Ecuador is weathering the storm of economic downturn as best it can. Never a mass tourism destination, things have gotten particularly tough on the mainland. (Tourism to the Galapagos Islands remains robust and dependable.)
Things have also become slightly more difficult for tourists seeking to stay for extended periods of time. The Ministry of Foreign relations has issued a memo to immigration offices around the country to no longer offer in-country 90-day extensions to the standard 90-day tourist visa. Tourists wishing to spend more than 90 days in Ecuador must first leave the country and re-enter with a fresh visa. Moreover, there is now a 180 day per year limit for tourists visiting Ecuador.
Lan Ecuador has begun regular commuter service between Guayaquil and Quito, with seven daily flights Monday through Friday, and a couple of flights each on the weekend. The airline has also begun once-daily flights between Guayaquil and Cuenca. So far, Lan is undercutting fares offered by the established commuter airlines, which is good news for consumers.
In Quito, the transportation scene is undergoing some confusing transitions. After 23 years of service, the Quito's main bus terminal, the Terminal Terrestre Cumandá is being shut down. On July 1, 2009, the municipal government of Quito began the process of transferring interprovincial bus offices and terminals from the Terminal Terrestre Cumandá to two new terminals, the Terminal Terrestre Quitumbe, located on the southern end of the city, and the Terminal Terrestre Carcelén, located towards the north. The transition has been rocky. To date, the new terminals are not fully functioning, work has not been completed on the Carcelén terminal, and pubic transportation to the new terminals is still being ironed out.
Eventually, both new stations will be serviced by the public bus and trolley system, with connections to all major points in downtown Quito. Ecovia's Rio Coca and Trolebus's Estacion Norte La Y station will have direct connections with the Carcelén station. Meanwhile, the new Quitumbe terminal will have direct bus connections with Trolebus's Estacion Sur station. In addition, there will be a direct, non-stop bus connecting the two new stations.
By all estimates, everything should be up and running by fall 2009, although it might take even longer to work all of the bugs out. For the best current information on the situation, check out the "Getting Around" section at www.quito.com.ec.
Work continues on the restoration of the Iglesia de San Francisco. The whole main floor is now closed to the public, although the Museo Fray Pedro Gocial (San Francisco Museum and Convent) is still open, and you can access the choir area of the main church from the museum. You can also visit the Capilla de Cantuna, a small chapel, on the south side of the church.
Be careful with your luggage and belongings on the public buses to Otavalo -- there has been a rash of robberies during which bags in overhead bins and under seats are being slashed. One good bit of advice I received from a hotel owner is to buy a full seat for your luggage; it's only an extra $2 or so.
Ned Creswell, a British botanist, has begun Finca San Antonio, a community-based eco-tourism project in the Intag and San Vincente cloud forest area.
There's a new restaurant, Restaurante Kirutwa Mushuk Wasi, located right beside the lookout over Lake Quilotoa. The restaurant, which serves local cuisine and features masks and other craftworks as décor, is a project owned and run by the local Zumbahua indigenous community. Dishes include a Quinoa soup, and a lamb chop cooked in a chicha sauce.
The local expatriate community in Cuenca has been meeting Friday nights at the bar and restaurant Zoe. The gatherings begin around 5pm. Also in Cuenca, I've gotten good reports about the northern Indian cuisine at the new Indian Bapu.
Hotel Palmazul, a new luxury hotel, is located right on the beach in the small beach town of San Clemente, south of Bahía de Caráquez.
Big news keeps coming from the Galapagos Islands. A new species of pink land iguanas has been discovered on Wolf Island. First spotted by park rangers in 1986, the coloration was originally thought to be a skin malformation or disease. However, following extensive research, Italian and Ecuadorean scientists have determined that it is a unique species. These pink iguanas can reach up to 1.8m (6 ft.) in length, and lack the traditional row of dorsal spines.
The remote and uninhabited island of Fernandina experienced a period of volcanic activity, in April 2009. Part of the ongoing process of island creation and growth in the Galapagos, the activity included eruptions and lava flows. The main lava flow ran for several kilometers, before reaching the sea. The activity had no effect on neighboring Isabela, the largest island on the archipelago.
Planning
- Lan Ecuador (tel. 1800/101-075; www.lan.com) has begun regular commuter service between Guayaquil and both Quito and Cuenca.
- www.quiport.com now offers current flight arrival and departure information online for both domestic and international flights from Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport.
- Terminal Terrestre Cumandá is CLOSED.
- Terminal Terrestre Quitumbe (tel. 02/2286-866), located on the southern oukskirts of Quito, is handling all inter-provincial travel towards southern destinations.
- Terminal Terrestre Carcelén (tel. 02/3961-600 ext 6099), located on the northern outskirts of Quito, is handling all interprovincial travel towards northern destinations.
Accomodations
- Finca San Antonio (tel. 06/2648-627; www.intagtour.com), is a new community-run tourism and conservation project in the Intag forest area.
- Hotel Palmazul (tel. 02/2547-587; www.manabihotel.com) brings some luxury to the isolated Pacific beach town of San Clemente.
Dining
- Restaurante Kirutwa Mushuk Wasi (tel. 02/2623-927 or 09/8504-163) is a new community-run restaurant serving local cuisine right beside the lookout over Lake Quilotoa.
- Zoe, Presidente Borrero 7-61, between Sucre and Cordova; (tel. 07/2841-005) now hosts expatriot gatherings.
- Indian Bapu, Calle Larga 9-34 and Benigno Malo; (tel. 07/2820-361) is a new Indian restaurant in Cuenca.
Activities/Attractions
The whole main floor of Iglesia de San Francisco, in Quito, is closed to the public, as restoration work continues.Talk with fellow Frommer's travelers on our Ecuador Forum today.