Ecuador Q&A – Page 21 – The Ecuador Insider

Ecuador residency visa: No investment, no pension… no problem

I can’t think of how else to put this.

But sometimes I really think Ecuador is kind of like your friends slutty sister.

She may look good from a distance, but the more you get to know her, the less you trust her and although you may have a casual fling with her, chances of a serious comitment are slim.

It may be funny to hear this from a so-called ‘Ecuador expert’, but the truth is Ecuador is a great place for that exciting high risk-high reward 10% part of your portfolio but its certainly not smart to sell everything and invest it all in Ecuador.

Don’t do that! Seriously.

I’m sorry but while (currently) Ecuador is a great place to casually live, and a great place to generate wealth, its not a good place to store wealth and in fact, like many countries in the world, I’m afraid Ecuadors heading in the wrong direction. A lot of factors there. Just my opinion.

Opps, maybe I spilled the beans on that one.

Ecuador, really not much different from any ‘third-world’ country, is certainly not a smart place to park $25k in a CD for a right to a residency visa. This past year alone one ‘real’ bank failed (Banco Territorial), and one ‘coopera’ or credit union-type-thing failed too.

People lost money. Not everyone got paid back.

And contrary to popular opinion, its also not smart to base your visa off a real estate investment valued over $25k, cause if you sell the investment, you lose your visa, and boy would it stink to get stuck in a bad investment and miss an opportunity just cause your money was tied up for your visa. And even if you plan on staying, in say, Nevada, getting a home warranty in Nevada can be quite challenging, considering a vacillating, perplexed mind.

While many of us, either too young or for whatever reason, don’t count on a steady pension in order to apply for the pensioners visa.

Well, fear not, there’s another little-known option many of us qualify for.

And you don’t have to invest a cent. Nor do you need a pension.

Besides, the only investments you should make are good ones, not ones based on getting a residency visa.

This type of visa is the one I got.

I got it, all by myself, with no help from a lawyer (it wasn’t necessary).

Recently too, I got approved last month.

Introducing the 9-V Professionals permanent resident visa.

If you were to read more, you’d know that all you need to qualify is a degree from an accredited university and to have the degree validated by the Ecuadorian institute of higher education (SENESCYT).

Its actually even easier than it sounds.

You see, Ecuador immigration law is actually quite dated. Written several years ago before there was a sizable demand of incoming migrants. And understandly, countries without much incoming demand have more open doors, cause it doesn’t matter, on the flip side, a country like the US has the doors so closed to immigrants they often have to do illegal stuff just to get in and stay in.

Some countries offer a Professional type visa for college grads, like Australia, but only for certain majors, the specialists they need. Which makes more sense than the current Ecuadorian system if you think about it.

You see, if they’ll approve someone from my major, they’ll take, well, anyone.

Why?

Well, my major was .. duh duh …duh duh… Spanish.

Yea. Damn. Think they got enough Spanish speakers in Ecuador?

If anyone were screwed it’d be me right?

Well, I guess not, I guess they needed one more spanish speaker in Ecuador, and one that speaks with a gringo accent.

Cause I got approved.

But anyway, now you see, any major will do as per the current Ecuadorian law.

So why don’t more people go for this permanent resident visa type?

They just don’t know.

But what if you don’t have a university degree from an Ecuadorian recognized institution, nor a pension, nor the money or desire to invest thousands in Ecuador?

You’ve got another option or two we’ll be covering in the next week. So stay tuned.

Now of course, I did run into a few irritating challenges during the visa application process, mainly due to lack of experience, and they almost costed me the visa!

For instance, before you even think about applying for the professional visa subscribe to my weekly Ecuador Insiders Newsletter below, you can unsubscribe at any time:

Don’t move to Ecuador before reading this: Moving to Ecuador 101

“Man, this dude is clueless!”

That’s a thought that often passes through my head as I meet new arrival expats in Ecuador.

But if I moved to a new country cold turkey, the same would happen to me.

