The Foreign Office has issued a warning for UK tourists planning to visit Ecuador, as a two-week curfew is set to be enforced across several provinces. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice, stating that a curfew will be in effect from 3 May to 18 May, between 11pm and 5am, in provinces currently under a state of emergency (SOE).
The FCDO cautioned: “A curfew will be in effect from 3 May to 18 May, between 11pm and 5am, in the provinces listed above that are under a SOE.” However, travellers with a valid boarding pass heading to or from the airport during those hours are exempt from the curfew.
The FCDO explained that a 60-day state of emergency was renewed on 2 April 2026 due to internal disturbance and armed violence. The SOE currently applies to the following provinces: Guayas, El Oro, Manabí, Los Ríos, Santa Elena, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Esmeraldas, Sucumbíos, Bolívar (cantons Echeandía and Las Naves), Cotopaxi (canton La Maná), and Cañar (canton La Troncal).
Due to the ongoing SOE, travellers should expect heightened police and military presence nationwide without prior notice, as well as potential travel disruptions due to extra security checks. The FCDO advises following the instructions of police and local authorities.
Travel Insurance and High-Risk Areas
The FCDO warns that travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against official advice. Areas where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel include the Coastal Region provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. This does not apply to airside transit within Guayaquil Airport in Guayas province.
Additionally, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border, except for specific areas in Carchi province: El Ángel Ecological Reserve, the Rumichaca border crossing, the town of Tulcán, and the Pan-American Highway.
