Best place to live in Ecuador...

Signs of America all over the place here.
The people, the food, the music!
Yup definitely almost 100% American...
...except for our tourists from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East :-)

Rest of us? Yeah we're South, Central and even a few North Americans.

Mostly Latin... Mostly we're Latin America all over.

Even the malls, supermarket y KFC!

Hello my  neighbor in Cumbaya I live across from the reservoir and like it
Great to go for my daily walks in the quiet of green trees feel free to write me if you like to meet for coffee

I will like to know when do Expats meet and where. Thanks

Hello,

I've been reading your repsonses and it seems you have some good input on Ecuador.  I live in the US and am looking to move myself and 3 younger kids down to Ecuador.  I like a smaller town, not a big city.  I still want my children to be able to go to good schools.  I work in the hospital back home so I assume I would be doing something like that but it really doesn't matter to me as long as I have free time with my kids and am able to enjoy a simpler life.

To Dodd,

Check out Facebook forums on Ecuador and cities in Ecuador.  I chatted with good people and some I got to know!

Is it ok to mention FB on this forum?  I don't know.

Joel, my husband, and I are moving this fall to stay.  Now we go back and forth.  We have a home and love it there!  Mostly for the people and the culture but it is also such a healty place to live and soooo peaceful for us.  It is the part two of our livesdsd!

Have a great day,
Robin

Be sure to check out Bahia de Caraquez, This is a very kids friendly town. very easy to get around lots of parks. the best school is called Americano.

I am currently looking at places, probably try 6 months in Cuenca then 6 in Bahia. Has any have an opionon on playas vs Bahia?  Rent costs and availability, infrastructure (schools/hotels), fishing, temperature humidity and rain.

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

I am currently looking at places, probably try 6 months in Cuenca then 6 in Bahia. Has any have an opionon on playas vs Bahia?  Rent costs and availability, infrastructure (schools/hotels), fishing, temperature humidity and rain.

Brad, hard to over-generalize. Playas is the mythical beach town that the good folks of Guayaquil keep trying to build up, in order to replace Salinas, because they resent the independence that Salinas has shown, ever since it broke away from Guayas Province (now part of Santa Elena Province). So, the goal is a stodgy elitist town, like Salinas.

Bahía is and has always been more of an "every [wo]man's town. An eco touristy region, more than a elite touristy region. These comments, of course, are current and backwards looking. Forward looking ... who knows how areas may evolve. Presently, I would say that they are at equivalent levels of evolution. Though the big project that was to put Playas on the map imploded, but, by the same token, Bahia has had to rebuild from 2 earthquakes in little over a decade. Earthquakes of a significant magnitude are more common in that region of the coast.

Curious ... on the coast ... why not Salinas or Olón? Have you thought to balance out Cuenca with a consideration of Quito? Just one man's opinion, but Cuenca is basically Quito-lite.

mtownsell wrote:

Hello,

I've been reading your repsonses and it seems you have some good input on Ecuador.  I live in the US and am looking to move myself and 3 younger kids down to Ecuador.  I like a smaller town, not a big city.  I still want my children to be able to go to good schools.  I work in the hospital back home so I assume I would be doing something like that but it really doesn't matter to me as long as I have free time with my kids and am able to enjoy a simpler life.

Mtownsell,

You seem to reference someone in your post. Might help if you use the quote function or otherwise identify the individual you appear to be referencing. Just friendly advice.

I love to ride my bike daily, Cuenca has a nice path by the river, Bahia does. (So does Manta). The bike path along to road from outside of Guayaquil to oprrsso looks great and playas is close by. I saw nothing along that awesome bike path so playas is close.guayaquil is out no matter what.

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

I love to ride my bike daily, Cuenca has a nice path by the river, Bahia does. (So does Manta). The bike path along to road from outside of Guayaquil to oprrsso looks great and playas is close by. I saw nothing along that awesome bike path so playas is close.guayaquil is out no matter what.

Good luck on your search. Enjoy immersing yourself in each area as much as you can, to best understand it and whether it is right for you. Sometimes ... great places to visit, reveal challenges once you actually live there. Looks like you are going about the process in a good way. Enjoy.

