Taxi drivers might try to trick you into paying more, giving you wrongful information about the price of the ride. JP & Amelia, I just want to thank you for your YouTube vlogs and well-written articles. Keep in mind that taxi robbery is a danger in Quito, Guayaquil, Manta, Machala, Playas, and other coastal towns. If youve watched any of our YouTube videos from Cuenca or some of the other cities in Ecuador, you may have noticed a lot of graffiti. I was able to do so much and enjoyed the food, the city walks, and the historical sites. Marrying an Ecuadorian as a foreigner/ temporal residency, Exploring Guayaquil on foot from a Cruise Ship, Walking from Hotel Wyndham Guayaquil to Malecon, Best private/semi private van from Guayaquil to Cuenca. Ecuador's high-altitude capital, Quito, is a popular starting-off point for travelers exploring the volcanoes, beaches, cities and Amazon jungle of Ecuador, or for those who are on their way to. In this 2014 file photo, a Malaysian armed, policeman stands guard at Singmata Adventures and Reef resort, where suspected Filipino insurgents kidnapped a Chinese tourist and a hotel receptionist. A man trekking in Ecuador with his teenage daughter is kidnapped. Some people have reported their belongings missing from their hotel rooms, so taking advantage of a hotel safe for belongings like passports and cash is a great idea. They offered them a ride in the back of their pickup truck 2 blocks to a gas station after much reluctancy. Once inside, the tourists were robbed at knifepoint, threatened, or driven around to ATMs to make cash withdrawals. Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador The Sierra includes two high mountain chains and their western and eastern foothills. You'll know the official cab by the orange license plates or white plates with an orange strip on the top and video cameras inside. The state prosecutor's office later tweeted that a second Canadian had died of their injuries. A model is attacked and sexually assaulted by a man she thought was a friend. QUITO, Ecuador Every night since March 26, when three Ecuadoran journalists were kidnapped near their country's border with Colombia, their colleagues have gathered to demand their rescue. But thug will rob you for drugs. In one month, I got robbed twice. A friend of mine is sitting at the airport since yesterday. Green, flowers, neat animals, pretty sounds, smells good, clean dirty -farmers hands have dirt on them, fishermen hands have salty water on them, they are all cleaned up for supper, they love their families and often live in multi generational homes, they smile a lot, hard working people. This may be because of a lack of a functioning government, the ineffectiveness or policies of local authorities, armed conflict or poor governance.. Stop calling it hate when a police officer is trying to do his job. Be wary of unlicensed taxis since you might get kidnapped and robbed. The Environment Ministry, however, said that just five tourists including the two who were taken were attacked. And they get killed for much more trivial reasons (look up Dylann Roof, the Charleston shooter, for example. Ecuador is safe for gringo women. Level 3suggests that travelers should reconsider travel. Level 2 means exercise increased caution. Level 1 means exercise normal precautions. Surprisingly,somecountriessaid to have ariskof kidnapping like Uganda and Mexico are only classified as a Level1 or2 overall. This is when criminals abduct a victim for a short period of time and force them to withdraw funds from ATMs to secure their release. The State Department this week announced a new risk indicator for its public travel advisories. Despite repeated government efforts, crime persists in the form of robberies, car break-ins, and homicides due to limited resources, a large wealth gap, and dense population. Transnational criminal organizations and gangs operate in Carchi, Sucumbos, and the northern part of Esmeraldas provinces, as well as in Guayaquil, south of Portete de Tarqu Avenue. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. Just because whites are arrested doesnt mean the crimes are being committed by them. I had the chance to visit Ecuador with a few close family friends and we always stayed in a group so nothing bad happened. From the Amazon and the Andes to the Galpagos, here are the top things to do. I love Ecuador, its joyful and safe in some places. Due to government efforts combating violence, Ecuador is seeing a rate trending similar to that of the safest cities in the United States. Visit enjoy yourself and take the necessary precautions. My host family explained scams and safety to me, although they recommended a few options to me that I myself do not recommend others trying such as riding the public bus at night (unless its an overnight bus ride from one region to another) the equovia/bus station itself in historic Quit and the equova at night. Wild Frontiers/via REUTERS. Understand that the less you reveal and the less you carry, the lower your risk is of dealing with anything serious. Kidnapping There is a high risk of kidnapping in the areas immediately bordering the Colombian border. Well show you how to earn legitimate income from anywhere in the world! The USA was a great country but now it is the worst in the world, stay away. The Gringo Hunters were waiting. Demonstrations occur regularly throughout the country. It was our only night to go out to have dinner on our own, and we were told the Malachon- the Riverfront- was a safe area. The most common items stolen from tourists are phones, laptops, cameras, cash, and jewelry. And while just six Americans fell victim to homicide in the latter, the murder rate for U.S. citizens is, per capita, higher on the Caribbean island than it is in Mexico. You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State. Transnational criminal organizations and gangs operate in Carchi, Sucumbos, and the northern part of Esmeraldas provinces, as well as in Guayaquil, south of Portete de Tarqu Avenue. Guayaquil, south of Portete de Tarqu Avenue Level 4: Do Not Travel. All Rights Reserved. Miami, LA, Houston and NYC. Audrey Fox. I have a long but informative post for any solo women or men looking to explore Ecuador but wondering about safety. The Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador is monitoring the outbreak. You just named the places in the US with the highest Latin American/Latino/Latina population LOL. My heart goes out to her. Many crimes go unsolved because the police dont have the time or resources to pursue every robbery or case of pickpocketing. 2022 Semilla Verde Boutique Hotel 721 Santa Cruz, Ecuador from $191/night Hotel Colon Salinas 1,007 Salinas, Ecuador from $140/night Golden Bay Galapagos 197 San Cristobal, Ecuador 2022 Eb Hotel by Eurobuilding Quito 644 Quito, Ecuador Adam Maksou, 36, of Methuen, is being held on $75,000 cash bail and Jamie (O'Neil) Garrity, also 36 of Methuen, is being held on $10,000 cash bail for their involvement in the alleged kidnapping. Homes are neat, no American horder sloppiness. Tourist Police: 021/3399-7170. Did you encounter any technical issues? Take care everyone. Here is our selection of the top 16 tourist attractions in Ecuador. There have been robberies in public transport operating in Quito, Riobamba, and Baos. countries with the highest risk for kidnapping. Ecuador is a country located in Northwestern South America, sharing its borders with Colombia, to the northeast, and Peru, to the south and east. There are plenty of reserves and national parks such as Cuyabeno Wild Life Reserve, Mindo and San Luis de Pambil where you can spot many types of flora and fauna. Nope, not at all. The group allegedly traveled on a tour called "Vallartazo", where they visit various municipalities from Guadalajara to that port. Typically, a tourist boards a taxi where the driver is the accomplice, and the criminals hop into the cab right after the victim, robbing, assaulting and keeping the victim hostage. The drugs are coming through there. Click here to get an offer for travel insurance. As in almost any countries, there is a great risk of getting scammed. I am an older woman, used to travel alone everywhere. No official crime stats for the second half of 2020 are available as of the writing of this article, but you may want to use extra precautions to avoid theft and robbery. Since Ecuador is a relatively poor nation, flashing cell phones, laptops, portable music players, cameras or cash is highly dangerous. Too many people carries a weapon. This is common throughout Ecuador, Latin America and the rest of the world. That will make it nearly impossible for a pickpocketer to steal anything without you noticing. I agree with world traveler, this seems to be another attempt at Quito hotel operators to try to create some kind of fear in travelers to keep the majority of people who are on there way to the Galapagos's islands in Quito , for years now there have been more and more trips heading out of Guayaquil , which is very bad business for Quito , So don't believe everything you hear about Guayaquil being bad , it has come a long way, and there has been allot of effort to bring people to this wonderful cityRen. You Americans are unbelievable <3. In Ecuador, graffiti is viewed as an art form, which is why youll often see the artists real name embedded in the painting or below it. Level 3: High See all COVID-19 travel notices. 7.8 magnitude earthquake - 16 April, 2016. Express kidnappings, often in connection with carjackings, is a concern throughout Ecuador. There is a large divide between the rich and poor which does not help the crime rate in the Philippines. Sounds like a nightmare. Its generally safe to store large bags in the luggage compartment under the bus because an attendant monitors it while the doors are open and you must present a claim ticket to take a bag. and besides Guayaquil does not have the altitude problem that Quito does *Over 9.000 feet makes hard to breath that thin air.Senior citizens would have a hard time even walking on the tours. As two military-style helicopters touch down in a remote village in the jungles of Ecuador, masked men with guns hop out and scurry into a one-room schoolhouse. You have the option to go alone in some scuba diving locations. The reason black men get killed more is that they dont cooperate with the police. You can usually trust taxis that are registered, which are yellow with identical unit numbers on both the windshield and the doors. We do not know. Read thecountry information pagefor additional information on traveling to Ecuador. Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. Including the two who were kidnapped, the tourist group totaled seven people, according to the Interior Ministry. Let yourself be amazed by its culture expressed majestically in its churches, buildings and heritage cities. Its not a good thing to have to look at real taxis to make sure you wont be kidnapped. Black people are killed by cops at *much higher rates,* look it up. With that being said Most all Police are good. When you take off your jacket or bag, they grab it and run. Up to $20,000 each. Put them in the glove compartment, under the seat or in the trunk. Political demonstrations in Ecuador are common, and the police often retaliate using water cannons and deploying canisters of tear gas. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. This impressive, and very much active, volcano towers in the horizon from Quito and attracts both local and international tourists. The primary threat to tourists is non-violent theft, so using anti-pickpocketing techniques like a belt wallet or clip zippers will help you keep track of your belongings. For example: Bump and Grab - you're bumped while being passed in close quarters like a bus or mercado and your pocket is picked. FactMan, Alek and who ever is reading thishistorically the black family for generations has been harassed and jailed for frivolous reason, while white folks have been committing heinous crimes for centuries against blacks, whites and other nationalities with impunity. This replaces the previous Travel Advisory issued on April 19, 2022. One of the most common crimes against tourists in Ecuador is pickpocketing. This beautiful country is a paradise everywhere you look at it. It seems that the once safe Tulum is the latest victim in Mexico's safety crisis. As tourists or embassy workers entered the taxi, a couple of men would enter the cab and force people to withdraw all the money at the nearest ATM. They have had other flights coming back to the U.S. but they wont allow her to get on any of them until tonightwhy? Thanks for sharing. Gracias! Once you become a member, youll also gain access to a variety of exclusive benefits that will help you make a smooth transition to Ecuador! But then you go to a place like Ecuador, and its cheaper, and you might still not fit in but there is still (its changing sadly too) a homogeneity to the place. We didn't think anyone was looking for us. Its also better to travel during the daytime since the robberies that have occurred on buses typically take place at night. Or step into a restaurant or store. Theres the worlds highest active volcano Cotopaxi and a number of cities and sites in Ecuador that are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the aforementioned Galapagos Islands, and the city of Cuenca. Airline Passenger Arrested After Complaining About Vomit On Seat. Foreigners have been kidnapped in the past. I was advised by my host family to walk the mile and a half to the bus stop every day for fresh air. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Other factors, such as lack of judicial resources and weak border security, also played a role. And only take yellow taxis! If youre using a car, dont store your valuables in plain sight. For example: You can counter these theft tactics by taking a variety of precautions, such as not trusting random strangers, storing cash in multiple places on your person, and keeping the items you carry to a minimum. Dont put them in overhead bins and dont hand them to anyone offering to help you. Be prepared, keep your valuables low-key, and you'll-more likely than not-have the same experience. The other foreigners were not taken in the attack, which the BBC reported as having been carried out by a Colombian group. More white people may be killed but theres also way more white people. and real estate question, Transportaion from Guayaquil to Playas (General Villamil), Grand Hotel Guayaquil, Ascend Hotel Collection. Visit our website forTravel to High-Risk Areas. Take a picture of your passport ID page and store them on your phone so you can leave your physical passport in the safe. Glad youre enjoying our videos! Just say, NO, gracias.. To put it in perspective, both Chicago and Guayaquil carry similar crime rates. I prepared for my trip by reading up on common scams, pick pocket schemes, and strategized worst case scenarios. Like any country, there are common sense places to avoid in Ecuador. More reassurance would be great. For outdoor lovers this country is an amazing place to go to. What Are Your Rights? I want to believe ANONYMOUS as I traveled extensively in South and Central America and always found kind, friendly and most helpful people. The incident is likely to make the Foreign Office consider strengthening its travel advice for the region. Get the foundational information you need to make a smooth transition to your new life abroad. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. American tourist Kimberly Sue Endicott was. Not good at all. The goal, according to the State Department: To communicate more clearly to U.S. citizens the risks of kidnapping and hostage-taking by criminal and terrorist actors around the world.. Since 2011, crime has fallen dramatically. 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