Where can I find the most sun in Ecuador?

My answer. The Dominican Republic. No…well, Ecuador has sun, just not as much as it’s Caribbean neighbors. And life in Ecuador has it’s definite advantages over the Caribbean, like costs, mild weather, amazing food, nice people, good business opportunity and more.

In fact, Ecuador has many micro-climates, all with their own distinct weather patterns. Some with sun, and some without.

Much of the coast has crystal-clear blue-bird days from late December to early April. From there, the rest of the year most days are often overcast.

In the Andes, just about every day has an interesting mix of blue skies, sun, rain, clouds, and the occasional hail. Many locals in the Highlands mention how all 4 seasons can often be seen in the same day.

In the Amazon, the climate reminds me of when I lived in Hawaii, where on any given day you will probably see some sun, and a few moments of torrential down-pore.

Below is a Town by Town comparison of the sun in Ecuador:

1-10, 1 is NO SUN, 10 is All day , almost everyday, pack the SPF 100

Ambato 6
Atacames 5
Ayampe 4
Bahia de Caraquez 4
Banos 6
Canoa 4
Cotacachi 7
Crucita 6
Cuenca 6
Esmeraldas 5
Guayaquil 8
Loja 7
Machala 7
Manta 6
Montanita 4
Olon 4
Otavalo 6
Pedernales 5
Playas 4
Puerto Lopez 4
Puyo 7
Salinas 6
San Clemente 8
Vilcabamba 7
Quito 7
Zamora 8

What do you think?

IF YOU HAVE AREAS TO ADD OR SUGGESTIONS PLEASE LEAVE IN THE COMMENTS…

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I think most foreigners wish more dumpsters were used, but in a poor country it is simply not possible (the trash trucks don’t have the proper equipment to lift and sometimes the people steal them to strap down).

However, the trash pick up in Ecuador works similar to that of the US and is reliable.

In the cities, every other day (it seems) people place their trash on the street corners, which is then collected late at night.

On the coast, even in the smaller towns, there is a trash pick up service that passes by once a week.

There are no fees in Ecuador specifically associated with this service.

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Any seasoned traveler will tell you to take US Travel Warnings and Advisories with a BIG grain of salt.

Many are overkill, some are outright BS.

I’m not sure why the US government wishes to pump us full of fear of the outside world. It’s ridiculous. They highlight once in a decade events and hem over them in their reports, they mention every possible little thing that could go wrong, from bus vendors to rip currents, and expect us to enjoy our trip? I think we all have enough to worry about.

The Ecuador travel warning section is no different. One big thing the section lacks is that Ecuador is a wonderful place to be with welcoming people, mild weather, amazing food and nice beaches.

Kidnappings are not a problem in Ecuador, as in some Latin countries, and don’t , if ever, target foreigners.

Petty theft is the biggest thing you have to be weary of. But even things like pick pocketing in crowded buses are very rare in Ecuador.

Just follow the simple rule in Ecuador, “if it’s not tied down, it’s gone” and you will be fine, eat with your bags touching your leg so you know if they move. Hold backpacks in front of you in crowded buses. Don’t walk long distances in the large cities at night. Make sure you don’t leave things of value in plain view in your parked car. Common sense goes a long way in preventing this kind of mischief.

And remember, most importantly, forget for a minute what the Consular site says and have fun while in Ecuador!

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The IEPI in Ecuador

Registering the name of your business or brand in Ecuador is a necessary evil you must do as one of the first steps when starting a business in Ecuador.

As in most developing countries, intellectual property is not as well respected as it should be, so registering your name quickly before someone else copies it is a must.

Luckily, the process is straightforward in Ecuador. Anyone can do it, even foreigners who are not residents of the country.

You need to go to the governmental institution called the “IEPI”, with offices in Quito and the major cities of Ecuador.

Once there, you will be asked to fill out a form for them to do a domain search to see if your name is available. This service costs $16, nonrefundable.

Then, if available, you can register your name for a one time fee of $116. The brand or name is now yours, protected. If someone infringes it you can sue and win, but in most cases threatening is sufficient to demotivate the infractor.

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As to be expected, in Ecuador, the schools work differently than in the US or Europe.

Kids start school at age 5 as they begin the “Primaria” which lasts for 7 years. After finishing the “Primaria”, they move on to the next phase of schooling called “Secundaria” which lasts for 3 more years (kind of like the middle school of the US).

After that, they move on to the “Bachelerato” which is kind of like their high school, which lasts for 3 more years. Most kids graduate at age 16 or 17.

At that point many enter the universities, which have a standard duration of 5 years in Ecuador for most majors.

The schools in Ecuador vary greatly in quality from schools that are “not so good” to schools that are often considered even better than most in the US.

