In Ecuador equal treatment is given to local and foreign investors, so across the board you receive the same rights of entry as Ecuadorian citizens. Almost all sectors are open to investors, and profits and capital can be repatriated without restriction.

• Foreigners have the same legal rights to own property anywhere in Ecuador.

• You do not need to have any special visa to purchase property in Ecuador; the Tourist Visa that you purchase upon entrance is all you need to invest in real estate. Make sure you know how long your tourist visa is valid for – click here for additional visa information.

• Investing in real estate, be it a house, an apartment of land, opens the door to getting a resident visa, allowing you to enter and leave the country  just as a local does.

Do your research by actually coming to Ecuador and scoping out any property you want to invest in. Ask around regarding the area, and find a realiable lawyer who has specific experience in helping foreigners purchase real estate.

Immigration authorities in Ecuador are getting stricter when it comes to the 90 day tourist visa. In the past, if you wished to extend your visa, all you had to do was leave the country for a day, and then upon reentry you were granted another 90 days, making for a total of 180 days in Ecuador on a tourist visa.

Recently, things have changed.

Many immigration authorities are now counting the number of days you have already spent in Ecuador and giving you the number of days needed to equal the alloted 90 days as a tourist.

So, if you would like to stay in Ecuador for more than just 90 days, what do you do? Immigration lawyer Robert Moreno explains on EcuadorLiving.com:

Usually non Ecuadorians have been able to stay in Ecuador as a tourist for 90 days. After they used these first 90 days, they used to get 90 days more as a tourist if they requested an extension at an immigration office prior of expiry of the first 90 days.

Several months ago immigration changed its policy. Now instead of renewing a tourist visa for 90 days they grant a 180 day Commercial Acts Visa.

In a way this new procedure makes it more convenient (though more expensive) to stay for longer periods.

If a non Ecuadorian wants to stay in Ecuador in any one year for more than 90 days with a tourist visa, they can still apply to the immigration authorities for an extension.  If they leave Ecuador in their first stay of the year before reaching 90 days, BUT anticipate returning in that same year, and that return stay will take them beyond 90 days total in that year, before leaving, they should petition the immigration authorities either prior to leaving the first time, or before returning to Ecuador via a local consulate office near our overseas home (USA, Canada, England etc).

These changes in immigration policy are actually changes in strictness of enforcement of the procedures, not the procedures themselves.

The easiest approach though is for those wishing to stay more than 90 days a year in Ecuador to go to an Ecuador consul and apply for the Commercial Acts Visa, good 180 days travel in a calendar year.  This allows a total of 180 days stay in Ecuador without any extension beyond the 90 day maximum under a tourist visa.

The fee for the Commercial Act Visa is $230 per person.  Given the growing restrictions and/or increased enforcement on the tourist visa and extensions beyond 90 days, this is a good  option for those who want to maximize their time in Ecuador but who do not with to apply for a full resident visa.

If you want more information you can contact Robert Moreno of Moreno di Donato Law Firm:

Avenida M3 y Calle 24, Edificio Fortaleza oficina 3, Manta, Ecuador

Tel. +593 (5) 261-3764; Fax +593 (2) 261-3460

Diego de Almagro N34-12 y Avenida de los Shyris, Edificio Torrenova  6to piso, Quito, Ecuador

Tel. +593 (2) 256-8207; +593 (9) 970-8798 (mobile); Fax: +593 (2) 256-8208

E-mail: roberto@morenodidonato.com

Renting an apartment in Ecuador is a good solution for those staying for several months or more. Once you arrive in Ecuador it is easy to locate furnished apartment or house rentals while staying at a local hotel or hostel. If you want to get a head start on finding a place to stay in Quito check out what EcuadorExplorer.com has to say on the topic:

Renting a one bedroom furnished apartment for a period of less than one year or more with the following facilities:
Area: 65 m2.
Living and dining room furniture
Complete bedding
Fully furnished Kitchen
Handicap accessible Bathroom
Private telephone
Parking space
Is located in a secure building with a 12 hour guard from monday to friday and 24 hour guard on weekends. Close to Word Trade Center.
Price: $ 450 (This price does not included electricity and telephone expenses).
For more information please contact carmencordova@hotmail.com, ccordova@hospitaldelosvalles.com

