Author: Journeyman Jack Ecuador

Proudly serving Ecuador Expats since 2008, My Services, web links, contact info tel. #'s - US, CAN & EC. are all below: Thank You, Jack Abercrombie, Cumbaya, Quito- ECUADOR S.A. [email protected] [email protected] #StrategicRelocationEcuador "May your strategy be as dark as night and as swift as a boulder rolling down a mountain." ~ Sun Tzu "I'd rather prep 10 years too early than 10 minutes too late." Strategic Relocation Ecuador: http://JourneymanJack.com/ Ecuador Real Estate: http://EcuadorRealEstate.org Call Toll free from U.S. & Canada: Mnts: 770-828-7913, & Coast: 770-988-4492, EC. Off: 02-380-4088, Ec. Cel Claro: 098-828-8953, WhatsApp, Zello, Telegram, Viber, Signal, WIRE, Element, Sessions: +593-98-828-8953, For Virtual Real Estate Tours, PreTrip Planning Video Conference via Zoom, jitsi, "skype" user name: "Jack.Abercrombie"- https://join.skype.com/invite/B4plcVLSCGWk Someone once said that Ecuador is a country that is: •EASY to love- •HARD to understand- •Impossible to forget- 'All the Very Best on Your Endeavors in Ecuador-

Ecuador government refunds foreigners the VAT tax

ecuador vat refund

It’s nice to be treated special just for being a foreigner in Ecuador.

In fact, for those that know about the program, foreigners don’t even have to pay the sales tax on items made in Ecuador.

It’s true, the Ecuador government is now refunding foreign “tourists” the sales tax they paid on items made-in-Ecuador and on hotel stays when the invoice amounts over $50.

The sales or VAT tax in Ecuador is 12% and that is the amount that is refunded.

All you have to do to receive your refund is save your receipts (facturas) and fill out the brief form you can pick up on a little stand just outside of the check in lines for international flights in Guayaquil and Quito.

Also, you’ll want to bring an envelope and a copy of your passport.

Then present your goods at the SRI-CAE counter in the check in luggage lounge in Quito or Guayaquil or if no one is attending deposit the envelope with your invoices, copy of passport and form in the mailbox located in the pre-boarding (departure) lounges in the international airports in Quito and Guayaquil.

The refund accreditation is carried out only through a credit card that must be under the name of the applicant.

There are no limits to the refunded amount, so if you’re not sure if an item you bought qualifies for the refund, just deposit the invoice anyway and see what happens.

Afterward, you can check the status of your refund using your passport number through the official Ecuador SRI website sri.gob.ec.

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Macas, worth a visit?

Macas Ecuador

Macas is an interesting mix of old and new with new buildings jutting up from crumbling streets. Most choose to go to northern jungle towns like Tena, but for those who like off the beaten track destinations Macas wont disappoint.

-Kayak the Upano River with class III rapids through one of the local outfitters.

– Take a waterfall tour with Planeta Tours on Comin at Soasti.

– Visit a nearby Shuar community thourgh a guided tour only.

Where to stay?

My value pick is Hotel Level 5 on the corner of Sucre y Soasti, a big glass hotel thats clean and cheap with rooms starting at $10 per person.

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Esmeraldas, is it worth its bad rep?

When you say “Esmeraldas” most people think “dangerous”, maybe due to the proximity of Colombia, maybe some other racially-charged reason. But in my opinion, Esmeraldas doesn’t deserve the bad hype and is an excellent place to visit. The locals are VERY friendly to the few foreign outsiders that visit and the food is to die for. Unlike the rest of Ecuador, the beaches to the north and south are also of a Caribbean-type white sand quality.

What to do?

-GO drinking with the locals on the MALECON or boardwalk of the city, just don’t go alone.

– Be sure to try the local delicacy of ENCOCADO seafood dishes, seafood cooked with a spicy coconut sauce, good!

Where to stay?

My pick is the Hotel El Trebol on Canizares 1-18 a modern hotel with spacious rooms starting around $13 per person.

Esmeraldas Ecuador

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Puyo: What to do?

Puyo Ecuador

Puyo is one of those towns people go to to get a taste of the Amazon without really going neck deep in it. The backdrop is interesting with the Napo River on one side and towering volcanos in the distance while the Amazon flattens out on the other side.

What to do?

-Bike the 65 km downhill from Banos and descend from the Andes down to the Amazon. (Trip takes 6 hours)

– Visit the ethnobotanical park PARQUE OMAERE and get an up close look at a wide array of rainforest plants and animals.

– See dozens of unique Orchid species in the Jardin Botanico las Orquideas located 15 minutes south of Puyo.

– Bath like the locals do in one of the clear waters of the tributary streams feeding into the main Napo River.

Where to stay?

My pick is the Hotel Las Palmas on the corner of 20 de julio y 4 de enero, a big yellow colonial house converted hotel complete with Parrots walking on the floor with rooms starting aroud $12 per person.

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Cojimies: Coconut Palm Forests Await You

cojimies

In Cojimies, you may feel like you are the only foreigner around, in fact, you probably will be. But The beach is pearly white and one of Ecuador’s widest, tours to the nearby Island of Love (Isla del Amor) can also be arranged and this is the only place in Ecuador I’ve seen forests of coconut palms swaying in the breeze.

Where to stay?

My pick is the Sueno de Teo, a collection of bamboo beach huts in the typical Ecuadorian style… fun, and the mosquito nets will pretect your skin. Prices start at around $9 per person.