Ecuador
Warnings and insurance
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel
Coastal Region
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Coastal Region provinces of:
- Esmeraldas
- Manabí
- Santa Elena
- Guayas
- El Oro
- Los Ríos
- Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas
This does not apply to airside transit within Guayaquil Airport in Guayas province, including onward or return travel to the Galapagos Islands.
Within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border, except for these areas in Carchi province:
- El Ángel Ecological Reserve
- Rumichaca border crossing
- the town of Tulcán
- the Pan-American Highway
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
State of Emergency declared
A 60-day state of emergency (SOE) was declared on 2 July due to armed violence and extended for a further 30 days on 30 August. The SOE currently applies to the following provinces:
- Guayas
- El Oro
- Santa Elena
- Manabí
- Orellana
- Los Ríos
The SOE allows the military and police to seize assets, conduct inspections and enter private properties without permission. There are additional restrictions on the freedoms of association and assembly and the police and armed forces are permitted to break up gatherings in public spaces.
On 8 August curfew hours (10pm until 5am) were announced, until further notice, for the following districts (‘cantons’):
Azuay province:
- Camilo Ponce Enríquez
Los Ríos province:
- Baba
- Babahoyo
- Buena Fe
- Mocache
- Montalvo
- Palenque
- Pueblo Viejo
- Quevedo
- Quinsaloma
- Urdaneta
- Valencia
- Ventanas
- Vinces
Guayas province:
- Balao
- Durán
- Parroquia Tenguel del canton Guayaquil
Orellana province:
- La Joya de los Sachas Puerto Francisco De Orellana
- Loreto
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
- see general advice for women travellers
- read our guide on disability and travel abroad
- see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
- read about safety for solo and independent travel
- see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
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