When you are getting ready to move, one of the things that is likely on your “to do” list is to turn in a USPS Change of Address form to your post office. This ensures that mail that is still addressed to your old address will be forwarded to your new one. But people getting ready to move are very busy, and may not want the hassle of going to the post office to find the form and fill it out. There is now good news for busy movers. You can now fill out a USPS Change of Address online in as little as 2 minutes!

You could go to the USPS website to submit an online change of address. But there is a hassle involved with that too. The online form is hard to find on the site. When you do find it, it is several pages long. Finally, you need to enter your credit card information to pay the charge. It is more of a hassle than it needs to be. Here is how you can usps change of address.

The good news is that there are now 3rd party sites that will submit your USPS Change of Address to the Postal service on your behalf for free. There is a simple one page form that takes 2 minutes to fill out. You simply go to the site, fill out the form, and click “submit” and they will promptly and securely send the information to the Postal Service. There is no searching to find the form, no credit card is required. You will receive verification of your address change by email and by regular mail at your old and new addresses.

But after today’s primer you no longer can plead ignorance… here’s what you need to know before you go:

1. Handle your assets correctly.

Sell depreciating assets like cars, if you leave them whenever it is you try to sell them down the road they will be worth less, a lot less! You have to consider how expensive it will be moving, since you’re likely going to use local movers to ship your house items across several countries. They are just chunks of metal. Replaceable. And DON’T liquidate ALL your assets and properties if they continue to make you money, what are you going to do with all that cash in Ecuador? Lose it, that’s what. Ecuador is a good place for you but maybe not for your entire savings.

2. Know what to bring.

According to the charts posted on directics.com/xilinx-fgpa, there’s a lot of things that are grossly more expensive in Ecuador than in countries like the US. Bring all the electronics, brand name clothes and perfumes you are going to need. Brand name shoes too. Big screen TVs are also much cheaper in the US.

3. Know what NOT to bring.

There’s a lot of things you can easily buy in Ecuador for around the same price as in the US or cheaper. Towels, sheets and things like irons, plates, kitchen utensils and Coffee machine for your kitchen can easily be found in your nearest SUPERMAXI or MI COMISARIATO (big box stores in Ecuador). No need to bring!

4. Cell Phones.

Before you leave the US be sure your expensive smart phone is UNLOCKED and accepts insertable SIM cards. If it doesn’t or isn’t, than leave it in the US, cause it won’t be any use to you in Ecuador (which works on SIM cards). I’d say even if it does accept SIM cards I’d still be weary about waving around one of those big fancy Samsung Galaxies or whatever, here in Ecuador, having a nice cell phone makes you a target for thieves.

It’s true, thieves will judge you based on your cell phone, if you maintain a cheapy ‘dumb’ phone you could live in Ecuador for years without anything happening to you. I myslef have a simple ‘dumb’ phone (I know Ecuador too well to have anything else).

Once in country, to pick up a SIM card visit any CLARO or MOVISTAR store and ask if they have any SIMs for sale, its the same in Spanish. Get a Claro SIM if you plan on living in Cuenca or the coast. Movistar if you plan on living in the Quito/Cotacachi/Ibarra area.

The card costs $7, you insert it in your phone and you have an instant Ecuador phone number you can add minutes to in any cell phone shop or pharmacy in Ecuador. Many local street stores also offer the service of adding prepaid minutes (recargas). To get a cheap phone starting around $40 try a mall in one of Ecuadors big cities before going to your final destination… in Guayaquil try the cell phone shops in the bus terminal, in Quito, Id go to EL ESPIRAL shopping center. Don’t buy used phones off the street, they may be stolen.

5. Managing your currency.

News flash.. Ecuador uses the US dollar as the official currency. But it can be very hard to make change in Ecuador, and most merchants simply won’t accept $50s and $100s, so dont bring any bills larger than $20s! Travelers checks are a definite NO NO. Bring an ATM card attached to the Cirrus network and you can withdraw from about any ATM from your US account. For large transfers don’t try to bring it down in cash! Instead, contact your bank in your home country and commence a wire once you have an account to wire to in Ecuador.

6. Opening a bank account.

Most banks in Ecuador won’t open an account for you unless you have a CEDULA and are a legal resident in Ecuador on a resident visa. You could have a friend recommend you to his bank (which helps a lot in Ecuador), also try the smaller banks like Banco Promerica which seem t have more lenient policies about opening accounts. Either way, dont have a lot of money in there, there are only 2 banks I’d trust in Ecuador, Banco Pichincha (the biggest bank in Ecuador and where most the locals have their money) or Banco Pacifico (already owned by the goverment).

7. Finding a place to stay the smart way (don’t make any prior reservations for rentals).

I’m weary about finding rentals online before I arrive in a place, because you really are clueless about the area, accept it. Visit https://www.foxremovals.com.au/ if you need to hire a company to help you with the moving process. I’ll never forget a few years back when I moved to Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. I arranged a rental online before arriving and it was right in the middle of the ghetto, literally on the wrong side of the river in the city. And like most rentals I had already paid a non-refundable deposit plus the first months rent. Dumb.

Not just for the price, but for a lot of reasons I recommend you do it the right way and stay in a cheapy hotel until you learn the area a bit and search on the ground for the rental that is really right for you. You can often strike deals with many of the cheapy hotels in Ecuador to give you a weekly or monthly rate.

8. Getting connected to the internet.

In the big cities of Ecuador, getting connected in your home is easy, just go to your nearest CNT or Claro store and hire the service, within a few days they will be installing the internet in your home, doesn’t matter if you are a renter. Decent plans start around $20 but if you want a faster interent experience pay for one of the plans around $50 a month.

In the small towns of Ecuador the internet is NOT a given so inquire beforehand! If no internet options exist you can always get a Mobile WIFI HUAWEI stick you plug into the wall or your PC from a service provider like Movistar. In that case, if there is cell phone coverage you can connect to the internet. Plans start around $35 a month you can get unlimited internet, but this last option is by far the slowest (almost similar to dial-up).

9. Paying utility bills.

As a renter, you will most likely be required to pay your own electric, water and other bills. The easiest way to pay them is go to the nearest SERVIPAGOS or WESTERN UNION office and pay them cash. Some banks also offer the service, just be sure the bills dont expire or you’ll have to go directly to the provider to pay.

10. Learning Spanish on the cheap.

If you try to learn Spanish in the US or online before coming than you just wasting your time and money. US universities will charge you thousands, private tutors in the US often cost upwards of $20 an hour and you’ll still forget everything they teach you cause you’re not using it. Even programs like Rosetta Stone are not a good idea… in the US you probably paid $400 for it, in Ecuador you can find a copied version for $10. Just sayin…
But I’d pass on all those programs! Instead wait until you are in Ecuador to learn Spanish, and take a class from a local tutor , many would be happy to teach you one on one for around $5 an hour. Once you got a hold on the grammar, try to read the paper everyday, once you got vocabulary, try to watch the TV everyday in Spanish for comprehension and try to make some local friends that only talk to you in Spanish. Any age can learn cheaply following that method.

11. Visas.

Have a clear idea of what type of resident visa you want before you come. Ecuador is not a good place to simply border hop continually everytime your visa is about to expire like you can in Thailand or Costa Rica. There is a limit. Get a resident visa based on an investment, job, pension or on something more creative like a religious mission. For any of the above visas bring the required docs with you from your home country… the base are 2 copies of an aposstilled birth certificate, marriage/divorce certificate (if applicable) and an aposstilled police record check.

12. Getting around like a local.

Don’t be afraid to take buses in Ecuador as a new arrival, they are plentiful and cheap and their destinations are marked on the front.

I remember as a new arrival in Spain with no Spanish skills I was afraid to get on the city bus to school cause I didn’t want to get lost with no Spanish skills, so I walked over 30 minutes to school and back everyday in the freezing cold Madrid winter.

Taxis are also cheap in Ecuador but ask how much they will charge to your destination before you get in. Know that the drivers will always say they know where your destination is whether they really know or not, you have to learn to read their body language to see if they really know or not. Ask locals how much a taxi ride should be before approaching a taxi. Also, know that airport taxis are always more expensive and especially abusive so if you can get picked up or take a bus from the airport all the better.

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How Ecuador compares to the big boys

The first thing people ask me when they meet me is…

So why’d you choose Ecuador?

Good question.

Well, here’s how Ecuador compares to the other countries where I’ve lived or spent significant time over the last 10 years.

Here’s my take based on my own experiences, despite my critique i really did enjoy each place listed below…

Spain: Lived in Madrid for 8 months studying abroad. In this part of Spain the climate swings from dreadfully cold in winter to scorchingly hot in the summer. Ecuador has much more mild and steady weather. Also, quite a few, not all, of the locals in Spain were a bit xenophobic, or rascist towards foreigners, specfically gringos like me, not so in Ecuador.

Hawaii: Studied and worked here for 1 year. Hawaii IS paradise, but it is expensive too and this is another place where the locals don’t think too kindly of white “howleys” (people not from Hawaii). Hawaii is small and I think most can get burned out quick. Ecuador has more variety like the Andes, Amazon and coast plus it has more things to do.

San Diego, California: Lived and worked here for 4 months. Nice weather, beautiful city, tons to do, friendly people, good tex mex food. Great place with lots of money to make, really no complaints but real estate and rental prices are really high meaning I would have to take on a job I really don’t like just to keep spinning my hamster wheel just to make it. I prefer being able to have the time to do what i really want to do in a place like Ecuador.

Lithuania: Lived and worked in Vilnius for 1 month. Too cold for me, if I’m going to be sitting through a snowy winter I better have some mountains to ski nearby.

Italy: Lived in Ascoli for 1 month. Stunning little town on the Adriatic coast where I spent time with long lost relatives, but how would I make a living and the high prices scare me. The Ecuador economy seems to be moving faster and i see more opportunities in Ecuador.

Mexico: Lived in Chihuahua for 1 month. If I weren’t in Ecuador I would probably be in Mexico, I love the place, the food, the culture, the people but I rarely felt “at ease” in most parts of this country.

Peru: Lived in Lima for 1 month. The coastline of Peru is akin to the Sahara Desert. Seriously, all the way down! I’m talking sand dunes and trash blowing in the wind, cool to visit, but Ill stick with living in Ecuador.

Bolivia: Lived in Santa Cruz for about 1 month. Nice place with a lot of variety like Ecuador but with no beach. Economy particularly bad, don’t think I could make a living here like Im doing in Ecuador unless I worked online. Ecuador wins.

Brazil: Lived in Rio and Porto Alegre for about 1 month. Beautiful place, really high prices, even more costly than the USA these days, it kind of squeezes the fun out of everything. I’ll stick with the low costs of Ecuador for now.

Uruguay: Lived in Montevideo for 1 month. In my month living in Montevideo I coudn’t figure out why anyone would want to live there? The beaches are not tropical like most northern US beaches, and you’re really far from the States. More organized than Ecuador yes, but Ecuador is more “latin” which to me makes it more interesting.

Argentina: Lived in Buenos Aires for 1 month. Never saw people party until daylight… regularly. And the beef is as good as advertised, so is the wine, and the country is incredibly diverse but the increased cost of living over the last few years and hyper-inflation is a concern for me here.

Colombia: Lived, worked and studied here for 1 year. Colombia may seduce you at first sight as it did me but the culture struck me as simply “wierd” and “tense” after years and years of violence, the drug trade, and being closed off from the rest of the world. I’ll stick to the more laid back Ecuadorians any day.

Philippines: Lived and worked online here for 5 months. Dirty. Poor. Usually i don’t mind it but this place is on another level. Hot and flat. Didn’t like the food. Nice people though who really like foreigners and try to make them comfortable. Far away from US. Makes Ecuador look like Beverly Hills, Ecuador much more developed. Like in most Asian countries there are restrictions against foreign ownership of land limiting possibilities.

Thailand: Lived and traveled here in Krabi area for 1 month. Too on-the-beaten-track for me, just hoards and hoards of travelers. Beaches are amazing, but language is too difficult, Spanish is easier making it easier to integrate with the locals of Ecuador.

Malaysia: Lived in KL for 1 month. About the next blandest place I’ve seen after my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. For me, Ecuador has better food, weather, lower prices and more things to do.

