answered" Steemian Ellisahawk from Australia wants to know: How do you get the best air-fare when purchasing your tickets?"
Part one.
I'm breaking into two parts as it's lengthy and detailed and little complicated. But gives all my secrets to buying cheap tickets. For example I'm flying from NYC to Bangkok August 8th for $350. Normally it's $600 plus!
anyway. I'm excited about my success on here and I'm really thankful for your support! Keep meditating. Let me know how it works for you!
Thank you, I've always wanted to visit Ecuador.
Maybe when my "Steem-Ship" comes in I shall! :)
😄😇😄
Tomorrow I'll be posting about how to get cheap air fare. Maybe that will help too! Have you seen this Sweetssssj Chinese girl on here? Makes me almost want to puke! She lives the high life and earns about 1,000 a post. I just don't get it. I guess people enjoy watching a girl in her underpants travel around the world, and think they are traveling "with" her. At least i provide info people can use. Blows my mind!
Looking forward to your article about airfare. As I mentioned, one of these days I would love to visit Ecuador. I've even thought of living there for a quieter retirement, but can't seem to interest my wife in the possibilities! :O
I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro
Thanks, I'll have a peek.
ha ha. Yes common story. Same with my father. He's ready to go, but the wife won't have it. Speaking of health related stuff. Another reason I won't live permanently back in the US. Is that healthy food is so expensive! Yet everyone can afford to hit up the drive thru a McDonalds. Right now I'm on Lake Atitlan Guatamal. Where I can buy a pound of Macadamia nuts for 4.50! and an avocado cost 15 cents!
Sounds amazing... Avos in California right now are about $2.50 or more... :O
Wow. I missed this reply. That's why I'm not excited about coming home for a month. It's just criminal that any nutrient dense quality food is expensive, yet the dollar menu at McDonalds everyone can afford.
Here's my latest travel report that I'm proud of. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro
semoga anda senang, selamat berbahagia
I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro
I've added to your wonderful upvote score 😄 nicely presented article. Beautiful pics. 😄
Hi there, I just published another travel report you might enjoy. You can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Have a great day - World Travel Pro
Thank you very much. I hope you get your sleep patterns in order. Later today I'll be posting about how to get the best deal on air line tickets. I'm sure you will find the information useful. Have a great day- Dan, World Travel Pro
Thanks so much for this, Ecuador has been on my radar and your guide here is really helpful! It makes a huge difference to learn about different places from people who've experienced it first hand. Upvoted, following you and looking forward to your upcoming post on Panama!
Thank you! I'm glad you found my info valuable!
I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro
Great post. I'd only add a mention of how insecure the country can be. You should always be alert of your surroundings when using public transport!
Source: I was born and raised in EC.
Totally agree. However after traveling through Colombia and Central America. I find Ecuador to be much safer in general.
I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro