Quito - Post Report Question and Answers
What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
I'm not a fan of the city itself. I think part of the problem is that it's perched up here in the Andes, so traffic can be brutal and areas can feel pretty spread out. I'm a bigger fan of Cumbaya in the valley which feels like a more cohesive village. - Jul 2023
Outdoor activities. - Jul 2023
Families have very fast and easy drives to the grocery store, work, school, and home ...everything is within 10 minutes of the other and is a major factor in enhanced quality of life for Embassy people. Couples and singles tend to live in a walkable part of town close to entertainment, restaurants, nightlife with work commutes between 30 and 45 minutes. There are several big green spaces with stuff to do. Drivers aren't terrible and traffic isn't nearly as bad as in other Latin American countries. It's just an easy place to live in general. - Jul 2019
We have the things cities have (nightlight, restaurants, bowling, movies (in English), etc. Great for families. Great weather, direct flights to the U.S. Amazon orders in a week. Plenty to do. - Jul 2018
Ecotourism options are incredible. In a relatively small area you have beautiful beaches, Amazon rainforests, high Andean tundras, and of course, the Galapagos islands. Within four hours of Quito you can be in a huge range of places. Birding is exceptionally good, and you'll see lots of people coming to observe the various species. - Aug 2015
Beautiful and varied flora, fauna and geography (coast, cloud forest, highlands, Amazon) in a small country, so it's relatively easy to get to any of those places. Domestic flights are inexpensive, and there is a well-developed tourist infrastructure (i.e. lots of places to go around the country), handicrafts, weather, cultural offerings. - Aug 2015
Quito is cheap and a major cultural hub of South America. Eating out and grocery shopping is cheap, and sightseeing and adventure tourism as well. Quito's views are spectacular; one thing that has impressed me is the way the sky always changes. Volcanoes surround the city, and from some balconies you can see 3 or even 4 of them on a clear summer day. People a super friendly throughout Ecuador and always want you to love their country as they do. - Aug 2014
Great day trips outside of Quito (Mindo, Papallacta, Otavalo). The country is incredibly beautiful. Nice beaches, volcanoes, rainforests, and, of course, the Galapagos. - Jul 2012
Quito is a big, somewhat polluted city. There are some cultural aspects to Quito, but it's not my favorite place. A lot of the comforts of home are available here, for those interested. They have large SuperMaxi supermarkets, that are very similar to what is available in the States. Some very nice malls, though they are a bit expensive (think U.S. prices, or twice U.S. prices for electronics). The country of Ecuador is beautiful and a real treat to visit. There is so much biodiversity here, from the top of 11,000 foot mountains, to the low, hot, and humid rainforest and coast. This is definitely a country for nature lovers and hikers. The Ecuadorians are generally helpful and friendly, just always use caution, especially in Quito and Guayaquil. - Jan 2011
For a small country, Ecuador has such diversity in ethnic groups (Amazonian, coastal and mountain groups), micro-climates (paramo, jungle, etc.) and geography (mountains, ocean)which provides a large variety of experiences within easy driving distance of the city. - May 2010
