Shopping
Overview
Beautiful souvenirs are wood carvings, colorful tiles, woolen carpets, hand-woven blankets and other textiles, baskets, leather goods and shigras (shoulder bags). Mazápan are painted and varnished figures made of bread dough, which family members traditionally gave to their deceased as food for the hungry soul in the grave. Today, the figures are used throughout the year for various celebrations and sold as souvenirs. In Cuenca and Gualaceo, in the province of Azuay, you can find a wide range of handicrafts and handicrafts during the ferias, or market days. Arguably the best weekly markets are in Ambato, Latacunga, Saquisili and Riobamba, with excellent colorful Indian woven fabrics and silverware. The market in Quito is known for its silver shops. The Otavalo market, held every Saturday morning, is the largest and most popular indigenous artisan market in all of South America. Textile goods are offered to tourists on the Plaza de Ponchos. The surrounding streets are filled with stalls selling handicrafts and antiques from around the country. Things are quieter at Saquisili Market, which is mostly frequented by locals. Colorfully dressed Andean people in traditional attire come from the surrounding communities every Thursday to buy and sell everyday objects and textiles, bags and decorative arts. Minimarkets (small grocery stores) found both in the cities on busy streets and in smaller towns.
- Searchforpublicschools: Offers schooling information of Ecuador in each level – compulsory, technical and higher education programs.
Opening hours
There are no officially regulated shop opening times. Most shops are open Mon-Fri 9am-1pm and 3pm-7pm, Sat 10am-8pm; smaller shops are often open until midnight. Some shops are also open on Sundays.
Annotation
Reasonable bargaining is allowed in smaller shops where the prices are not excellent, as well as in markets. Most of the time the price can be negotiated down by 10 to 20%. In some shops near the larger hotels, as well as in the tourist shops, prices are fixed.
Nightlife
Introduction
The nightlife in Ecuador is rather quiet. The evening entertainment mostly takes place in the private houses. But if you are lucky enough to be invited to a private party, you will get to know the warmth and joie de vivre of the Ecuadorians. For more entertainment, the cities of Quito and Guayaquil have some excellent events and restaurants. The food in the restaurants is varied, excellent and refined, but also affordable. Events are announced in the monthly Quito Cultura magazine. In Quito there is a wide range of different restaurants for every taste. There are also some cozy bars and nightclubs here, where celebrations take place from Thursday to Saturday. The nightlife is mainly concentrated in the legendary party district La Mariscal, which is also called Gringolandia because of the many tourists (North Americans are called Gringos, but in this case all tourists are meant). There is always something going on here due to the many bars and clubs and the area is also considered safe at night. Bars are usually open from 8pm to 2am and clubs until 3am. But you should be careful: the word nightclub can also mean brothel in Ecuador. In Guayaquil, nightlife is concentrated around the Malecon 2000 waterfront promenade. Those who like it more quiet will find numerous bars and pubs in Cerro Santa Ana. Livelier is the Zona Rosa, an area between Avenida Rocafuerte to the west, Calle Juan Montalvo to the north and Calle Manuel Luzarraga to the south, where live music and dancing is common in the bars. Locals are particularly drawn to the clubs and discotheques in the Kennedy Norte district.
Culinary
Overview
Food is of great importance in Ecuador and a good reason for people to get together. Sharing food is common in families and is part of traditional celebrations and fiestas. Ecuador is a fertile country with three distinct regions, all of which have developed their own regional cuisine. For example, rice with chicken is popular in the Andean highlands, while rice with fish or seafood is typical on the coast. In the larger cities, numerous international dishes such as pizza or chifa (Chinese cuisine) are also offered. The country’s climate – high humidity, heavy rainfall and high temperatures – encourages the growth of tropical plants, which means there is a wide range of local produce to try. These include a slew of exotic fruits such as passion fruit, naranjilla (lulo fruit), pineapple, guanabana (saffron, also known as soursop), and mora (carob). The tastiest jungle fruits are chirimoya, with its savory, pudding-like fruit interior, as well as mamey, with red, sweet, pumpkin-like pulp, and the cucumber-like pepinos, a sweet, white-and-purple-striped fruit. These include a slew of exotic fruits such as passion fruit, naranjilla (lulo fruit), pineapple, guanabana (saffron, also known as soursop), and mora (carob). The tastiest jungle fruits are chirimoya, with its savory, pudding-like fruit interior, as well as mamey, with red, sweet, pumpkin-like pulp, and the cucumber-like pepinos, a sweet, white-and-purple-striped fruit. These include a slew of exotic fruits such as passion fruit, naranjilla (lulo fruit), pineapple, guanabana (saffron, also known as soursop), and mora (carob). The tastiest jungle fruits are chirimoya, with its savory, pudding-like fruit interior, as well as mamey, with red, sweet, pumpkin-like pulp, and the cucumber-like pepinos, a sweet, white-and-purple-striped fruit.
Regional specialities
Local specialties include ceviche (seafood with lemon and onions), lenteja (lentil stew), lechón (suckling pig), llapingachos (cheese and potato pancakes) and locro (potato and corn soup with avocado and cheese). The name Cuy hides an old Inca specialty that is not for everyone: roasted guinea pig.
Useful information
There is a curfew by law so alcohol cannot be sold after 2am.
Tip
Larger hotels and restaurants usually charge 10% service. Tipping is not expected in simple restaurants, but it is appreciated. You should not just leave the tip on the table, but give it directly to the staff. Other service personnel such as guides, porters, etc. should also be rewarded. Taxi drivers do not expect tips.
Regional drinks
Even today, according to an old Indian tradition, Colada Morada is prepared on All Souls’ Day in memory of the deceased, a hot, blood-red colored drink made from fruit and cornmeal. However, Ecuador is also home to some of the best beers in South America. International spirits such as B. Whiskey are available but expensive. A specialty of Ecuador is the unique fruit juice Naranjilla, which is pressed from the fruit of the same name and tastes very refreshing. Good Chilean wine is available and not too expensive.
Minimum age for consumption of alcoholic beverages
In Ecuador, you can drink alcohol from the age of 18.
Accommodation
Hotels
Hotel rooms should be booked at least a week in advance during peak season. Hotels and residenciales are also available outside of the big cities. Compared to European standards, staying overnight is fairly cheap. In top and middle class hotels 5% tax and 10% service are charged, in budget hotels i. Generally only 5% taxes. There are only a few hotels on the Galápagos Islands. Hotel association information: Asociacíon Hotelera del Ecuador (AHOTEC), Avenida America N38-80 y Diguja, Quito. Tel: (02) 244 34 25. (Internet: http://www.hotelesecuador.
Camping
The few campsites are managed by European and American companies. There are two campsites on the Galápagos Islands.
Culture
Religion
Catholics (95%); Protestant, Jewish and Bahai minorities; Native American religions.
Social Rules of Conduct
General: Ecuadorians are very sociable, helpful and hospitable. Football is a very popular topic and often a good starting point for an interesting conversation. The indigenous people of Ecuador are called Indígenas (singular: Indígena). The term Indio has a discriminatory character. Manners: The usual forms of politeness should be observed. For invitations to private houses, a small gift is appropriate, but you should refrain from exaggerated gifts or even monetary donations. Criticism and negative remarks should be reserved; if in doubt, a more reserved demeanor is appropriate. Patience and composure help in most cases. While corruption is widespread however, one should not voluntarily offer to solve a situation by paying a sum of money. Dress: Casual casual attire is appropriate almost everywhere except for business appointments. Evening wear is often expected in hotel restaurants and exclusive restaurants. Swimwear belongs on the beach. Photographing: Military installations and airports may not be photographed, the same applies to the police. People should be asked before they are photographed, permission can often be obtained for a small tip. Smoking: Many restaurants already have smoking and non-smoking areas, so most hotels offer smoking and non-smoking rooms. Smoking bans should be observed, otherwise fines may apply.
Climate
Best travel time
Warm, tropical or subtropical climate with large differences between the Andean region and the coast.
In the mountain valleys of the highlands, there are strong temperature fluctuations during the course of the day. On the coast, the amount of rain decreases from north to south. The driest time is from June to November, and the best bathing weather is from December to May. It is hot and humid in the Amazon basin and in the northern coastal lowlands. Ocean currents are responsible for the two seasons in the Galápagos Islands; in the first half of the year it is mostly sunny, the water temperature is about 23 degrees, but occasionally there are heavy tropical rain showers. It is hazy during the dry season in the second half of the year, the water temperature is colder due to the Humboldt Current.
Country data
Phone prefix
+593
Area (sq km)
283561
Population
17,643,054 (Source: homosociety)
Population density (per square km)
56
Population statistics year
2020
Main emergency number
911