Dominican Republic: Lived in Santo Domingo for 6 months. Beautiful beaches and people, vibrant culture and lively music but the public transport was deficient, food was nasty and there were too many guns. It seemed as though literally every male member of society had one tucked in his pants. Didn’t make me feel very safe. Ecuador outlaws guns which for me makes me feel more comfortable than the other extreme which is the DR.

Vietnam: Lived in Mui Ne and Hanoi for about 1 month. Great food! But here I really felt like a walking dollar sign most of the time, the locals really try to grossly overcharge you whenever they can. In Ecuador it is not so in-your-face.

China: Worked in Shenzhen and Guangzhou for 5 months. Dont live in southern China in the winter! You see, the Chinese government outlaws heat in homes below a certain point but trust me, you need heat, its cold, freezing cold inside the apartments in the winter. I found China hard to get a grip on, I’ve never been more lost, more often as I was there. Overall I found it good for westerners to make money, but I bet few would consider it a better place to live than their home countries.

India: Worked in Bhopal for 1 month. I’ve never seen so many guys just standing around in the streets all day. Like most foreigners working in India, one moment I loved india, the next I hated it. Generally, I felt like a walking dollar sign here while many locals tried to hussle me. Others were incredily nice inviting me into their home upon meeting them. Too much of a challenge for me, and too hot, I’ll stick to Ecuador for now.

Egypt/Israel: Lived here for almost 1 month. Countries of extremes and it starts with the people. Met some incredibly friendly people and the exact opposite, usually within the same day, would not consider this place as one to live in near future. Politically and socially unstable making me weary about investing.

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Where’s best for you on the coast of Ecuador?

Like flat oceans good for swimming?

Or maybe rockin’ waves?

How about lush green jungle right to the water’s edge?

Or dry-as-a-bone landscapes with low humidity?

For such a small country, the Ecuador coast has it all… so where should you begin?

Here are my top picks…

flat ocean good for swimming, snorkeling– Salinas, Ayangue, Punta Blanca

surf towns/ good waves– Montanita, Ayampe, Playas, Canoa, Mompiche

Sunniest beaches– San Clemente, Playas

wide, flat beaches good for walking– Playas, Olon, Atacames, Muisne

scuba / hand gliding / kiteboarding / fishing– Ayangue (scuba), Canoa, Crucita (hand gliding), Santa Marianita (kite boarding), Salinas (fishing)

green, lush right up to water edge– Olon, Ayampe, Jama, Mompiche, Muisne, Same, Puerto Cayo

dry, brown, low humidity and less mosquitos– Salinas, Playas, Punta Blanca, Ballenita, Santa Marianita, Manta, Crucita, Machalilla, Cadeate, Valdivia

Quiet spots near the action and shopping– Ballenita, Crucita, Manglaralto, Olon, Canoa, Atacames, Tonsupa

Bigger cities with health care– Salinas+ Santa Elena, Manta, Esmeraldas, Bahia, Pedernales

White sand beaches– Playa Rosada, Muisne, Atacames, Tortuga Bay (Galapagos), Isabela Island (Galapagos)

Palm tree forests to waters edge– Cojimes, Muisne

Established expat community– Salinas, Olon, Puerto Lopez, Manta, Crucita, San Clemente-San Jacinto, Bahia

Off the beaten track/ no foreigners– La Libertad, Chanduy, Palmar, Valdivia, La Entrada, Tunas, Pedernales, Cojimes, Muisne, Esmeraldas

People watch/ women in bikinis, men in thongs/ party towns– Montanita, Canoa, Atacames

Beachfront condos in highrises– Salinas, Manta, Bahia, Tonsupa

Large lots of vacant beach land– Jama area, Cojimes, Muisne

Gated beach communities– Manta area, Salinas area

Beachfront property on smaller lots– Same, San Clemente-San Jacinto, Ballenita, Cadeate, Canoa

Bird and wildlife watching– Isla de la Plata (Puerto Lopez), Everywhere in Galapagos

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Where to sleep for cheap in Ecuador? My budget picks.

Want to know where to sleep for cheap in Ecuador?

