Ecuador Beach Holidays

You can visit Ecuador without a visa for up to 90 days in any 12-month period.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you arrive in Ecuador.

If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you can pay to extend your stay by an extra 90 days, but you must apply for an extension before the first 90-day period ends.

At border control, you may be asked to show proof of a return or onward journey.

All travellers entering Ecuador must register their entry and exit in the national immigration database.

If you are travelling to the Galapagos Islands, you must have evidence of a hotel booking or an invitation letter, evidence of a return flight to the Ecuadorean mainland, purchase a transit control card at your departure airport, and have travel health insurance.

British children aged 17 and under must have a notarised consent letter to leave Ecuador if they are travelling alone or with one parent or legal guardian and are resident in Ecuador or have been in Ecuador for over 90 days.

Always carry a printed copy of your passport, including the page with your photo and Ecuador entry stamp, as ID is required by law.

To reduce the risk of robbery, use ATMs inside banks or shopping centres and avoid withdrawing money after dark.

Be alert to distraction techniques like staged fights or requests for assistance, and wear your rucksack on the front of your body in public.

Book taxis through your hotel or a known radio-dispatched service, as using unregistered taxis significantly increases your risk of crime.

Be aware that beaches often lack swimming safety warning flags and seek local advice on strong, rapidly changing ocean currents before swimming.

Serious sexual assaults have occurred in tourist beach areas, so avoid travelling after dark and be alert to the use of date rape drugs in drinks.

Methanol poisoning from alcoholic drinks is a risk, and it is not possible to identify it by taste or smell, so seek urgent medical attention if you feel unwell after drinking.