Foreign travel advice

Ecuador

Warning FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Ecuador.

Warnings and insurance

Still current at:
16 April 2025
Updated:
15 April 2025
Latest update:
State of emergency renewed for 60 days due to internal disturbance and armed violence('Warnings and insurance' page).
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Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel  

Coastal Region

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Coastal Region provinces of:

  • Esmeraldas
  • Manabí
  • Santa Elena
  • Guayas
  • El Oro
  • Los Ríos
  • Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

This does not apply to airside transit within Guayaquil Airport in Guayas province.

Within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border 

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border, except for these areas in Carchi province: 

  • El Ángel Ecological Reserve 
  • Rumichaca border crossing 
  • the town of Tulcán 
  • the Pan-American Highway  

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel. 

Regional state of emergency (heavy rainfall)

On 11 March the Committee of Emergency Operations (COE) declared a regional state of emergency for 60 days, due to heavy rainfall, in the following provinces: Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Esmeraldas, Santa Elena, Loja and Azuay.

Regional state of emergency declared (internal disturbance and armed violence)

A 60-day state of emergency (SOE) was renewed on 12 April due to internal disturbance and armed violence. You should always follow the instructions of police and local authorities. The SOE currently applies to the following provinces:

  • Guayas
  • El Oro
  • Santa Elena
  • Manabí
  • Orellana
  • Sucumbios
  • Los Ríos
  • Quito Metropolitan District (Pichincha province)
  • Camilo Ponce Enríquez district (Azuay province)

Curfew hours (10pm until 5am) are in place until further notice, for the following districts (‘cantons’) and/or parishes (parroquias):

Azuay province:

  • Camilo Ponce Enríquez

Los Ríos province:

  • Baba
  • Babahoyo
  • Buena Fe
  • Mocache
  • Montalvo
  • Palenque
  • Pueblo Viejo
  • Quevedo
  • Quinsaloma
  • Urdaneta
  • Valencia
  • Ventanas
  • Vinces

Guayas province:

  • Balao
  • Durán
  • Parroquia Tenguel

Orellana province:

  • La Joya de los Sachas
  • Puerto Francisco De Orellana
  • Loreto

Sucumbios province:

  • Shushufindi
  • Lago Agrio

If you need to travel to or from the airport for a booked flight during curfew hours, you can do so by presenting your booking reservation.

Before you travel 

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

Travel insurance 

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. 

About FCDO travel advice

FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice. 

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