As for the grade and high schools…there are public (free) schools and private (paid) schools.

In Ecuador, over the last few years the quality of the public schools has improved greatly, but finding an open space (cupo) for your child in these schools is very difficult, they fill up fast!

Most foreigners put their kids in private, international schools where the kids are taught in English or German.

Private schools in Ecuador are easy to find, and enroll in, and cost anywhere from $35 a month to $200 or more a month for the most expensive.

To locate hoards of schools in the area of Ecuador you live, the best way is to try the local yellow pages of the town where you live looking under “Escuelas”.

To find the best schools, the only way is really to get personal recommendations from others in your area.

The requirements for enrollment are pretty basic, they will ask you for things like the birth certificate of your kid, and transcripts from past school, etc.

In an upcoming post, I’ll talk about the University system of Ecuador…until next time, Domenick

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Just to prove this site really is about the good, bad and the ugly of life and investing in Ecuador, I thought I’d mention 5 things most expats don’t like about Ecuador (from what I’ve seen).

Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

1. Street Vendor Hygiene: The food on the streets is delicious and cheap, but many vendors touch the food with their hands…often handling money as well…urgh!

2. The Prices for Name Brand Clothing and PCs: Electronics of all kinds and name brand clothes are noticeably more expensive in Ecuador than the States…be sure to bring down what you need in that regard!

3. Clouds on the Coast: The sunny season of the Ecuadorian coast is from late December to early April…the rest of the year is quite overcast…I like, cause I burn easy, but many don’t.

4. Bank lines: Ecuador is still old school in that many pay their bills and debts by waiting in line at the bank and making a direct deposit into someone’s bank account…a big pain if you’re caught in the wait.

5. The Lawyers: Hey, this is a given for any country you’re in, so why not Ecuador?

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I know this site is about Ecuador real estate, life and investing but many who visit have never been to Ecuador, so I thought I’d take a moment and answer a few of the basic entry requirements questions once and for all.

Visa Entry Requirements:

Citizens of a developed country of North America, Europe or Australia only need to carry a passport from their home country with at least 6 months validity remaining in order to enter Ecuador.

Upon entry, you will be stamped an automatic, free, 3 month tourist visa. Migration will tell you you can’t renew this visa straight up, you will need to apply for a more formal 6 month tourist visa extension as I explained here.

Return Air Ticket:

Although you may read different on governmental sites. NO roundtrip air ticket is required or asked for upon entry to Ecuador. I have never been asked to show this ever when I have entered Ecuador as a tourist by land or by air.

Immunizations:

No immunizations are required nor needed to enter Ecuador. I have lived here for years with none. Brazil requires you have your yellow fever shot, Ecuador does not.

If you plan on traveling to the Amazon region of Ecuador in the east, it is prudent to take Malaria precautions with pills or shots.

Mosquitos are not problematic in Ecuador.

What to Bring:

No heavy winter clothes are necessary but Ecuador does have many micro climates so bringing several layers and long underwear you can strip off as needed is helpful. Also, a poncho to protect against sudden rain storms is useful.

The sun in Ecuador on the equator can also be quite strong, especially in the Andes region and the cities of Quito and Cuenca, a hat and sunscreen are recommended items.

What to see or do:

I recommend coming to Ecuador before you consider investing here.

I really think you have to like the place before you invest thousands.

Ecuador has 3 main regions, the coast, the Andes, and the Amazon, and ALL THREE should be visited! I made the mistake of going years in Ecuador before visiting the Amazon. Big mistake. In few places in the world is the jungle so easily accessible.

For example, from Banos, you can hop a 45 minute bus ride to Puyo and witness the entry point into the Amazon. In other countries, you have to journey for days and days just to enter the jungle areas.

I will highlight other cool things to do in Ecuador in upcoming posts. Stay tuned!

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Humidity, some of us like it, most don’t. I personally love when the sheets stick to me back at night.

Here is a town by town comparison of the major towns and cities in Ecuador.

scale= 1-10 , 10 is very humid , 1 is not humid at all.

(The following is based on personal observations, if you don’t agree, please respond in the comments!)

Quito 2
Cotacachi 5
Otavalo 3
Ibarra 3
Cuenca 2
Azogues 2
Puyo 9
Banos 3
Ambato 2
Esmeraldas 7
Atacames 5
Pedernales 5
Canoa 5
Bahia de Caraquez 5
Crucita 5
Manta 6
Portoviejo 9
Puerto Lopez 6
Olon 6
Montanita 6
Salinas 5
Playas 5
Guayaquil 8
Machala 8
Loja 2
Vilcabamba 4
Zamora 7
Tena 8

Got more towns or areas to add? Please leave in the comments…