Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. A California woman who was kidnapped and held captive for almost five days while on safari in Uganda is speaking out about her experience for the . Guayaquil to Loja flights? The western and central ranges of the Andes bordering the Sierra constitute the country's highest and most continuous mountain chains. A Warner Bros. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, Carchi, Sucumbos, and the northern part of Esmeraldas provinces, including Esmeraldas city, due to, Guayaquil, south of Portete de Tarqu Avenue, due to, Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. But thug will rob you for drugs. Updated Read up on preventable incidents so you can be prepared before you go. Did she make it back to the U.S. ? Despite being a small town, Banos is one of the most famous tourist destination in Ecuador due to having several hot springs abode. The beautiful places you will discover are incredible. Ecuador is a country located in Northwestern South America, sharing its borders with Colombia, to the northeast, and Peru, to the south and east. The USA was a great country but now it is the worst in the world, stay away. Ecuador is roughly the size of Colorado and is bordered by Colombia and Peru. This travelers dream vacation soon turned into a nightmare. Nothing bad happened but the tension is in the air. The Galpagos Islands, 596 miles (960 kilometers) west of the mainland of Ecuador are part of Ecuador and are home to unique reptiles, birds . Intelligent, and social, communicate about fair labor, fair tax, women are not marginalized, European influence hundreds of years ago created gorgeous rchitexture and landscapes. More white people are killed in raw numbers, but ALSO as a percentage when you divide by interactions with police, or rates of violent crimes. The people are friendly, the landscapes are varied and stunning, and Ecuador's popular tourist places are in fact safe. Too many people carries a weapon. Ranked: 10 Happiest And 10 Saddest Countries In The World, Top 20 Places Women Are Traveling In 2019, Dream Job Alert! 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 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. The drugs are coming through there. One pickpocket and once from hostel. These officers can help you out in an emergency, such as a personal injury or to report a crime. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Nah its the high taxes. When youre traveling via bus, keep your valuable belonging on your person. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. shifted its approach to gangs by legalizing them. Other social reform efforts included rebuilding the police and criminal justice system, as well as increases in vital social programs. The Reforma newspaper revealed over the weekend that around 20 young people traveling from Guanajuato suffered a massive kidnapping in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, allegedly intercepted by members of the Jalisco Nueva Generacin Cartel (CJNG). CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Wild Frontiers/via REUTERS. I love Ecuador, the people, the food, its worth the trip. Vaccine recommended for certain travellers based on destination, activities and length of stay. who disappeared from Iguala, Guerrero in Mexico, which is on the list for having a high risk of kidnapping. Common sense says Cooperate and you wont get shot!!! Prepare for the worst so if it does happen, you will have done everything in your control to be fine. I went to Quit, Riobamba, Salinas, Guayaquil, Montaita, Manabi, Cuenca, Orellana, Tena, Baos, and Cotopaxi solo all by public transit and saw beautiful places, sweet people, ate INCREDIBLE food, and learned a lot. When youre traveling by bus, its best to keep your luggage close to you. As in almost any countries, there is a great risk of getting scammed. Theres a wide variety of techniques used to snag your wallet. Visiting the historic sites of Quito is a must when visiting Ecuador, but the city draws large crowds making it the perfect hunting ground for pickpocketers. If you do find yourself confronted by someone with a weapon, its always better to part with your belongings rather than risk your health and safety. And then, for some reason, they changed their minds and told us to run. You Americans are unbelievable <3. In the wake ofthe kidnapping, the State Departmentannounced that it was adding a new indicatorto show which countries have the highest risk of kidnapping. 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. Since the greatest risk to black people in the United States comes from other black people, is it the same in Ecuador? More reassurance would be great. Make your own way and experience. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. 