The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Areas where FCDO advices against all but essential travel
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.
Coastal Region
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Coastal Region provinces of:
- Esmeraldas
- Manabi
- Santa Elena
- Guayas
- El Oro
- Los Rios
- Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas
This does not apply to airside transit within Guayaquil Airport in Guayas province, including onward or return travel to the Galapagos Islands.
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 Angel Ecological Reserve
- Rumichaca border crossing
- the town of Tulcan
- the Pan-American Highway
Find out more about why FCDO advices against travel.
State of Emergency declared
The nationwide 60-day state of emergency (SOE) declared by the President on 8 January has been extended for another 30 days. It will end on April 6.
The initial daily curve has now been replaced by a traffic light system. Different districts (‘cantones’) have different restrictions.
High risk cantons (ed): from midnight to 5am
Medium risk cantons (yellow): from 2am to 5am
Low risk cantons (green): no restrictions
During curve hours you must stay inside, unless you are covered by an exemption. You can read the full list of districts affected and local restrictions in the presidential decree.
You will need to show your passport or ID and boarding pass or flight booking. Only passengers are allowed to enter the airport, family members and friends will not be allowed into the terminals to drop off or pick up passengers. You should leave extra time to travel to the airport, as extra security checks may be carried out on arrival. Check road conditions (in Spanish) before you travel.
Airports are operating normally. Check your flight status with your airline or airport website (Quito Airport, Guayaquil Airport) before traveling to the airport.
There may be increased military and police presence around key public buildings, airports, bus terminals and on the streets. Some public buildings, shopping centers and key tourist destinations may close without warning. Monitor local media and stay away from areas involving increased security activity.
If an incident occurs near you, follow the instructions of police and other security officials at all times.
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and see support for British nationals abroad for information about specific travel topics.
Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.
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.