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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That's me, in white, your host, Domenick Buonamici being interviewed by a TV Station in Ecuador
I’ve been reporting for this site for a few months now, thought I’d formally introduce myself by telling a little about me in this post…
I was born and raised in a suburb near Cleveland, Ohio. My childhood years consisted of playing baseball in the summers, skiing in the winters, and in the fall going pheasant hunting with my dad on the weekends, then coming home in the afternoon to watch the Browns lose. Good times.
In 2001, I went to college, first in Ohio, then Hawaii, then to finish in Montana.
In 2005, I graduated. I had no idea what I wanted to do with myself at the time, so I took off on a long trip abroad.
I backpacked through Europe, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
After my almost year-long trip, I decided to pull up and live in Medellin, Colombia. I stayed and did an unpaid internship in the local chamber of commerce for about half a year.
It was there where I started seeing the enormous (and legal) business opportunities that exist in Latin America…
After that, I decided to go live in the Philippines for a few months, then the Dominican Republic for 6 more…and so on for a bit…
But through all the countries I traveled and lived, Ecuador was one of my favs.
So I decided to come back, only this time, with a mountain of student and credit card debt on my shoulders from all my travels and studies.
As my friend in the States told me, “I’d love to move abroad, but I am in too much debt.”
I shrugged when he said this, thinking to myself that I was in the same situation…but, I decided to leave anyways…
And it paid off.
Within a year I had paid off my thousands and thousands of debt with money I made in Ecuador.
I started investing in Ecuador real estate, which I found fascinating, due to all the incredible deals that could be had if you know where to look…
I bought a small piece of beachfront land I soon resold for a nice gain.
I then began to learn Spanish so I could provide marketing consulting services to local Ecuadorian companies.
From my work as an independent consultant, I gained insight few foreigners have in Ecuador (selling to locals), and I soon realized how easy it was for a “gringo” to find work in Ecuador. (Ecuadorian businessmen really like listening to other, foreign points of view.)
That led to me working for several local travel agencies and hotels that sell Galapagos and other destinations in Ecuador on improving their websites to increase their online sales.
Now I am here with you as the lead reporter for this site, detailing all the latest and hottest investor and expat news daily in Ecuador.
Ecuador truly is a land of opportunity, everywhere you look there is something to do! I’ll give examples in upcoming posts and my weekly newsletter.
In the States, I would probably be pushing papers in the corner of some office somewhere paying my dues as a young guy while taking orders… in Ecuador, you can give the orders!
Sincerely, your host, Domenick Buonamici…go ahead ask me your questions about Ecuador in the comments…I will respond…
Me in front of a group of Ecuadorian businessmen while consulting
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The official word in Ecuador is that having and carrying guns is illegal.
I know Americans take pride in buying guns from the gun source and carry them but actually after living in other Latin countries like the Dominican Republic where it seems EVERY MALE member of society carries a handgun tucked in their jeans or in their glove compartment, Ecuador, where guns are prohibited, is a BIG sigh of relief.
Guns are NOT a common sight in Ecuador, and most robberies are unarmed or by using knifes.
Ecuador has the strictest gun laws worldwide. The 8 Best .45 ACP Pistols For Every Budget Reviewed ( 2018 Buyer Guide ) – outdoorempire.com even warns of travelling to Ecuador with handguns and pistols, as they are not permitted (only police). And sport guns like shotguns are permitted if registered with the Military Command Post (Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas).
I also would recommend you get the necessary permit mentioned above BEFORE you buy a AK 47 Rifle or a Glock to bring it down with you, just to be on the safe side. Permit applications are available at Steelo’s Guns & Outdoors. Some customs agents I talked to said it was prohibited to bring guns while others told me you could with that permit…Welcome to Ecuador!
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