Considering I don’t really have an official home, it’s safe to say I spend a lot of time in hotels.

So, here are my value picks for all over Ecuador, in other words, where I stay.

You won’t see the Hilton or Marriot on this list.

Yes, they’re in the big cities of Ecuador, but if you’re going to stay in a Marriot, why not save yourself the flight and do it in your backyard, cause they’re all the same anyway. Not much of a way to experience a country.

Most of my picks you won’t find on the net, nor will you be able to reserve beforehand, so just show up and maybe I’ll be there.

And you’ll quickly notice that rates on the coast and in the smaller towns are much cheaper than in the bigger cities.

Except for my new place in Quito that opened this week and my place in Guayaquil, I dont have any affiliation with any of them except maybe friendship… here goes:

Cotacachi:
Hostal El Arbolito, Calle Imbabura N 911. Right on the main square of Cotacachi, spacious well cared for rooms starting at $25/single $40/double.

Otavalo:
Hostal America Inter, Sucre y Quiroga. Right on the main indigenous market everyone goes to Otavalo to see, renovated rooms with WIFI and private parking suffice starting at $10/person.

Ibarra:
High end: Hotel La Giralda, Av. Atahaulpa y Juan Francisco Bonilla. The rooms are cramped but borderline luxury and the assortment of crepes available in the restaurant is to die for, really good, I eat there whenever I pass by Ibarra. Has pool. Rates start at $44/single, $58/double.

Budget: Hostal El Dorado, Oviedo 5-41 y Sucre. Simple, bland, clean place right in the old town center with WIFI, hard to beat the $10/person asking price. Even better, eat at the Giralda, sleep here.

Quito:
In town… Hostal Veintimilla, Amazonas y Veintimilla. Whenever I have to stay in town I usually gravitate here, love the location near both the Mariscal traveler/nightlife district and the old town. Right where a tourist wants to be. Good cable TV channels in English, Wifi in some of the rooms, and newly refinished bedrooms. Some may not like the location for the occasional night walkers looming on the city streets outside. Rates start at $13 per person.

Near new airport: Of course I’d have to recommend my new place that opened 3 days ago, Quito Airport Suites. Set a few blocks from the entrance of the new airport, relax in an old Spanish Hacienda setting with WIFI internet, room service, an English speaking staff and airport transfers available 24/7. Avoid the hour and a half drive to Quito and sleep better while you’re at it.

Mindo:
Dragonfly Inn: This hotel is my pick for budget travelers, right where you want to be within walking distance of most of the points in the town with wooden rooms. Clean, safe, simple rooms starting around $20 per person.

Latacunga:
Villa de Tacvnga: An old Spanish colonial turned hotel, the rooms have WIFI and heaters (needed here) and the restaurant has some great dishes (try the trout).

Banos:
Hostal Nomada, diagonal to the bus station. Love the location in town and near the bus station and within walking distance to the spas. The rooms are surprisingly nice for the price ($10/person) but there is no WIFI.

Puyo:
Hostal Las Palmas, 20 de Julio y 4 de Enero. This colorful hotel has macaws walking around the lobby and has a character all its own. Right in town, my pick when in the area. Rates $15/single $26/double.

Cuenca:
High end: Casa del Barranco, Calle Larga. Right where a tourist wants to be in Cuenca, on the gorgeous Tomebamba River in the Old Town and on the street Calle Larga where most of the cities best restaurants and bars are just a few steps away. Rates $30/single, $44 double.

Budget: Hostal Majestic. Just a block or two from the center of the old town and Parque Calderon, despite the creeky floors and dark rooms this is my pick when I want to save money on a sleep in Cuenca with rates from $8-10 per person.

Loja:
Hotel Prado Internacional, right on the edge of the old town in Loja this hotel is one of the best value picks in all of Ecuador with luxury-class rooms, an elevator, and a rooftop restaurant with delicious food like the filet mignon and t-bone while enjoying the stunning view of the town for very reasonable prices (approx $25/single, $40/double). Ask for the owner Lucia, very helpful, tell her Dom sent you.

