On the northwest side of South America, Ecuador has 1,400 miles of coastline and neighbors Peru and Colombia.
About the same size as Colorado, Ecuador is small compared to other countries on the continent.
What the nation is big on, though, is heritage.
There have been settlements on the land for well over 5,000 years.
That just so happens to make them one of the oldest throughout all the Americas.
With a lot of history can come a little too much conflict.
Today, Ecuador is dealing with civil unrest and high levels of violent crime.
The government warns anyone coming into the country to exercise extreme caution because of the situation nationwide.
Unfortunately, a little bad can really get in the way of natural beauty.
So, if you plan to go, stay tuned!
We’re going to let you in on the most dangerous areas to avoid.
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10 Most Dangerous Cities in Ecuador
1. Guayaquil
Right on Rio Guayas, Guayaquil has the makings of the perfect tourist escape.
That seems to be what attracts many would-be criminals.
The crime index puts Guayaquil at 72.
Armed robbery is one of the most frequent crimes committed in the city.
Other common crimes are vandalism, theft, and bribery.
2. Quito
Established in the 1500s, the nation’s capital has a lot of history.
Naturally, that makes it a popular destination for tourists abroad.
Criminals operate out of the city because of this, making crime levels obnoxiously high.
A lot of what happens is from organized crime, which ends up being responsible for the bulk of violent and property crimes.
3. Cuenca
Half of the English-speaking population of Ecuador lives in Cuenca.
There are safe zones in the city, but it’s not the type of place you want to be walking alone at night.
Property crimes take precedence here, including vandalism and theft.
Violent crimes are uncommon, but that doesn’t mean they don’t happen at all.
Always take extra precautions when out and about in Cuenca.
4. Esmeraldas
Where Rio Esmeraldas meets the Pacific Ocean is a city that is the river’s namesake.
Instead of being enjoyed, residents have to deal with a crime rate of 94.
Locals know it isn’t safe to walk around at any time alone.
Murder, armed robbery, and vandalism make Esmeraldas a dangerous place to pass through.
5. Guayas
Guayas might not be close to Esmeraldas, but it is tied for homicide.
There are 33 homicides for every 100,000 residents.
That’s the highest in the country.
The whole province of Guayas has the highest murder rate, too.
Half of all murders in Ecuador happen in Guayas.
6. Carchi
Sharing a border with Colombia might be a large part of the reason Carchi is so dangerous.
There has been an alarming increase in violent crimes that are related to gang activity and drugs.
Drug trafficking is almost out of control as packages are passed over the border at an ever-increasing rate.
Avoid getting caught up in Carchi at all costs.
7. Tulcan
Both Carchi and Sucumbíos, home of Tulcan, are do-not-travel zones, as warned by the US government, thanks to that shared Colombian border.
It doesn’t help that Sucumbíos is labeled lawless.
Law enforcement isn’t able to get a grip on the number of drugs being brought over the border.
Cocaine seems to flow in endlessly, keeping locals scared.
8. La Marin
Part of Quito, La Marin, is the most dangerous area in this part of the country.
Much of the criminal activity here is pickpocketing, armed robbery, and petty theft.
Not even locals can catch a break.
Taxi drivers are often robbed as well.
9. Putumayo
Putumayo is part of Sucumbíos, which means it borders Colombia.
It can be expected that any city along that border is going to be in trouble.
Putumayo has the highest murder rate in the province, 13 per 100,000.
10. Riobamba
Riobamba is in a remote, mountainous area but that hasn’t stopped the crimes from happening.
The crime rate is 65, just above Quito.
People are more likely to be victims of property crimes, such as vandalism or theft than violent ones.
5 Safety Tips for Traveling to Ecuador
1. Use Public Transportation
Ecuador just so happens to be one of those countries where road rules are either not present or not heavily enforced.
That means renting a car and going out on your own could be risky and dangerous.
An uncomfortable percentage of vehicles on the road have not passed any type of safety standards.
For someone who isn’t local and doesn’t have a grip on how to navigate amongst the drivers, try public transportation or a rideshare service.