Fully furnished and recently renovated apartments in colonial Quito - Terra Firma Properties specializes in the historic area of Colonial Quito and offers apartments to rent for foreigners for as short as two nights for up to one year. Our units are safe and offer the charm of Colonial Quito. We have apartments and colonial homes to rent and some amenities such as parking, fireplaces, Satellite TV and charming neighbourhood settings. For more information please go to www.colonialecuador.com

Family Salazar Delgado Apartments.- Fully furnished apartments in the heart of the tourist sector of Quito, at 9 de Octubre and Veintimilla. Our beautiful, comfortable, and fully furnished apartments (including electric appliances) will make feel at home in Quito. Offering three bedroom apartments with private bathrooms, dining room, living room with fireplace, common bathroom, parking space, and more. For more information please contact us at info@majesticquito.com

Need to learn Spanish quickly? Try an immersion program, like the one offered byMariana Gonzalez. Mariana has been teaching Spanish as a foreign language for over 10 years in Europe and Latin America. Not only are her credentials amazing, she is incredible teacher.

The classes are based on the method of total immersion, where right from the start you hear the language and then begin to speak it. As the classes develop, grammar, pronunciation, grammar excercises and conversation topics are introduced. Conversation topics can cover a wide variety of themes such as politics, economics, education, travel, culture and of course themes relating to Ecuadorian life and culture. There would also be an emphasis on idiomatic expressions and pronunciation excercises, and a lot of focus on conversation, using oral and written excercices to enhance these skills.

All materials are provided, and Mariana uses a variety of teaching tools, which keep things interesting!

Classes are held either at a Spanish school in Quito, at Mariana’s house, or at a location of choice by the student. Generaly classes are held from 8:30 am – 6:30 pm.

Class options are listed here. You can choose from Spanish lessons only, Spanish lessons and a homestay, or Spanish lessons offered directly from the home of Mariana and her famliy. All classes are 1–3 weeks in duration, however personalized classes that are longer can be arranged. More than 4 weeks of classes furnishes a 10% discount.

Prices are reasonable, the teaching is top notch, and Mariana also provides connections for volunteering in Ecuador, trips to the Galapagos, as well as salsa classes!

Classes are at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, so no matter what level your Spanish is at, you can improve today!

You can reach Mariana via phone at 593–2–2349355, or by a contact form on her web-site.

Now is the time to purchase tickets to Ecuador. Fares across the board are lower than ever and here’s why:

This month LAN Ecuador and Aero Galapagos are having a competition from both JFK in New York and MIA in Miami to Quito. Reduced fares from these two companies is causing other airlines to drop prices in order to compete.

LAN is one of the most trusted and recommended flights for those coming into Ecuador. They provide excellent service and have a great reputation. Having flown with them multiple times I personally have had no problems with the company.

Aero Galapagos is a new airline that just received permission to provide flights to and from Ecuador. In the past they have focused on internal flights, and have a good reputation for being a reliable company in this regard. If the way they handle themselves in Ecuador is any indication of how they handle international flights, we will have one more quality airline to choose from.

Flights from Miami and New York into Quito are at all time lows! Check www.lan.com and www.aerogal.com.ec for more information.

Today I am going to share a special report from Gary Scott, an expert on pretty much everything Ecuador and everything investment as well.

In a recent article, entitled Ecuador Beach Acreage, Gary highlights the investment potential of areas north of Manta and Bahia. He writes:

“Bahía is a Pacific coastal city located on a peninsula about an hour and 15 minutes north of Manta and is bordered by the Chone River. This river creates the opportunity.  The estuary has always stopped the traffic flow.”

Bahia is one of nicest resort areas due to its natural beauty and cleanliness, as well as easy access from Quito, Manta, and Guayaquil. The problem is the estuary makes it hard to access north of this town from Manta.

From Gary’s article:

“There are also two very important reasons why this area north of Bahia real estate may now rise.

First, a new highway is being built between Quito and the coast. This construction is taking much longer than it should and costing way more than budget..but eventually it will be complete and one more concrete freeway will be able to whisk from Quito to Bahia.

Second, some day there will be a bridge across the Chone. Bahia sits on an isthmus between the Pacific Ocean and the huge estuary of the Chone River. If you are traveling from the south up the coast in a northwards direction, you are stopped at the Chone. The drive onwards moves down the Chone for a couple of hours just to get back to the coast north of the estuary north.”

For more on the investment potential in this region of Ecuador read the full article here.

