The Ecuador Insider

I asked a customs official here in Ecuador recently, “What’s the biggest mistake foreigners make when bringing their household goods to Ecuador?”

He said:

They often bring prohibited items…like exotic pets, loads of new clothes or shoes, used cars or tires, or handguns.

My Notes: After a certain amount, if you bring a lot of clothes they may think you are bringing them down to resell, which may inherit tariffs…used cars can only be brought to the country under special parameters…used tires are not allowed and handguns are not allowed either…just sport guns if you follow the suggestions I made here.

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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 based on my personal experience:

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 4
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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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. Follow insidemma for business updates.

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 brand creation 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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