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November 6, 2015 at 9:37 am in reply to: Cuenca Area Real Estate Agents that provide Transportation/Info #629979
SUZAN HASKINS
ParticipantHey Elisabeth, you can reach Edd at Cuenca@internationalliving.com. I think he is off on a romantic anniversary trip with his wife right now, but I am sure he’ll get back to you soon.:)
November 5, 2015 at 7:52 am in reply to: Questions: Travel times request when traveling by bus from city-to-city. #629924ParticipantMike, I think your trip will be less stressful if you stick to the bus or hiring a private driver. You’ll be able to relax and enjoy your trip… and check out the scenery. Just travel light — you’ll be able to get laundry done along the way. If you go by bus, keep valuables on your lap at all times. And don’t try to pack too much into one trip. Relax and enjoy.
ParticipantIf you are only going short distances at a time, you might consider the bus. And hiring a private driver might be less than the cost of renting a car. A driver in Guayaquil you might reach out to is Jorge Lopez: http://gyebnb.com — he gets lots of praise from expats here. Another (I can’t personally recommend either) is Victor Boin: victorcolorado85@yahoo.com
If you’d like some driver contacts for other parts of the country, let me know?
October 29, 2015 at 2:17 pm in reply to: Questions: Travel times request when traveling by bus from city-to-city. #629490ParticipantHi Mike, the driving laws in Ecuador are the same as in the U.S.
October 13, 2015 at 9:31 am in reply to: Transportation Suggestions Needed for Scouting Trip in December #628266ParticipantHI Elisabeth, yes the Otavalo market is open every day but Saturday is, by far, the best day. Also, I think you are confusing Cotacachi (the city and canton) with Cotopaxi (the volcano and province). Cotopaxi is south of Quito and Cotacachi is north — in Cotacachi, we do not and will not have issues with ash from Cotopaxi.
Cotacachi is, in fact, just minutes from Otavalo. So if you are going to the market, it might make sense to visit Cotacachi at the same time. There are a couple of budget places to stay in Cotacachi. The most popular seems to be La Cuadra: http://www.lacuadra-hostal.com
Others are Hostel Arbolito and Hostel Kimbala. These are all very inexpensive. If you want to get a feel for Cotacachi, I’d really suggest you stay at one of these. If you stay for a week or more, you might opt to stay in an apartment. I can get you those contacts if your decide to do that.However, if they’re full, you could also stay in Otavalo at Hostel Dona Esther: http://www.otavalohotel.com (They have a great restaurant there, too.) And if you stay for a week or more in Cotacachi, you might opt to stay in an apartment. I can get you those contacts if your decide to do that.
To check out real estate, check in with Yolanda Santana: http://global.remax.com/AgentProfile.aspx?AgentID=890131006 or Joe Stock (78400@msn.com) at Chantal: http://chantal-realty-ecuador.com
October 13, 2015 at 9:26 am in reply to: Scouting Trip To Ecuador In March, April or May for 30 Days. Any Suggestions? #628261ParticipantHi Mike, you will find expats in all those places I mentioned. Keep an eye on El Nino — this is supposed to be a difficult event for Ecuador this coming year, but I think you have your itinerary well planned in regards to weather — do the coast last and your chances of rain are not high at that time of year… unless, of course, El Nino lingers.
October 13, 2015 at 9:14 am in reply to: Can someone provide email\telephone contact information to the Publisher of IL #628259ParticipantHi Edmond, your best bet is to go through your Lifetime membership liaison here: http://internationalliving.com/customer-service/ilm-questions/
I’ll also pass your message along.
October 12, 2015 at 2:48 pm in reply to: Scouting Trip To Ecuador In March, April or May for 30 Days. Any Suggestions? #628159ParticipantHi Mike, see the itineraries section on this Ecuador Insider website, and see the forum response I just posted in response to Elisabeth Moss’s query.
I’d suggest you add Montanita/Olon to your list and if the beach is what you’re after, I’d suggest you go to Bahia de Caraquez and Canoa. And maybe even Pueto Lopez/Puerto Cayo and even, possibly, Crucita.
(Personally, I’d bypass Machala and Guayaquil if I were pressed for time. You won’t find many expats in either of these places.)
As for your second question, yes you can do this easily on your budget, especially if you are traveling by bus/shuttle, you stay in reasonably priced hostels or hotels, and you don’t need to eat and drink the expensive stuff.
October 12, 2015 at 2:35 pm in reply to: Transportation Suggestions Needed for Scouting Trip in December #628158ParticipantHi Elisabeth, unfortunately, that notification feature doesn’t seem to work, so keep checking back.
In general, for tours I would recommend you contact Julieta Munoz: julieta@nuevomundoexpeditions.com — check out the website and email her if you want a custom tour. Julieta’s company also owns the Manatee Explorer, a live-aboard in the Amazon that is really cool if you have the time.
