Health

Altitude sickness

After arriving in the capital city Quito (situated on an altitude of 2850 meters) you can suffer from headaches and dizziness. To prevent this, it is advised to drink a lot of water during the first days of your stay here. Walk slowly and take it easy (you will notice that Ecuadorians walk like snails and it is best for tourists to follow this example), and first and foremost: listen to your body.

Food and Drinks

Especially in the larger cities there is enough choice regarding food; you can eat Italian, Mexican, Mongolian, Dutch and of course Ecuadorian. Here you can eat and drink without worries because hygiene is normally highly respected. Tourists are however advised not to eat anything from the food stands at the side of the road.

Don't drink water from the tap! Especially not in the costal areas! Buy bottles of potable water and make sure that these bottles are still sealed. You can eat ice-cream based on water without problems. And don't deny yourself too much regarding eating and drinking, because it is worthwhile trying the Ecuadorian kitchen as well.

Diarrhea? Especially in the first week a lot of tourists are plagued by diarrhea. A good tip is drinking coca cola without bubbles; this will solve your problems in no time!

Health care

The big cities in Ecuador have good hospitals. They will take good care of you. In most hospitals they do speak English.

Vaccination before the journey

Inform at your national health service which vaccinations you need. In Ecuador it's not obligatorily to get any vaccinations, but of course it is wise to do so. Advisable are vaccinations against: yellow fever, hepatitis A + B & typhus. If you're going to the jungle, inform at which places there is and isn't malaria because you will only need pills against malaria in a few places. You won't need any vaccinations against rabies, because if you are bitten by a dog, you will have to get the vaccination anyhow.