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. Sounds like a nightmare. When a local tells you to have caution in an area, not to mention -extreme caution- just listen to them! Security forces rescued two tourists Saturday, just one day after they were kidnapped in a remote region of northeast Ecuador, the Interior Ministry said. Just in case you run into any trouble while seeing the sights of Rio, here are some numbers to call for assistance. For example: Bump and Grab - you're bumped while being passed in close quarters like a bus or mercado and your pocket is picked. You just named the places in the US with the highest Latin American/Latino/Latina population LOL. And you added Chicago at the end which has a high black population with a lot of black-on-black crime. Thanks for sharing. There is that tension as the OP said, but depending where you are, there can be safer and less safer places. Foods great, so fresh, so lacking preservatives. well I agree with that Ecuador is not very welcoming to Black people and Ive been going there twice a year for the past 13 years, and you wouldnt see any black people working at the airport , Banks or the malls the Bus company MetroVia has hundreds of buses but no black bus driverssupermarkets no black workers to be fair there is a few black police around and the older people are the most racist people you find anywhere on earth especially the older womensometimes I do feel sorry for the black people living therethere are no signs up but there are lines in the sand that black people are not allowed to cross. However, this country isn't the safest in terms of females traveling solo, especially at night and you should exercise precaution measures at all times and avoid dark and empty streets and locations. Violent crime, such as murder, assault, express kidnapping, and armed robbery, is common. And only take yellow taxis! If you are been held by any authority the first thing done is immediately report you to your countrys embassy or consul. We know of other taxi robberies and it's always the younger drivers. If youre using a car, dont store your valuables in plain sight. There are people -- known as "coyoteros" in Ecuador or "polleros" in Mexico -- that charge them for the journey. LMAO! 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. The bodies were found on Feb. 14 hanging from a pedestrian bridge over a major road in a neighborhood outside Guayaquil, a port city that is an epicenter of Ecuador's violence. Zero violent crime and very little petty crime as well. Level 3: High See all COVID-19 travel notices. Warnings & Dangers in Ecuador OVERALL RISK : MEDIUM Ecuador is somewhat safe to visit, though it has many dangers. Luckily, one of the guys in our group had the card of our hotel in his pocket, because the police showed up 45 minutes later and refused to help them, give them a ride back to the hotel, or take a police report. Some other investments are uploading essential documents to the cloud and using zipper pockets with a fastener. I prepared for my trip by reading up on common scams, pick pocket schemes, and strategized worst case scenarios. The Interior and Environment Ministries offered slightly different accounts of what happened. Cotopaxi in the Andes is the highest active volcano in the world. Get answers to your questions about Guayaquil. "Express kidnappings" are also common in Ecuador. Getty The State Department already issues travel advisories for every country around the. Even in developed cities like Berlin, graffiti is common. The CDC's latest guidance on international travel for vaccinated people can be foundhere. To have so many people come to our aid, such an enormous response, and to hear so many people searching for us on the ground, and then hearing there were so many people behind the scenes, we are so grateful. One of the most beautiful places to see the Amazon is in Ecuador and Peru. Including the two who were kidnapped, the tourist group totaled seven people, according to the Interior Ministry. 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 Guayaquil, south of Portete de Tarqu Avenue Level 4: Do Not Travel. (AP Photo), Work From Home Or Anywhere: Top 25 Companies For Remote Jobs That Allow You To Travel. The Environment Ministry identified those kidnapped as an Australian woman, 32, and a 23-year-old woman from England. Like most ecotourism destinations, Cotopaxi is part of a fragile ecosystem. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Briton Kathryn Cox and Australian Fiona Wilde rescued after being abducted in Cuyabeno nature reserve James Meikle Sun 30 Sep 2012 19.09 EDT Two women tourists rescued from kidnappers in. Click here to get an offer for travel insurance. Check the Gov. The U.S. government is limited in its ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Guayaquil south of Portete de Tarqu Avenue, as U.S. government personnel cannot travel to this area without permission from the Embassys security office. Always remain vigilant about your surroundings, especially in crowds and tourist locations. Also we are more than 46%, How gross Jack! Despite a recent plateau, the Ecuadorian homicide rate fell from 15.4 per 100,000 in 2011 to 5.7 in 2018. Maybe you should change that to if you are white you will not get mugged by some thugs in Chicago, LA, Houston. We do not know. White water rafting, mountain biking, zip lining, mountaintop swinging, relaxing in hot springs, kayaking, hiking - the list . Good Girl . U.S. government personnel have been directed to exercise extreme caution and maintain increased vigilance when traveling in and around Guayaquil. Other common-sense tactics weve covered include avoiding nighttime travel and investing in safety products like cash belts, bags with zipper clips and personal safes. The U.S. government is limited in its ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in the Colombian border area, as U.S. government personnel cannot travel to the provinces of Esmeraldas, Carchi, and Sucumbos without permission from the Embassys security office. You can only visit this place with a guided tour as the ecosystem here needs to be preserved. JP & Amelia, I just want to thank you for your YouTube vlogs and well-written articles. You can not even argue facts anymore and common sense is no where to be found. Let yourself be amazed by its culture expressed majestically in its churches, buildings and heritage cities. We had a good time and we might even repeat the experience in a few years. Overall, Ecuador is a very safe country, but crime is a still a risk, just as it is across the globe. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. This isnt to say you should walk around Ecuador without taking common sense precautions. Like any country, there are common sense places to avoid in Ecuador. The state prosecutor's office later tweeted that a second Canadian had died of their injuries. Violent crime, such as murder, assault, express kidnapping, and armed robbery, is common. Find even more inspiration for Ecuador here The 30 best places to go with kids Travel Bucket List Ideas: Places To Visit Before You Die The 10 best jungle lodges in the Amazon The top 20 volcanoes around the world 20 destinations to see before they disappear Incredible forests of the world Equatorial differences in Quito, Ecuador But if you follow some of the tips well cover below, youll find Ecuador is a very safe place for Americans and expats from around the world. I mean I think if someone can make it work in the US if they are American, and thats their home, thats the best, but I get how people are being pushed out and thats sad. The situation in the country has calmed. And a woman's. Suggesting there is crime in Baos is utter stupidity. Ecuador is a place for the real nature loving tourist, and a paradise for visitors trying to immerse themselves in breathtaking beaches like Salinas, Bahia de Caraquez, Manta, Crucita, San Jacinto, and San Clemente. TWO British backpackers have been raped while on holidays at a surfing destination in Ecuador at the same resort where two young women were murdered earlier this year. 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. I never encountered any issues or ever felt unsafe. Use common sense and you should be fine. Avoid walking alone at night and avoid shortcuts through alleys, especially if youre unfamiliar with the area. I did have a snafu at the airport but it was due to not reading the spanish signs and I walked into the wrong area. If you have to travel through a city, its better to use apps like Azutaxi (in Cuenca), Uber (in Quito and Guayaquil only as of 2020), private recommended drivers (we have several) or shuttle services provided by your hotel. And it contains an astounding number of . I agree with you Omar I spent 2 years in Ecuador and loved every moment Came back for family reasons and still communicate with friends there. So its making it unaffordable. Kidnapping There is a high risk of kidnapping in the areas immediately bordering the Colombian border. Thats all for today, except Merry Christmas to you both from Richland, WA. Be wary of unlicensed taxis since you might get kidnapped and robbed. . Not good at all. One of the tourists died of their injuries while being transported to hospital following the incident on Friday, according to the Quintana Roo state public security secretary, Lucio Hernndez Gutirrez, who confirmed the nationality of the victims. I traveled to every region except Esmereldas because my embassy said it was a level 4 do not travel. 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. National Emergency Number: 190. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Those baseball hat wearing, hot dog eating, Mayflower descendant yankees in Miami act very similarly um hahahaha okay well thank you for that. This may be because of a lack of a functioning government, the ineffectiveness or policies of local authorities, armed conflict or poor governance.. 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. Registered taxis also have a taxi cooperative logo. Carchi, Sucumbos, and northern Esmeraldas Provinces Level 4: Do Not Travel. Posted On: 1st Aug 2013. Others in the group were let go. Ive traveled throughout the country and never had any problems. 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. The Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest ranks as the most wildlife-rich area on Earth. More people do not need to be going to the Galapagos. My daughter loves it. One of the most common crimes against tourists in Ecuador is pickpocketing. A 2016 file photo of Judith DSouza, an Indian, charity worker who was kidnapped in Afghanistan. They are a method of abduction where criminals ask for a small and immediate ransom. Travelers beware. READ MORE:Ranked: 10 Happiest And 10 Saddest Countries In The World, According to the State Department, the Bureau of Consular Affairs works closely with the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and the entire U.S. interagency to serve and protect Americans overseas and to prevent and resolve cases of kidnapping and hostage-taking. However, in the most dangerous places,the State Department warnsof its ability to help Americans in distress: In many high-risk areas, we cannot help you. Contributor. Since 2011, crime has fallen dramatically. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Heres the list of 35 countries where youre most likely to get kidnapped, according to the U.S. State Department. The risk of robbery, assault, and kidnapping still exists, just as it does in the United States and everywhere else in the world. Against tourists in Ecuador like Berlin, graffiti is common are been held by authority... Never had any problems, WA ; Dangers in Ecuador and Peru, Top 20 Women! As a Level1 or2 overall than 46 %, How gross Jack first done. And strategized worst case scenarios the two who were kidnapped, according to Interior. Destinations, cotopaxi is part of a fragile ecosystem is across the globe %, gross. 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