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Quito Accommodation and Cost of Living Hints

Accommodation

Hostels

There are plenty of hostels in Quito that offer accommodation for short or longer stays. The Mariscal, which is the tourist centre of the city, is packed with hostels. These rooms are fine for a short stay, and are useful when finding your feet in Quito. However, the affordable hostels are very basic and it is unlikely you’ll want to stay for too long. More comfortable rooms are expensive, so it is worth looking for a home stay or an apartment if you’re going to be in Quito for more than a month.

Apartments and Home Stays

While it is difficult to find an apartment for only a few months, it can be done. It may be possible to organise an apartment or a home stay before you arrive through your contact in the Amazon Defence Coalition, or through an agent:

Blanquita Izquierdo is an estate agent who helped me find an apartment, her English was much better than my Spanish and she can be contacted at bizag2003@yahoo.com
Try the site http://www.colonialecuador.com/ which lists apartments to rent

This may be an expensive way to go about finding an apartment (most will be at least $US 300/month). If you are looking for a cheaper place, then once in Quito you can search the Sunday edition of El Comercio and bulletin boards in internet cafés around the Mariscal. Another good idea is to go to the suburb you’re interested in and take a walk around the streets. Often you can see vacant rooms advertised in apartment windows. One suggestion is Guapulo, a beautiful bohemian enclave filled with cafés and bars. It is very safe, conveniently close to the city, with lots of foreigners and consequently there are many cheap and furnished rooms available. It might be a good idea to ask an Ecuadorian friend from the Defence Coalition to accompany you when finalising living arrangements- that way there is no risk of paying way too much (which is something to watch out for if you don’t look and sound like a local).

Transport

Travel to Quito

It can be a complicated and expensive transit from Melbourne, so try to organise the plane tickets as early as possible. There is currently no need to obtain a visa but conditions might change, so contact the Ecuadorian Consulate before leaving (http://protocol.dfat.gov.au/Consulate/view.rails?id=60#VIC). Most people flying into Ecuador take flights into Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO). From here it’s a $US3-5 taxi ride into central Quito (look for the yellow taxis- ignore the guys hovering at the airport exit offering taxi rides).

Travel around Quito

Quito is a long, narrow city running north to south for over 40 km and by approximately 4 km from west to east. The volcano Guagua Pichincha lies to the west and is a good geographical landmark to orientate yourself. The city is divided into three main areas, namely El Centro (the colonial old city), the distant south consisting mainly of working class residential areas and thirdly, the northern sector which contains the tourist-heavy financial, shopping, restaurant and park areas. The Mariscal has the highest concentration of bars, restaurants, hostels and tourists.

The number of cars in Quito has exploded in recent years, and the streets can be a bit chaotic. There are a few transport options though. The MetrobusQ network is the bus transit system. It's divided into three sections—the green line (the central trolleybus, known as El Trole), the red line (the north-east Ecovia), and the blue line (the north-west Corredor Central). The Ecovia (red line) is the route that connects the Amazon Defence Coalition office with central Quito.

In addition to the bus transit system, there are many other buses running in the city. The buses have both a name and a number, and they have a fixed route. It can be confusing as there are so many different buses ploughing through the Quito streets. Your work colleagues at the Defence Coalition will have advice about particular bus routes.

Yellow taxis are everywhere, and are useful for getting directly where you need to go. They are supposed to have meters that show the fare, but most don’t work. It is best to settle on a fare first, to avoid getting ripped off (a short ride should cost $US1).

Health and Safety

Although Ecuador is a safe place to visit, it is wise to take certain precautions. As in any large city, staying safe is a matter of common sense: don’t walk down dark alleyways by yourself at night. The Mariscal is considered the most dangerous part of Quito; visitors are advised to catch a taxi when travelling through at night.Bus stations attract pickpockets, who operate on the bus systems.

YOU MUST GET A VACCINATION FOR YELLOW FEVER BEFORE LEAVING AUSTRALIA, OR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED BACK IN AUSTRALIA. You must keep proof of this with you as you will need this when you return to Australia.

There are quite a few vaccinations required before leaving, so see a doctor at least six weeks before the departure date. Most can be done in one visit, although rabies shots will take longer. If you’re hoping to get back in to Australia, make sure to get a Yellow Fever vaccination. There is no need for protection against malaria in Quito, but if you’re thinking of travelling to lower-lying areas then it will be a risk.

Drink bottled water as the tap water isn’t safe.

Altitude sickness may be a problem during the first few days in Quito, but a doctor can provide tablets to help.

While it may seem obvious, as it is Illegal, it is really important that you not carrying illicit drugs, even marijuana as this get you chucked in prison.

Costs

The Lonley Planet provides good information about the costs in Quito:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ecuador/practical-information/money-costs

Things to Do

The most popular tourist bars, restaurants and clubs are found in the Mariscal. The Old Town is a maze of colonial architecture, relaxing plazas and ornate churches. To get a good look at the city on a clear day, try the Teleferico, the world's second-highest cable car. It's located on the eastern flanks of the Pichincha Volcano, and hoists visitors up to an amazing 4,000 meters. Most of Ecuador is accessible by a short bus trip, which means easy access to an endless sea of markets, mountain hikes, forests, beaches spas.

http://www.saexplorers.org/club/home

Random Tips

Although Quito is on the equator, it can be quite cold, so take warm clothes
Ecuador employs the Type A and B power plugs used in North America

The Lonely Planet is very helpful and informative. It's got a decent section on Quito. For everything else, the staff at the ADC were lovely and gave me all the advice I needed about living in Quito.