 Health
There are certain precautionary measures you should take especially in rural areas and tropical regions:
 Consult your physician or Disease Control and Prevention Centre about the vaccines that your country recommends when travelling to South America.
Never drink tap water, not even in major cities.
Tap water in major cities is ok for brushing your teeth.
Avoid street food, cheap hot-dogs and other kinds of food establishments that have outdoor displays. At least for the first week or so.
Malaria and Cholera are virtually non-existent in major cities and small towns. Exercise care and consult your tour operator about specific volunteer work in remote locations or travelling to suburban areas.
When going home or if you are staying for over a month in Ecuador it is a good idea to get deparasitated (taking stomach parasite medicine), this is just a preventive measure.
Anti diarrheal pills may be a life saver when in remote areas.
Avoid seafood in cheap city restaurants. Usually it’s safe in the coastline or in mid-range restaurants in the city.
If you develop any kind of allergy that is not common in your system, consult a physician.
When in doubt, especially after travelling to remote locations, if you feel somewhat ill consult a physician.
Always buckle up when in a motorized vehicle, when available. No public transportation unit provides these, private or public. Taxis rarely do on their back seats.
People in big cities drive somewhat aggressively. If you rent a car, be sure to get some insurance. Also, highways in Ecuador do not have 5 lanes…ever. Instead we mostly have two lanes, two direction highways. They are also sinuous sometimes, so drive slowly until you get the feeling of the road. Watch out for unexpected holes and speed breakers.
As a pedestrian, always exercise caution when crossing a street.
Recommended Vaccinations:
Vaccinations:
| Hepatitis A |
Recommended for all travelers |
| Typhoid |
For travelers who may eat or drink outside major restaurants and hotels. |
| Yellow fever |
Recommended for the following provinces in the Amazon Basin - Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Sucumbios, and Zamora-Chinchipe - and for all areas along the eastern slopes and to the east of the Andes Mountains. Required for travelers arriving from a yellow-fever-infected area in Africa or the Americas. |
| Hepatitis B |
For travelers who may have intimate contact with local residents, especially if visiting for more than 6 months. |
| Rabies |
For travelers who may have direct contact with animals and may not have access to medical care. |
| Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) |
Two doses recommended for all travelers born after 1956, if not previously given. |
| Tetanus-diphtheria |
Revaccination recommended every 10 years |
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