Bahia to Canoa has  20km ocean bike lane.

Once you cross the bridge going into Bahia, does the bike path go toward the ocean or upriver?

North along the ocean.

In land up the Esturay the road is new and nice, you can ride easy to the entrance of Heart island or La Segua, both are bird sanctuaries of Ecuador

Heading South you can ride all the way to San Clamente, its has hills its tough, but I seen lots of people doing it over the years.

Personaly Ive rode on the beach low tide towards San Clemente/ Chirije  dozens of times. this is the absolutely amazing!

I have found a place in Cuenca and will live there till mid January 2020. I then will move to an agreement between Bahia and Canoa. I will be riding a tadpole tricycle.  I think the trail is broken up in the town of San Vincent. I will try low tide riding, my tires are 2 inches wide. But I have 3. I will also ride north along e 15.  Will contact you when I am there. How wide are your tires?

Over the years Ive road every type of bike with every type of tire, they all work fine.
Bahias a bicycle town. everyone has a bike
There are several racing events that start in Bahia during the year.

I have never road the beach before and I think wider tires are better on the beach is why I ask. How is the fishing there? I am a Midwest US person so I know little about the coast.

When the tide goes out the beach sand is packed. Wide tires are not needed but could help in areas where theres lava rock.

The fishing is as good as its gets , I lived in Cabo for a year, its better fishing any where near the Equator. theres a lot more sea life near the shores too.

When you get to Bahia look for Gene,hes a great guy and the owner of the yatch club, Last I heard he was brining down a sport fishing boat.

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

I am currently looking at places, probably try 6 months in Cuenca then 6 in Bahia. Has any have an opionon on playas vs Bahia?  Rent costs and availability, infrastructure (schools/hotels), fishing, temperature humidity and rain.

I lived in Bahia for a year, I have good friends there and I visit about once a year.  Bahia is a very tranquil place during the week. It can be busier on the weekends and on holidays.  It has infrastructure with amenities such as a shopping mall, movie theater, and a new hospital will start construction this year.  The expats who live there are friendly and welcoming.  There good restaurants, and the fresh seafood and fruits are amazing.

There are plenty of rentals available at different price points.  There are hostels in town as well as a hotel, La Piedra that is being remodeled.  There is a private school that many of the expat children attend.

Bahia is humid during part of the year usually from around November to around April or May, and the temperature remains pretty constant year round.  The rain varies depending on the El Nino/Nina effects.  There are good sea breezes to cool you off.  It is uncommon to need a jacket even in the evening.

The proximity to Canoa, San Clemente, and Manta offers a variety of amenities for shopping an entertainment.  Most expats travel between these other towns frequently by bus or taxi.

Good luck in your search.

Is cumbaya part of Quito? Is there lots of people, noice, traffic, etc. It is it isolated from all that?

Both Bahia and Playas are a little rough. Playas is larger and its beach play can be dangerous with the undercurrent and breakers. Bahia, smaller, even rougher and no decent beaches unless one drives a bit. Living in anything close to a NA lifestyle is impossible. Bahia is more earthquake prone than Playas.

Quito is too big, too crowded and too difficult to get around.

Cuenca is not the most celebrated expat destination in South America for nothing. You can live better there than in the Western World. It is growing rapidly, (appr. 700,000) but the valley is only so big so knowing your way around takes a day. Great schools, great health, great culture and more than adequate dining.

Lizarragas4 wrote:

Is cumbaya part of Quito? Is there lots of people, noice, traffic, etc. It is it isolated from all that?

Cumbaya is on the outskirts of Quito. I would not define it as isolated, but definitely less congestion and density than Quito city proper. Cumbaya has been experiencing a growth rebirth over the last 7-8 years, however. Will that trend continue and to what extent? Hard to say, but my global experience has been that once growth gets a foothold, it is hard to dislodge. Best to visit and decide for yourself, if it makes sense or not for your lifestyle preferences. I, personally, find Cumbaya very attractive.