Make sure you also check out the real estate tours Gary and his wife Merri run.

While the place to ring in the New Year in Quito is definitely on the streets, if you are in the mood to get dinner before you head down to party with the masses, check out La Ronda, one of the few restaurants open on December 31^st.

At first glance it may look a bit touristy, and while it does cater to visitors, the traditiaonal Ecuadorian food hardly gets complaints from anyone, foreigner or native! The service is great, the food is well prepared and the drinks are good.

La Ronda is sure to be a popular choice for tomorrow night, so call ahead and see what seating is like, or make a reservation. If they are all full you may want to try Tapas y Vinos located in Plaza Quinde on Foch and Reina Victoria.

La Ronda is located at Calle Bello Horizonte 400 and Calle Almagro in the Zona Norte.

Also make sure you head to Amazonas Avenue to see the stall and open-air entertainment. You will probably also see effigies burning in traditional Ecuadorian fashion, and you will most definitely see fireworks.

Enjoy the celebration!

The Ecuador Gringo is a fan of Happy Gringo Travel, and that’s not just because I’m a happy gringo too. Happy Gringo is dedicated to planning the perfect trip to fit your needs, and they are genuinely happy to do it.

Tours include trips to the Galapagos, into the jungle and the cloudforest, as well as a whole host of day trips. The trips highlight Ecuador and provide tourists with glimpses into the everyday life of Ecuadorians. Tours are designed to have a more real-to-life flair than your traditional mainstream tours, which make them a favorite among travelers who want to experience the real Ecuador, but can’t make the travel plans on their own.

All the guides are fluent in English and Spanish and are extremely helpful, energetic and knowledgeable. Dutch and German are also spoken. Tours are customizable and you can book online. Prices are competitive and the services offered are diverse. Whether you’re backpacking or a luxury traveler, the Happy Gringo can fit your needs.

Visit www.happygringo.com and check out the comments from satisfied customers. The company has a great reputation in Ecuador and all over the internet; you won’t regret including them in your travel plans.

The Happy Gringo office is located on the Plaza Foch below the Nu House Hotel, at Foch E6–12 and Reina Victoria. You can also email eva@happygringo.com or call via Skype to happygringo_eva.

A little water never hurt anyone, right? In fact, if you are looking to destress you may want to try finding ‘salutem per aqua’ which is Latin for ‘health through water’ but more commonly called a SPA.

Ecuador is home to several active volcanos, with make for excellent thermal waters spouting naturally from hot springs, that are high in temperature and rich in minerals. These thermal waters have been channeled by a number of SPAs across the country, compounding their health benefits with other relaxation services.

The Termas de Papallacta are located just about an hour outside of Quito and the Ecuadorian Medical Federation has actually certified these thermal waters as having medicinal properties. Health benefits are guaranteed for thsoe who indulge themselves in these thermal springs.

Apart from the hot springs there in also a SPA that uses the same thermal medicianal water in its various treatments.

For more information visit www.termaspapallacta.com.

In Quito call (02) 256–8989 / 250–4787.

For those coming to Ecuador who plan to use Quito as a central base of operations for excursions throughout the country, or those checking out the city to see if they would like to retire here permanently, you may want to consider getting a membership to the South American Explorers Club.

A standard single membership costs $60 (for a pair it’s 90) and includes access to all the clubhouses (located throughout South America), their respective libraries, a book exchange, storage and mail services, wireless internet, access to their members only web-site, discounts with language schools, tours, hotels, travel advice and trip planning. YOu also get the quarterly magazine and the monthly e-newsletter, as well as tons of information about volunteering throughout Ecuador.

Access to all the trustworthy information is priceless and mail and storage services are great for those who are traveling about the country, exploring or looking for the perfect place to relocate. But, the best part about the South American Explorers Club in Quito is the volunteer staff that mans the clubhouse. They are super knowledgeable about the ins and the outs of the city. They know where to find everything around Quito, and a lot about the rest of the country as well.

Visit the South American Explorers Club by clicking here and for information pertaining specifically to Quito click this link. The clubhouse is open Monday to Friday, 9:30 am – 5 pm and Satuday from 9:30 am – 12 pm.

Quito Clubhouse address: 311 Jorge Washington y Leonidas Plaza (it is a converted house)

Phone: (593) (2) 222 5228

Email: quitoclub@saexplorers.org