One Amazon lodge I like for a quick 2- or 3-day trip is Huasquila: http://www.huasquila.com — you could go there and from there, go to Banos. That would be a good use of your time. Do keep an eye on the volcanos, though — both Tungurahua and Cotopaxi are doing some rumbling lately. So far so good, but it’s always good to keep an eye. Both are south of Quito so you’ll have no problems in this regard in either Otavalo/Cotacachi or Cuenca/Vilcabamba.
Seeing your interests, you MUST visit Old Town Quito while you are there. Julieta can arrange a tour for you, as can your hotel. You would also enjoy La Capilla del Hombre — the Oswaldo Guayasamin museum. Not knowing where you are staying, I’ll just throw out some fun restaurants in Quito: Zazu or Alma for an Argentine tasting menu; in La Mariscal: Boca del Lobo (eclectic); Cosa Nostra (great pizza and Italian); Uncle Ho’s (Vietnamese/Thai) and there are two great coffee shops at the corner of Foch and Reina Isabela: Juan Valdez and (can’t remember the name…. they are side by side…). The Coffee Tree in that plaza serves good food, too. And if you are in Old Town, a fab place for an evening vista is the very top outside dining area of Vista Hermosa — stunning views, mediocre food.
I am not sure if we will be in Cotacachi when you visit or not. Dec. 5 is a milestone birthday for me and we may be traveling. Wendy may be available, though — you can check with her at ecuador@internationalliving.com. Not sure if Edd will be in Cuenca when you arrive either since it’s so close to the holidays, but he can be reached at cuenca@internationalliving.com.
Izhcayluna is my fave place to stay and eat in Vilcabamba…
ParticipantHi Brenda, are you referring to Isla Portete off the northern coast buy Mompiche? There is a town called Bolivar there? http://ecuadorbeaches.org/beaches/esmeraldas-beaches/isla-portete/
I have been to that area…. besides the DeCameron Hotel there is not much there. I honestly had no idea people lived on the island.
October 4, 2015 at 11:56 am in reply to: New Residency Requirements: … Does anyone know if this is true ?? #627571ParticipantThings always change… usually not drastically, though. One visa facilitator who is good about answering visa questions is Dana Cameron in Guayaquil: agua_plata@hotmail.com
October 4, 2015 at 11:52 am in reply to: Transportation Suggestions Needed for Scouting Trip in December #627570ParticipantHi Elisabeth, the very best thing for you to do is to travel light. Bring only a backpack and you can be more flexible. You will always find a place to do laundry. If you end up taking the bus, you can hold your backpack on your lap or you can stow it in the luggage compartment…but ALWAYS have your passport and electronics on your lap. Plenty of travelers and expats take the buses all the time without problem — just use common sense and remain vigilant. There are plenty of drivers out there, too, if that’s what you decide. Or you can fly to some of these places.
Not sure where you mean by the “north coast” — are you going all the way north to Atacames or are you thinking of Canoa or Manta or somewhere in between? When you say “hire a car” do you mean that you want to rent a car that you would drive or hire a car with a driver? There are plenty of drivers out there, if that’s what you decide but it would be easier for us if you tell us where along the coast you are starting? I have rented cars that I’ve picked up at both the Guayaquil and Manta airports. If that’s what you want to do, look at Kayak.com for reservations.
From Quito, you can also fly… to Esmeraldas if you’re starting in Atacames or Manta if you want to go north or south from there. I’ve had very good luck traveling the coast by taxi. I just ask for a recommendation from wherever I am staying and then negotiate a price. Ask your hostel or hotel host how much it should cost.
In Guayaquil, one driver that’s been recommended (I’ve not used him) is Jorge Lopez. His cell phone # 0989031961 and his website: http://www.ecuavantransportation.com. I am sure he can drive you from Guayaquil up the coast or from there to Cuenca or Vilcabamba. If you fly into the airport at Loja, there are taxi drivers there as well as shared trucks/vans. A driver in Quito is Pablo: pablopradoservicesforexpatsecuad.blogspot.com
Let us know how else we can help?
Let us know how else we can help?
ParticipantHi, I don’t think so, unfortunately. But do check with an Ecuador customs expert. One is Sandy Baquero and her email address is SanestarInternational@gmail.com
ParticipantScott, you can take a taxi from the airport to your hotel or hostel. I have had good luck finding apartments on VRBO.com and AirBnB.com. I have stayed in this one and it is fairly close to Parque Carolina… maybe 4 blocks or so. It is also close to La Mariscal entertainment district: http://www.vrbo.com/310646
October 4, 2015 at 11:17 am in reply to: Hi, Can anyone tell me about buying Insulin in Ecuador? I use Lilly in the Us #627567ParticipantBe sure to ask her to check on the prices, too.
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