Best Times to Visit

Weather

Ecuador is warm and subtropical all year. The coast is hot and humid coast, with rain throughout the year (especially December?April), varying from 200 cm in the north to 20 cm in the south. Central Andes temperatures are much reduced by altitude and it is especially cold at nights in the mountains. Quito has warm days and chilly nights, with frequent heavy rain in the afternoon. The climate is hot and wet climate in the east. In the Galápagos the weather is mild and dry.

Visitors are advised to bring lightweight natural fabrics, with rainwear for subtropical areas. Those travelling to upland areas will need warmer clothes.

More a more detailed look at the Ecuadorean weather, see Climate in Ecuador.

Festivals

Major festivals are based around the Roman Catholic calendar and are celebrated with a combination of great pageantry and elements of traditional Indian fiestas. Celebrations in the rural areas have a real party atmosphere. All Soul's Day on 2 November is especially colourful. The pre-Easter Carnival includes water fights, together with fruit and flower festivals. Corpus Christi is a movable feast in June and runs in conjunction with harvest fiestas in many highland towns. Holidays of historical interest are Simon Bolivar's Birthday on 24 July and Columbus Day on 12 October.

Public Holidays

The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Ecuador: