Expat Community > Ecuador

TXKajun
Joined 2017
Posts: 1

Planning Stages Underway

7 years ago

Sweetie and I are in the planning stages of heading down to Ecuador for a 2 week vacation with additional plans of moving down there within 18 months, hopefully sooner....MUCH sooner. :) I've been reading, studying, browsing for a couple of weeks now.

We will probably do our first trip in mid-November, flying in to Guayaquil and renting a car for 2 weeks, then heading for the coast. I've about got things narrowed down to between Salinas and north of Manta a little bit, Ballenita being the favorite so far. Sweetie does pretty good speaking Spanish, I've got a bit of Tex-Mex that I can mangle but need to learn a bunch more.

I have breathing problems, so the mountains are definitely out (above 5000 feet I get really bad altitude sickness plus terrible shortness of breath). We currently live at 3350' altitude and with a bit of exertion, I huff and puff. At sea level, I do much better.

I am 66 and sooooooo ready to retire! Thanks for all the informative posts. :)

A couple of questions to start with. Are credit cards accepted all over? Does anyone have a favorite that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee? Do ya'll keep a mail forwarding service in the US? How about a bank account in the US? I was thinking Florida would be a good place to relocate our banking. Good idea?

TIA!

Cigna Global Health

Get a quote in 2 minutes from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get Quote

Cigna Global Health

Get a quote in 2 minutes from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get Quote

Living in Ecuador Guide

Expats in Ecuador share some of the pros and cons of living in Ecuador. Topics covered include where to live, the bureaucracy, the people and more.

Ecuador Forum
Join our Ecuador forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Ecuador.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Ecuador.

Best Places to Live in Ecuador

If you're dreaming about living in Ecuador, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Ecuador in 2023.

Healthcare in Ecuador

Expats in Ecuador share their experiences with healthcare and overseas medical insurance in Ecuador.

Cost of Living in Ecuador

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Ecuador.

Moving to Ecuador Guide

Expats in Ecuador offer advice to newcomers and people considering a move to Ecuador about clothing, sunscreen, renting before buying, gringo pricing, Ecuadorians politeness and much more.