Why did you choose Ecuador?
One of the first questions we get asked when we tell people we plan to spend the summer in Ecuador.
Ecuador typically brings images of the Galapagos Islands to mind. When we mention that we don’t even have plans to go to the Galapagos, then the quizzical expressions really start rolling in.
Ecuador has so much to offer beyond the Galapagos. Here are 5 reasons we chose to spend three months in Ecuador.
Cost of living
The cost of living in Ecuador is quite reasonable. By traveling in countries with lower cost of living, we can do crazy things, like pay our mortgage while we are away! In all seriousness though, we can go out for almuerzo (lunch) every day for $2-4 per person. We can get a weeks’ worth of produce at the market for $10. A taxi ride is $1-5 depending on where you are going, and the bus fare around town is $0.35. We love using Numbeo to get an idea of the cost of living in the places we are traveling to.
Weather
Ecuador has a climate for every person. There are the Andes regions for mountains, stretches of gorgeous beaches on the coast, rainforest, desert, and many microclimates in between. Though we will miss the mild, midwestern summer, we will be enjoying a full range of great weather in Ecuador.
Time zone
Jacob and I are both working remotely while we are in Ecuador. During daylight savings time in the US, Ecuador is in the central time zone. This works out perfectly as both of our companies are based in the the central time zone. We thought it would be nice to not have to worry about time zone changes with calls and video conferences. So far, working remotely from Ecuador has felt the same as working remotely from home in Illinois.
Language
The official language of Ecuador is Spanish, and not many people outside of the tourism industry speak English here. Jacob and I both took Spanish in high school and are interested in improving our language skills. We thought a Spanish speaking country where few people would speak English to us would be the perfect place to do that.
Visa
Ecuador allows you to stay in the country for 90 days without a visa. This probably isn’t the biggest reason for choosing a destination, but it is definitely a nice perk.
Why not Ecuador?
Technically, this isn’t a reason. We love to travel, and we wanted to spend some time really experiencing a country. Up to this point, we have traveled many places but all on vacation. We spent our days eating out and rushing from one attraction to the next. We were looking for an opportunity to really get to know a place.
We decided over a year ago that South America would be the next continent we visited. Ecuador is filled with beautiful wildlife, kind people, and diverse landscapes.
We are so excited for this to be our first country in South America, and we cannot wait to explore what Ecuador has to offer!