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FROM THE FRONTLINES: IS ECUADOR’S COAST SAFE FOR SOLO TRAVEL IN 2025?

DATE: 11 MAY 2025 #travel




I wasn’t sure I’d go to Ecuador this year.

In the months leading up to my trip, I kept reading news headlines with words like narco violence, state of emergency, gang warfare, murder, bombs in Guayaquil. Over the past few years, Ecuador has seen a sharp rise in violence, shifting from one of Latin America’s more peaceful destinations to one facing serious security challenges. The country has become a major transit point for cocaine exports, and with that has come fierce competition between criminal groups. Turf wars have spilled into the streets and prisons. Public officials, journalists, and even presidential candidates have been targeted.

In response, the government declared an "internal armed conflict" in early 2024 and deployed the military. Despite these efforts, violence hasn’t disappeared, with the homicide rate reaching 47.2 per 100,000 inhabitants by the end of 2023, making Ecuador one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America. 

I still went despite the warnings, but not blindly. I came prepared and ready to accept the risks. I crossed the country from the Andes to the coast—from Quito to Guayaquil, and down to Ayampe. I travelled alone on the coast, by bus and taxi. Nothing major happened (except for my Birkenstocks getting stolen on the beach—RIP).

Here’s what I learned, how I prepared, and what I’d share with any solo traveller wondering: Is it safe to travel Ecuador’s coast in 2025?

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A Mini Safety Guide to Ecuador’s Coast: From Guayaquil to Ayampe

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Before you go: a few things worth thinking about when wanting to travel to dangerous countries

1) Trust your gut

If you're genuinely afraid, no matter how beautiful the country is, it's okay to skip
it. There's no shame in choosing another destination and there's hundreds of other places you can visit.

2) Know your tolerance for risk

What's your comfort level with uncertainty? Have you faced tough situations
while travelling before? How did you react? This will also help you define how "off-the-beaten-path" you're willing to go. The more off-the-map you go, the more resilient and resourceful you’ll need to be. You don’t need to be an expert traveller. But if you’ve never travelled solo, never navigated a chaotic bus terminal, or never gotten lost—it’s worth thinking twice before heading somewhere with safety risks.

3) Do your homework (beyond the headlines)

Don't rely solely on the news. Headlines love extremes and rarely accurately represent the local reality. Talk to locals (hotel owners, expats, friends of friends...) before booking your trip. You can use Reddit, Facebook groups, WhatsApp, Instagram to find these locals. Ask them:

• What bus companies are safest?
• What do official taxis look like?
• Which neighbourhoods should you avoid?
• What time should you be off the streets?
• What's the situation like at the moment? Anything you should be aware of?
• What would they do if they were you?

Before heading to the coast in Ecuador, I asked several people how safe the towns I wanted to visit were. After getting multiple confirmations, I felt the likelihood of encountering a bad situation was low enough to confirm my trip.

5) Don't push it

Circling back to number #1: your gut is one thing, but now that you have all the information, if the locals told you it's not safe and they're living in hell, don't go; you'll be causing more harm than good.

You might want to "see it for yourself," but remember: you're a guest. If a community is struggling, adding tourists to the mix won't help. If anything, it may attract unwanted attention even more, because tourist = money.

4) Come prepared

Once you've gathered information, here’s a few tips to help you prepare for your trip to an “unsafe” country:

• Download offline maps of the places you’re planning to visit (Maps.me is great).
• Bring a backup charger.
• Pack a "fake" wallet with small bills and old cards you can hand over in a pinch just in case.
• Split your cash stash: in a bra, a money belt, socks...
• Get a local SIM for internet on the go.
• Print AND keep a digital copy of your passport
• Tell your friends back home your itinerary and check in regularly.
• Blend in and dress like the locals (ditch the alpaca poncho).

5) Support local businesses

Whenever you can, support local businesses: hotels, restaurants, surf schools, tour operators run by locals. In regions struggling with internal conflict, economic uncertainty, or marginalization, tourism dollars can be a lifeline. When that money stays in the community, it helps families get through hard times, keeps small businesses alive, and reinforces local resilience.

