Weather info
Contents
The weather in Salinas
Sailing Conditions
General information about the weather in
Ecuador
What to pack (general list)
What to pack (specific destinations)
| Coast | Andes
| Galápagos | Amazonia
|
The weather in Salinas
In spite of being in an ecuadorian latitude, Salinas weather is not a tropical
one. Influenced by the cold Current of Humboldt, the temperature's lowest peak
can reach 19ºC in winter. Moreover, from june to december it is mostly
cloudy and more than one sweater can be needed at times.
The situation is different during the summer. The water is warm, the clouds
vanish and the days are sunny and hot.
Sailing conditions
- Wind: 6 to 12 knots
- Minimum Air Temperature: 19ºC
- Swell: not significant
Although the conditions are not in the least extreme, be sure to bring your
wet suit (a sleeveless one would be ideal) and/or a drysuit. On the other hand,
sunny days are an exception in winter but not an impossible. Tshirts or lycras
and swim suits are also a must. Don't forget your sunglasses, sunblock and cap.
General information about the weather in Ecuador
The following information is from www.vivecuador.com,
which is the site of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism
Due to geographic differences in altitude, longitude and latitude, and the
climatic effects of the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon, and the Andes, the various
regions and sub regions of Ecuador have very different climates and microclimates.
The Pacific coast has a rainy season between December and May and a dry one
from June to November. The temperature oscillates between 23 and 26 degrees
centigrade. The Highlands, on the other hand, has a rainy, cold climate from
November to April and a dry one from May to October. The temperature here is
between 13 and 18 degrees centigrade. In the Amazon, the climate is rainy and
humid between January and September, with temperatures between 23 and 36 degrees
centigrade, and it is dry between October and December. The Galapagos has a
temperate climate with temperatures ranging between 22 and 32 degrees centigrade.
What to pack
What to pack really depends on where you are going and your style of travel:
budget backpacking, luxury island-cruising, a two-week guided historical tour,
or a combination of all three. Every type of travel has its own list of bare
essentials, so we list some of the obvious and not-so-obvious items for the
various regions and activities you may encounter in Ecuador.
General Packing List
Passport; travelers checks; medical prescriptions or health supplies; Swiss
army knife; cloths for warm and cool weather as one can encounter both in an
afternoon in the Andes or if traveling between regions; raincoat; backpack;
money belt or neck pouch; watch with alarm clock; flashlight or headlamp; plastic
bags for separating dirty and clean clothes and shoes; needle and thread; biodegradable
soap (if in backcountry areas); notebooks and pens/pencils; hat; and sunglasses.
Leave copies of your important documents, such as your passport, as well as
travelers check and credit card numbers, with someone who can fax them to you
if they are stolen or lost, and/or give a copy to a trusted traveling companion.
Ecuador's electrical current is 110 volts 60 cycles, the same as North America,
so adapters for North American equipment are not needed. However, plug converters
are necessary in older buildings.
Regional Packing Lists
Andes
In most parts of the Andes, you can experience all four seasons in one day.
Be prepared for cold nights and cold rain, especially if you plan on camping.
Warm, fast drying clothes are recommended (synthetics and wool are good, but
avoid cotton, especially directly against the skin). Good hiking boots that
either dry quickly or are water-resistant are a must for most activities. For
trekking through páramo, rubber boots work exceptionally well, even with
a full pack. The general packing list plus these items will serve you well in
the Andes.
Galapagos
Sun hat; sun glasses; sandals (for the boat); sneakers (for dry landings and
rocky shores); teva-style sandals (for wet landings); swim suit; umbrella (for
sun protection during island hikes); high factor waterproof sunscreen; snorkel
and mask (you can rent them in Quito or in Puerto Ayora); beach towel and bath
towel; wind resistant jacket; light sweater or sweatshirt (nights can get rather
cool and you don't want to miss stargazing on deck); twice as much film as you
think you will need; extra camera batteries; underwater camera; and motion sickness
pills.
Coast
All of the Galapagos equipment minus all that may be rented if you plan on
doing a lot of hiking or travel by bus. Travelling light is always recommended.
You'll also need insect repellent (at least 30% DEET) and possibly a mosquito
net (most hotels provide them).
Amazonia
Rubber boots (a must since hiking boots don't work well in calf-deep mud -
most lodges and arranged tours will provide boots up to size 10 or they can
be purchased in most towns for about USD 5); mosquito net (most hotels and tour
companies offer nets); insect repellent (with DEET); malaria pills; antihistamine
tablets and an epi-pen for people with serious allergies to stings; water purification
tablets (iodine is recommended); oral rehydration packets; binoculars (invaluable
in the rainforest); plastic bags for keeping your clothes dry; swimming suit;
lightweight quick drying clothes; at least one long-sleeved shirt; one pair
of loose-fitting pants (no jeans); a light sweater (it gets surprisingly chilly
in the rainforest, especially on boat trips); poncho that fits over you and
your pack (the cheap plastic knee-length type coats are better than goretex,
which will soak right through in a real rainforest deluge); bandana; a pair
of clean socks for each day; Teva-like sandals or sneakers for around camp;
and zip lock bags for food, books, maps and anything else you hope to keep dry.
All clothes (undergarments included) should be loose fitting to help keep you
cool and to reduce your chances of being bitten by insects.
This information, extracted from www.vivecuador.com,
was originally published by www.ecuadorexplorer.com.
