Ecuador is a country with endless things to do. Whether you're a thrill seeker, a beach bum or a food enthusiast, there's nothing you won't be able to find here. I went to 3 different cities whilst I was here, all completely different and each was a great experience.
Quito:
Quito is Ecuador's capital city and where you'd most likely fly into internationally. Quito also is the home of the famous equator line.
I stayed at El Hostilito which was $13 a night. It's a very quiet hostel but slightly far from the city. It was perfect for just catching up on sleep and relaxation especially since each bed was closed off like a little pod. Getting to the city is very easy though, they have trolleys on every corner you can hop on and off of for $2.
Local food is the best here and be sure to go where the locals are at. We ate chichoran... a lot, it was so good. There's countless restaurants to try out and explore, definitely good for the foodie heart and don't be shy to eat the street food.
The church "Basilica" has an absolutely gorgeous view of the city. It costs $2 to climb to the top and also $2 to enter the church. If you're there just for the view walk around back so you only have to pay one of the fee's. The local park is a great place to spend the afternoon and there's food stands, souvenirs to buy and always a show happening.
Banos:
Pack clothes for warmth, with this city being up in the mountains it gets chilly anytime in the year, especially at night.
There's plenty of hostels to stay at around the town. We stayed a bit up the mountain at Casa De Blanco B&B. Had free breakfast and a puppy. It was also a short walk into town and had gorgeous views.
Hot springs is the hot thing to do here and they're incredible. We went to the one by the large waterfall (not hard to find), it opens at 6PM and costs $3 admission but you also have to wear a mandatory swim cap and those are $2 a piece. You'll look ridiculous but everyone does so nothing to worry about there.
We went to Casa Del Arbol also known as the swing at the end of the world (huge bucket list item). You can do either a 5 hour trek, rent a bike for $5 or take a bus up for $1. The bus departs the town at either 6AM or 11AM. It's a $2 entrance fee and they also sell drinks/snacks. The bus picks you back up at 1PM to take you back to town but 2 hours is plenty of time to hang out, go on the swing and enjoy the view.
For the thrill seeker, there's plenty of tour companies that offer every adrenaline junkie activity you can think of. Before going with one company walk around and bargain to find the cheapest price.
You can't leave without trying the famous Banos taffy! It's sweet and delicious and you get to watch them make it along the streets which was very amusing.
Montanita:
Montanita is a hippy beach town and is one of my favourite places I've been. It's a very cheap town but prices go up on the weekends since it tends to be busier and the nightlife is slightly more crazy.
Bring heaps of change and smaller bills, it's difficult for them to break bills over $20 with things costing approx $2.
We stayed at Hidden House Hostel which was a 5 minute walk from town and the beach, it's a party hostel but you can still catch up on sleep since it's further away from the bars. About a 2 minute walk from the hostel there's a restaurant that's known for their homemade $6 rum and burgers that make your mouth water for $1.75.
You can catch a local bus to go to other surrounding beaches on the coast. We did a day trip to Los Frillos which is voted most beautiful beach in Ecuador and it was true to the name. It's a $6 roundtrip to get there then you'll take a tuk-tuk for $2 to get to the beach from the bus stop or walk 45 minutes. We began walking then a nice family offered us a ride.
Every night there's something happening and during the day it's great to relax, eat and surf at the beach.
Things to keep in mind about Ecuador:
- Local buses are key - Uses US currency, try and stick to small bills & change
- Only use legit taxis, tons of scammers and randoms claiming to be a service
- The sun here is strong WEAR SUNSCREEN
- Average food budget $20 a day