2. Avoid Cash, When Possible
Ecuador has the same monetary system as the US.
That means you don’t have to stop and exchange your cash at the airport before you head out.
That also means there’s no exchange rate or upcharge for using debit or credit cards because of a difference in currency.
While it’s always smart to have some cash for places that won’t take cards, make a point to have very little.
Using credit cards will make sure that any unauthorized purchase won’t come back to haunt you.
If a criminal sees you pulling out a load of cash, they might follow you around until they can make a grab for it.
3. Bottled Beverages Only
There’s a stereotype in certain destinations that drinking the local water can cause you great intestinal issues.
Unfortunately, it rings true for Ecuador.
When traveling around the nation, it’s very tempting to treat going out to eat as you would back home.
Ordering a beverage and not worrying about it should be standard but here, you need to be more careful.
Water is not treated the same way in Ecuador that it is in most other developed nations.
Locals are used to the water but you aren’t.
Everything that you drink, be it water, soda, juice, tea, or coffee, should not be made by hand.
Buy bottled beverages before getting on the plane and buy only bottled ones once you arrive.
Don’t be fooled by luxury hotels, either.
Bottled all the way, even for brushing your teeth.
4. No Moonlight Beaching
It’s an understood fact that Ecuador’s beaches are some of the best on the continent.
As exciting as that sounds, many other people are having the same idea.
That means it could get crowded, especially during peak times.
So, what’s a tourist to do?
Many book hotels in close proximity to the beach and go at night once the masses have gone home.
That sounds romantic, but the reality is locals who are up to no good know that plan already.
They could use your enjoyment of the moon over the ocean as an opportunity to take advantage.
Robbery, assault, and vehicular theft are a few crimes that are committed using the cover of the night by the beach.
5. Be Careful What You Flush
This is a safety tip by means of keeping you from experiencing something awful.
One thing that many travelers to Ecuador do not know is that the septic system is a bit antiquated.
Basically, the plumping doesn’t work well enough to accept toilet paper.
Most of the time, if you’re in a public restroom, there will be a sign to remind you of this uncomfortable fact.
However, nobody is perfect.
All it takes is one toilet where you forget and a major issue has occurred.
To avoid a major mess, toss used toilet paper in the trash bin next to the toilet.
Ecuador Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Ecuador Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: HIGH
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ecuador safe for female travelers?
Ecuador is small, on the ocean, and has friendly cities.
Generally speaking, female travelers are welcome here, solo or otherwise.
This may not be the first country a solo lady traveler would want to start a world trip from.
The ideal solo traveler would have at least a few countries under her belt before setting off here.
There are just a few ways to be cautious that you might not think about until you’re in the situation and new to an area.
Otherwise, this is a good place to navigate, especially when the bigger cities are on the list of places to see.
Is Ecuador safer to visit than Mexico?
Purely looking at statistics, you could say that Ecuador does appear to have an edge over Mexico.
Mexico is a bigger country and with more area, there are more places that can be thought of as dangerous.
Given that fact, there are definitely more suspicious places to go in Mexico that would make it sound worse to visit.
In all fairness, however, neither country is entirely dangerous nor safe.
It’s really all about areas.
There are hotspots in both countries that equal out as far as crime rates go.
Mexico also has more safe resort towns than Ecuador.
Be sure before booking a trip that you do a lot of research on where to go and where to avoid.
Are there Americans living in Ecuador?
There are 18 million people who call Ecuador home and 20,000 of them are English speakers.
Many of those call Cuenca home.
Even though the city is listed as one of the more dangerous in the country, the English-speaking community is strong there.
If you happen to go to Cuenca or any of the other hubs where Americans might be, it would be smart to seek them out.
Similar to places in the US that have a high percentage of a particular nationality or ethnicity, it can make traveling or moving easier.
These are people who have already done the hard work and now you can use their knowledge to help make your experience a better one.
I have visited Cuenca 9 times before moving permanently. I feel safe at all times of the day. There are probably risky areas of Cuenca as there are in all cities. Taking precautions is always wise wherever you call home. The streets of Cuenca are well lit throughout the city.