Travel

The Galapagos Islands, colonial cities, the Amazon jungle, and beach resorts are not the only reason that foreigners visit Ecuador. Tourism officials say the fastest growing attraction may be the country’s dental care. Although it is hard to nail down accurate statistics, tour operator... [More]

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The following is by Charles R. Phillips, an Ecuador resident. He is the author of Blue Book for Grassroots Politics, published by Thomas Nelson & Co. Phillips is retired and lives in Cuenca. One of the most difficult decisions for new expats -- after deciding to make Ecuador their home -... [More]

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Editor’s Note: Frank and Shel Drake scouted Ecuador in February and March looking for a retirement and expatriation destination; the story of how and where they found it is told in 10 installments on CuencaHighLife.com. This is the second installment of a new series on getting ready to ... [More]

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On a recent day, the man known in Ecuador as the Gringo Chief wore a traditional black smock and a necklace strung with jaguar and wild boar's teeth, perfectly suitable for the Cofan Indian ceremony marking the acquisition of yet another slice of rain forest. With his fellow Cofan listen... [More]

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Editor’s Note: Frank and Shel Drake scouted Ecuador in February and March looking for a retirement and expatriation destination; the story of how and where they found it is told in 10 installments on CuencaHighLife.com. This is the first installment of a new series on getting ready to move t... [More]

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Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from Vagabonding Down the Andes by Harry A. Franck. Published in 1917, the book is a travelogue of the author’s 1912 journey, mostly by foot, from Panama to Buenos Aires. The following selection and the three that follow describe Franck’... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the final installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Shel and Frank Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel is a professional travel photographer. After breakfast at the sushi joint, we took a cab to the airp... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the ninth installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Shel and Frank Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel is a professional travel photographer. We took our leave from breakfast and off we went to the fresh... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the eighth installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Shel and Frank Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel is a professional travel photographer. In 2008 Stern, Germany’s version of Newsweek mag... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the seventh installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Shel and Frank Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel is a professional travel photographer. The plane touched down at Cuenca’s Mariscal... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the sixth installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Frank and Shel Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel Drake is a professional travel photographer. We found Ibarra to be a heavy-duty Ecuadorian city, nin... [More]

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Note: The following is a blog post by experienced trekker, RoundPicture. As he points out, hiking the Cajas can be strenuous and is often dangerous. Trails can be poorly marked and weather is unpredictable with temperatures falling well below freezing at night. Prepare well before hiking. &nbs... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the fifth installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Frank and Shel Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel Drake is a professional travel photographer. I’d made reservations at Casa Sol in Quito for Ca... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Frank and Shel Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel Drake is a professional travel photographer. The International Living conference en... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the third installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Frank and Shel Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel Drake is a professional travel photographer. The next morning, Wednesday, the Interna... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the second installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Frank and Shel Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel Drake is a professional travel photographer. We went to Ecuador, initially, to attend a f... [More]

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Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a multi-part series chronicling the adventures of Frank and Shel Drake on their first visit to Ecuador. Frank is a travel writer and Shel Drake is a professional travel photographer. We’d just spent 24 hours traveling and 36 ho... [More]

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Latin America has long enticed budget-oriented travelers with its low prices, and as the global economic crisis lingers, the bargains are increasingly tempting — especially when it comes to a luxury vacation. Meals are often half the cost of their European counterparts, hotels are gene... [More]

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Cuenca, Quito and Guayaquil and the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism are teaming up to develop a five-year tourism marketing plan. The goal, according to the ministry, is to achieve annual tourism growth of 16% by 2014. Growth in the past five years has averaged 10%, although some areas of the count... [More]

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The feasibility of international flights between Cuenca and cities in Northern Peru is being studied by the Cuenca Airport Corporation, the Ecuador Office of Civil Aviation and the city of Cuenca. Cuenca airport officials report that most of the infrastructure is in place for new flights. Th... [More]

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The guide hushed us as we walked through the jungle in our rubber boots. If we were very quiet, he said, we might be able to catch a glimpse of the howler monkey whose howling we had been hearing intermittently from somewhere high in the canopy of the rainforest. This was the third morning o... [More]

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By David Shukman On the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, the director of the Darwin Foundation says there is only a decade to avoid an ecological disaster. In a BBC interview, Gabriel Lopez calls for limits on the level of visitors. Last year, the number of tourists rea... [More]

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Looking for a little piece of paradise in the middle of Cuenca? Parque Paraiso –Paradise Park— may be just the place. A short walk from Iglesia El Vergel, at Av. 12 de Abril and Calle de las Herrerias, the park, with its groves of willow trees and grassy fields... [More]

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Are you considering buying real estate in Ecuador’s most popular areas, the southern Andes and the South Coast? One of the best ways to check out the market --and to see the country at the same time-- is to sign up for one of two real estate tours being offered in March. The Cuenca -&n... [More]

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Chilean-based airline Lan has been granted a two-year concession to operate domestic flights in Ecuador, according to Ecuadorian transportation officials. Lan's entry into the national market may also signal the beginning of international flights to Cuenca. The concession grants L... [More]

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Ecuador's low costs make 'dental tourism' a growth industry, especially in Cuenca, Guayaquil and Quito

Shipping your household goods to Ecuador: by following some simple rules you can avoid major headaches

FRANK'S AND SHEL'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
Your huddled couple yearning to be free

Cofan 'gringo chief' helps natives thrive in their jungle communities -- and in the political and economic arena

FRANK'S AND SHEL'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
Plenty of reasons to leave the surreal New World

CUENCA A CENTURY AGO
Good weather, ‘dreamy loafing’ and meeting the locals

SHEL'S AND FRANK'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
Cuenca -- the dream is real: EcuADORE

SHEL'S AND FRANK'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
Cuenca -- the dream is real: Getting to know the city

SHEL'S AND FRANK'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
Cuenca -- the dream is real: A place for us in Cuenca?

SHEL'S AND FRANK'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
Cuenca -- the dream is real: feeling right at home

SHEL'S AND FRANK'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
One thing leads to another in Ibarra, then back to Quito

DAY TRIPPING
Three options for exploring Parque Nacional Cajas for experienced hikers

SHEL'S AND FRANK'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
Crafts, leather, guinea pigs ... and barbed wire

SHEL'S AND FRANK'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
Northern Highlands: The road to Otavalo

SHEL'S AND FRANK'S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
First impressions: The International Living confab ... and an Ecuadorian at heart

SHEL'S AND FRANK’S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
First impressions: Date with destiny and incognito in Quito

SHEL'S AND FRANK’S EXCELLENT ECUADOR ADVENTURE
First impressions: Leaving Ecuador – and dreaming of returning

Low costs are attracting travelers and retirees to Latin America; Ecuador is becoming a top destination

National tourism marketing campaign to push Cuenca; officials estimate future growth at 20% per year

CUENCA DIGEST
Flights to Northern Peru studied by local, national agencies

Exploring Ecuador's richly diverse rainforest: an adventure with many revelations

Galapagos Islands face irreversible damage unless tourism is curbed, according to conservationists

DAY TRIPPING
Cuenca's Paradise Park is a great place for a work-out or simply for relaxing

Real estate tours, following International Living conference, spotlight Cuenca, Vilcabamba, South Coast

Lan airlines enters the domestic Ecuador market; service could begin by the end of March