Vilcabamba:
High end: Madre Tierra. This hotel-spa doesn’t skimp on the spa portion of the business offering a full array of relaxing treatments at very reaosnable prices. The restaurant is particularly good, once again try the filet mignon.

Budget: Hotel Mandango. I know the name of this hotel sounds like it should be the name of a male p-o-r-n star, but its actually a decent budget place to sleep right on the outskirts of town with no frills rooms but at $6-8 per person you can’t expect much. My pick, but Ill go eat in Madre Tierra.

Zamora:
Eco-lodge Copalinga: A hydro-powered nature lodge great for hummingbird watching right at the entrance of the beautiful Podocarpus Natural Park. (From $25 per person).

Guayaquil:
Murali Hostal, Garzota 2 Calle La Salle y Tercer Callejon Mz 135, V 7. At just 2 blocks from the airport entrance and 1 block from the vans to Cuenca and bus terminal this is the ideal place to stay in the more affluent and less noisy north of town if just passing through Guayaquil. OK, plus I’m the owner. 🙂

Playas:
Hotel Nevada with rooms from $20 per person per night, mainly because of the proximity to both the beach and center of town, also you’re right across the street form some delicious restaurants.

Salinas:
Hostal Aqui is the top expat hangout/bar/hostel in town with rooms starting around $20 per person its a clean, safe, friendly option.

Hostal Marnier, nothing special, but it is also a good pick if looking for a cheaper, safe place to crash for the night somewhat near the beach with prices starting aroud $10 per person.

Ayangue:
Oasis Ayangue. Relax between scuba dives at this friendly Canadian-owned hostel/bar/restaurant. One block off the beach, has pool and some good thin crust pizza. Tell Paul and Denise I said hi. Rates start at $15 per person.

Montanita:
The OCEANVIEW HOTEL on the outskirts of the main town just out of the heavy noise and right on the beach with newly finished rooms with WIFI starting around $10/person per night. Friendly owners who should charge more, just dont tell them, ask for Tony or Evelyn, tell them Dom said hi. For longer stays consider my bungalows with oceanviews, WIFI and kitchenettes.

Ayampe:
LA BUENA VIDA Hosteria… American owned, they also offer surf classes upon request, the rooms are elegant and well sealed against bugs and they feel like they should cost more than they do. Rooms start around $20 per person.

Puerto Lopez:
Im not a big fan of Puerto Lopez so when I get stuck in the area I will usually sleep in the bungalows of the friendly indigenous community just a quick cab ride away in Aguas Blancas in the Natural Park Machalilla. Hike, take mud baths, mix with locals, sleep for around $10/person.

Manta:
Not a big fan of the overpriced manta hotels, so i stay in the no frills Hotel Leo: This hotel is my pick for budget travelers, right in the center of town and across from the bus terminal. Clean, safe, simple rooms with TV and fan await you starting around $12 per person.

Crucita:
For a clean, safe, Spartan, budget option right on the boardwalk I recommend the Marlin Hostal, $15 per person.

Canoa:
My top choice for a quiet, clean, safe place right on the beach is the Hostal Playa Azul, at $8 per person for a private room with a shared bath or $10 per person for a private room with a private bath.

Bahia:
High-end: La Herradura Hotel, the only hotel right on the boardwalk, ocean front in Bahia. The hotel has an upscale restaurant and prices start from $20 for the single room, $40 for the double. Ask for one of the few rooms with an ocean view!

For budget travelers I recommend y personal fav, La Bahia Hotel, right in front of the Puerto Amistad Bar-Restaurant or the expat hang out of town. The rooms are Spartan but clean and the price is right, $8 per person and $16 for a double.

Pedernales:
Hotel Arenas, a few blocks from the beach with cable TV and well kept rooms starting around $10 per person.

Machala:
For budget travelers I’d stay at the Hotel Mosqueto, 2 blocks from the main plaza right beside Hotel Montecarlo, singles with fan $12. Acceptable, simple place. For bigger budgets looking for nice AC rooms, I’d try Hotel Montecarlo (all the taxis know it) 2 blocks form the main plaza. Single $30, Double rooms $40.

There you have it, my picks, as you can see you dont have to break the bank to sleep in Ecuador!

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