Visiting Quito?
Let's start with the basics:
Money: US Dollars. Here are a few simple tips:
- Small bills - Try to carry small bills. Since everything is so cheap here, no one wants to take $20 bills (or larger). Be sure to carry as much small change as you can. Even at the banks, they are reluctant to change your large bills into smaller denominations.
- What to carry - Try not to carry your wallet or ATM card around on you. A credit card is fine, as the one time I got robbed they didn't even take it. They know that it is difficult to use and will be cancelled quickly. The reason I tell you about ATM cards is in case you head to Guayaquil. This doesn't happen in Quito, but if you take a non-legit taxi in Guayaquil they may put a gun on you and make you withdraw your maximum cash from all the ATM's in town. Again, this only happens in Guayaquil and usually right around midnight (to get your full day's max in cash then start over after midnight).
- ATM - If you are going to use an ATM, use one inside of a safe location and not on the street where someone can watch you pocket a few hundred dollars.
Taxis: This is going to have to be a separate post all to itself. The three most important things to know are:
- Always take a legit taxi. These are relatively easy to spot, but you can be faked out (very rare). A legit taxi:
- Is painted yellow
- Has a license plate in front and back
- These license plates are orange, and not white.
- Has a genuine taxi sign on top of the car (and not a piece of cardboard on the dash that reads, "taxi")
- Has a cooperativa sign on the back, side door (this tells you what group or company the taxi belongs to)
- Has a watermarked, organge-ish sticker on the front, side door with a 4-digit number. This is the real kicker. This is often, but not always, also located in the upper, passenger side of the front windshield. Many taxis have the rest of these indicators, but without this number they are very likely to overcharge you or not have a properly timed taximetro. We have had some shady people in taxis with no number on the door.
- Taximetro - If it is during the day, before around 7pm or 9pm, ask for the taximetro. All legit taxis have to have a taxi meter. If they refuse to use it, often waiting for another taxi is best.
- Ask first or pay later - If you are taking a non-legit taxi (bad decision) or it is after 7-9pm, always ask for a price before getting into the taxi. Stand there with the door open talking to him, even while cars behind him are honking.
- Price - Almost all taxi rides in Quito, regardless of where you are going should be under $5. If you are going from one complete end of Quito (centro historico) to the other end (carcelen), it may cost $8-10. Usually, most rides are $1-3.
- Let it go! - Do not just take the taxi because people behind him are honking and you feel rushed. It is much better to let the taxi go and take the next one. If the driver seems suspicious, or is trying to rip you off, just take another taxi, there are tons!
- Once inside - lock the doors. This is usually only a problem if you take a non-legit taxi. There have been cases where they stop at a light and two of the driver's friends get in on either side to rob you. Again, just take a legit taxi and you won't have any problems.
- Ecovia & Trole - These are two straight-shot bus lines that run north-south on two of the main streets in Quito. You pay $0.25 to enter one of the bus stops (which always have a guard), and you can get on and off the buses as much as you want until you actually exit a bus stop. The Ecovia runs along 6 de diciembre (a main street named after the birth of Quito), while the Trole runs along 12 de Agosto (another main street which I think is named after Ecuadorian independence day).
Safety: In most neighborhoods you will likely be visiting such as El Centro and La Mariscal, this isn't a problem during the day. Also, there is very little violent crime here. Most all of the crime here is either pickpocketing or someone holding you up with a weapon but leaving you completely unharmed once you hand over your valuables. I am not trying to scare you, but this is the honest truth. In 6 months, I have been held at knife-point (on a main street at 7pm), pickpocketed (in a bus station), and hassled by two strange men that kept telling me to give them my popsicle (1pm on a Saturday in a main park). The reason behind this is that you cannot file any papers with the police as a crime being comitted unless they steal over $650. Here is how to be safe:
- Overall - Only carry what you need on you. Usually this just means $10-50 in small change & a color copy of your passport.
- During the day - be careful with valuables in some neighborhoods. One such neighborhood is Centro Historico (which is a must-see!). This is a beautiful area to check out, but is known for small thefts. If you are walking around with a $2,000 camera, someone might try to grab it.
- On the bus - Always wear your backpack in front of you, and be aware of all your pockets. The two main ways they will take something is either sliding it out of your pocket, or using a razor to cut out the bottom of your pocket or the top of your backpack. They are incredibly good at this and I have had multiple friends find a knife slit in their jack or backpack only to wonder when it happened and what they are missing. I just wear my backpack in front of me, put all my money and cell phone in one of my front pockets, hold on to the bus with one hand and keep my 2nd hand in the pocket with valuables.
- At night - The best advice is just not to be outside on the streets at night. Take a taxi at all times. Most apartment buildings and restaurants have a guard out front. Stand in a location like this and wait to flag down a legit taxi. From there, just have them take you home. It is much better to pay the $2-$5 than gamble bad things happening. IF you must walk around at night, always keep an eye out for any suspicious people coming towards you from the from or back, and if you see anyone like this, cross the street or enter a well-lit store or restaurant.
- Passports - Never carry your passport on you unless you must. In almost any circumstance other than leaving or entering the country, a color copy will suffice.
- Ruffies - Kind of easy to avoid. There are two kinds here. The main one is simple, only drink from closed containers or containers that you watch the bartender or waitress open in front of you. The second one is harder, this is a white powder that people can place on pamphlets or on their gloves and touch your skin with. This is very rare in Quito but does get used every once in awhile. The best advice is never take pamphlets from people, never let strangers touch your skin (especially not with gloves), and one case that happened recently to a teacher is that someone asked them for help and handed them their map.
Weather: Since Quito is at such a high altitude (around 9,500ft), even though it is on the equator, it has a relatively cool temperature. The temperature is pretty much always 65ºF (18ºC) midday and 50ºF (10ºC) at its coldest in the night. The only real change in this temperature is if it rains for a prolonged amount of time, it will be a little colder or if you are in direct sunlight you will cook. Also because of the altitude and the equator, there is less atmosphere shielding you from sunlight. You will get sunburned much quicker than almost anywhere else in the world. Always put on sunscreen if you plan to be outside for an extended time (even if it is overcast, because the sun can come out at a moment's notice).
What to Bring: The most important things you need to prepare for are rain and sun. It rains off and on here. It might rain in one part of town and not another, it may rain for 5min, not for an hour, for 20min, etc. Below are some ideas of what to bring:
- Sunscreen & Sunglasses
- Hiking shoes + equipment
- Rain gear - this doesn't need to be thermal, multi-layered, winter gear (unless you are summiting some of the 16,000ft+ peaks nearby). This merely needs to keep the rain off of you, usually wearing fleece suffices for the light rains.
- Some warm clothes for the evenings (50-60ºF)
- Camera
- Backpack - any type is fine, this is really just to carry your water and food when hiking.
- US Dollars
- Color copy of your passport (laminated is better because it lasts longer)
- Some basic Spanish to use, such as "how much does this cost?" or "where is ..."
- A good attitude =)
- For girls, a small purse such as a coin purse (you can buy these here for about a dollar)
- Hygenic products and/or medication like tylenol
- Do not bring your fancy jewelry, leave that in the states. Don't bring anything that you would be sad about getting stolen unless you need it.
... What else?
If I am missing something basic, please let me know.
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