Safety and Security in Ecuador
How to Stay Safe from Thieves when Visiting Ecuador
Every year, thousands of visitors flock to Ecuador to see the sights. But what are the safety risks and how can they be avoided?
Watch Your Stuff
Ecuadorian thieves are opportunists. It’s extremely rare for visitors to be accosted by muggers or someone brandishing a gun or knife. Instead, they wait to catch someone unawares: a purse casually slung over the back of a restaurant chair or an ignored backpack at an internet cafe will quickly disappear. To protect yourself, never leave anything unattended and take extra care in places where careless tourists might leave their things unwatched, like cafes and bars.
Beware of Pickpockets
There are several places in Ecuador where pickpockets lurk, such as sporting events, public transportation and markets. The common denominator to all of them is crowds. Pickpockets can only work their trade if you are surrounded by jostling bodies. If you’re going to a sporting event where many fans are expected, don’t carry anything of value in your pockets. Markets are relatively safe if you avoid crowds and stay on your own while looking at the goods.
It is the buses and trolleys of the big cities that are the most dangerous. Pickpockets regularly ride them back and forth all day waiting for the chance to snatch a wallet, camera or other valuable item. Again, they can only work in a crowd: if a bus or trolley passes by with too many people onboard, let it go, as another one will be along soon. Better yet, take a taxi. They’re inexpensive and safe.
Beware of Scams
There are several scams that Ecuadorians invent to separate visitors from their money and things. In markets, someone may spill soup on you and than run off with your backpack when you set it down to clean yourself off. If you try to change money at border crossings, it is often counterfeit. There have been reports of people in the street handing out fliers laced with a mild drug that knocks people out. One thief hands you the flier, another dashes up and steals your stuff a couple of blocks later when you’re woozy.
There are two ways to defend yourself from scams. The first is awareness: talk to fellow travelers about scams they have encountered. The second is instinct: if it seems fishy to you that someone would spill soup on you in a market that is not crowded, assume you are being targeted, hold tightly to your things and get out of there. Scammers rely on trickery, not brute force, and if they think you smell a rat, they’ll usually move on to someone else.
Prepare Yourself
Thieves rely greatly on the carelessness of their victims. That’s why sometimes the most fun places are often the most dangerous. After a night of drinking and dancing in the hip parts of town, travelers are often drunk, happy and not paying much attention to their surroundings. If you go out for some drinks, go prepared: don’t carry your wallet with all of your credit cards and a couple hundred dollars in cash. Instead, put about $40 in your pocket along with a photocopy of your passport. If someone robs you, a bit of cash and a photocopy is easily replaced.
Is Ecuador Safe?
Don't let these suggestions keep you from visiting. Ecuador is a wonderful place, well worth a visit, and the people are for the most part honest, hardworking and friendly. Just as with any place frequented by tourists, you should take a little extra care.