In contrast, foreign-owned businesses often operate in a bubble. Some may draw resources from the area without truly reinvesting in it. As a tourist, your choices matter. Choosing to eat at the family-run comedor, book with a local guide, or buy your ceviche from the beachside stand might not seem like a big deal, but multiplied by hundreds of visitors, it makes a real difference.

Our presence as a foreigner already carries weight. Supporting the people who live and work in these places is the least we can do, and it’s also the best way to experience the place for what it really is!

Practical tips for solo travel on Ecuador’s coast

1. Travel during the day: Don’t arrive in a new town after dark, especially not via Guayaquil.
   
   
2. Fly instead of taking night buses for long distances: I flew from Quito to Guayaquil instead of taking the 10-hour bus. Weather also makes road travel unpredictable during the rainy season—several roads had been impacted by recent landslides because of heavy rain in March.
   
   
3. Keep your bag in front of you in cities and on buses. Don’t wear flashy gear. Keep your phone out of sight when walking in busy zones.
   
   
4. Stick to trusted transport routes.Take direct buses from Guayaquil to coastal surf towns, don't take the ones with multiple stops. I took the Cooperativa Libertad Peninsular bus from Guayaquil’s terminal terrestre to the coast. It’s reliable, and several hotels recommended it. If you can afford it, a private taxi from Guayaquil to Montañita or Ayampe is also a good option—expect to pay around $100.
   
   
5. Take licensed taxis: When using a taxi in Quito or Guayaquil, check that it has orange license plates and a visible taxi registration sticker. Ubers work well around Quito but I would avoid them in Guayaquil.
   
   
6. Avoid Esmeraldas province. I considered going north to Mompiche, but locals told me not to. In 2024, Esmeraldas has seen a sharp rise in violence and is generally not recommended for travellers right now.
   
   
7. Stash your cash wisely. Ayampe and other coastal towns don't have an ATM. I got cash in Olon and split in different spots (bra, socks, secret money belt, deep in my backpack). Many small towns along the coast are cash-only.

How to get from Guayaquil Airport to the Coast (Ayampe, Montañita, Olón...)

This might be the most stressful stretch of your trip. Guayaquil is the main gateway to Ecuador’s southern coast. From the airport, it takes about 2 to 4 hours to reach the surf towns in Manabí and Santa Elena provinces, depending on your destination and transport choice.

You’ve got two main options to travel from Guayaquil airport to Ayampe or other coastal surf towns:

1) Private taxi (approx. $100)

This is the most comfortable and secure route—especially if you’re arriving late or travelling solo. Most hotels in Ayampe or Olón can book a trusted driver for you in advance. It’s pricey, but it removes a lot of stress.

2) Direct bus from Guayaquil’s Terminal Terrestre

Take a registered airport taxi (about $5–$6) to the Terminal Terrestre. Once there, look for the Cooperativa Libertad Peninsular desk and buy a ticket to Olón. Buses are comfortable, and they're direct until they reach the coast. From there, they makea few stops at some coastal towns. The ride takes around 3 hours. From Olón, you can grab a local taxi to Ayampe, Montañita, or wherever you’re staying.

Important:

• Ayampe has no ATM and most places are cash-only. Get cash ahead of time in Guayaquil, Montañita, or Olón.
• If you’re nervous about carrying all your money from Guayaquil, ask your cab driver to stop in Montañita or Olón to withdraw what you need.
• On my return trip, the bus left an hour late—so if you're heading back to the airport, give yourself a buffer.

Ayampe was probably one of the safest towns I’ve ever travelled to. If you’re planning to go there, send me an email or DM me on Instagram—I'm happy to share safe surf spots, trusted taxi contacts, hotels, and a few more tips for travelling solo in and around Ayampe.

So—is Ecuador’s coast safe in 2025?

It’s not a yes or no. There are real risks, especially around major cities and border zones. But danger is relative. Some cities in the U.S. have higher homicide rates, yet they’re not flagged as dangerous on government travel advisories. My dad lives in Beirut, Lebanon—where bombs sometimes go off just a short drive away—and still goes about his daily life. In Ecuador, most of the violence stems from gang turf wars and hasn’t been directed at tourists. If you plan ahead, stay informed, and trust your judgement, it’s possible to have a beautiful, raw, solo experience on the coast, just like I did.