“Is Ecuador Safe?”—Unpacking the 2025 Travel Advisories

It is the first question every prospective expat asks, and, more pointedly, the first one their concerned family members ask: “But is Ecuador safe?”

This question is almost always followed by a link to an alarming headline. And in 2024 and 2025, those headlines have been undeniably frightening. They’ve seen the reports of an “internal armed conflict,” sensational videos of prison riots, and stark statistics on a spike in homicides. They have looked at the official government travel warnings, which use frightening, bureaucratic words like “crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.”

These warnings are real. The headlines are not fabricated. But they are also not the full story. For the potential expat, trying to understand the on-the-ground reality of daily life, it is a confusing and terrifying wall of information.

So, what is the truth on the ground in 2025? Let’s unpack the official advisories and find out.

The “Wall of Warning”

As of late 2025, the official advisories from North American governments are serious, but they require a crucial, nuanced reading.

United States Advisory (Updated October 2025)

• Overall Level: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution.
• Reasons Cited: Crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.

Canadian Advisory (Updated November 2025)

• Overall Level: Exercise a high degree of caution.
• Galapagos Islands: Take normal security precautions. (This is the first clue that risk is not uniform).

These warnings, especially the words “terrorism” and “kidnapping,” are enough to stop most people in their tracks. A “Level 2” advisory places Ecuador in the same general category as countries like France, Germany, or Costa Rica—places where travelers are warned of specific, localized risks (like protests or petty theft) but are not told to stay away.

But the real story is found deeper inside these advisories. The single most important concept to understand is Geographic Risk Differentiation.

The Most Important Concept: Geographic Risk Differentiation

Reading the headline of an Ecuador travel advisory without reading the details is like looking at a weather map for the entire United States. A blizzard warning in Montana has absolutely no bearing on your beach day in Miami.

These advisories are not for the entire country. The governments publishing them are very clear and very specific about where the danger is. The core of the problem, and the violence you see in the news, is not a nationwide phenomenon. It is a war for control of specific, strategic assets—namely, port cities and drug trafficking routes.

Let’s look at the actual “Do Not Travel” zones.

The “Red Zones”: Where the Headlines Come From

The US State Department issues its highest Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory—the same level as active war zones—for very specific, high-risk areas. As of October 2025, these are:

• Guayaquil (specifically south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue)
• The cities of Huaquillas and Arenillas in the province of El Oro (on the Peruvian border)
• The cities of Quevedo, Quinsaloma, and Pueblo Viejo in the province of Los Rios
• The canton of Duran (a major port and logistical hub near Guayaquil)
• Esmeraldas City and all areas north of it to the Colombian border

Canada likewise advises “Avoid all travel” to the 20km area bordering Colombia (in the provinces of Carchi, Esmeraldas, and Sucumbíos) and the minefields near the Peruvian border.

The US also issues a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory for:

• Guayaquil (north of Portete de Tarqui Avenue)
• The provinces of Manabi, Santa Elena, and Sucumbios
• Other parts of the provinces of El Oro, Los Rios, and Esmeraldas

Do you see the pattern?

• Ports: Guayaquil, Duran, Esmeraldas, Manabi.
• Border Regions: El Oro (Peru), Carchi/Sucumbios (Colombia).
• Trafficking Corridors: Los Rios (a key province connecting the coast to the interior).

These are the red zones. This is where the conflict is.

Where is Cuenca?

Now, scan those lists again. Read every name on the Level 4 and Level 3 lists.

Notice the name that is conspicuously, deafeningly missing from every single high-risk list?

Cuenca.

Cuenca, and the vast majority of the Azuay province, is not on the “Do Not Travel” or “Reconsider Travel” list. It is geographically, culturally, and economically isolated from the conflict. It is not a port. It is not a border crossing. It is not on a primary trafficking route. It is a landlocked, high-altitude Andean enclave.

Cuenca falls under the general Level 2 (US) or “Exercise a high degree of caution” (Canada) advisory. This is the baseline warning that simply means, “Be smart.” It’s a “don’t leave your phone on a restaurant table” warning, not a “be afraid for your life” warning.

“But,” a skeptic might ask, “what about the state of emergency declared in September 2025 for Azuay province due to ‘severe internal disturbance’?”

This is a perfect example of how headlines mislead. That state of emergency was a preventative measure. It was declared to prevent the coastal violence from spreading. For the on-the-ground resident, this did not mean chaos; it meant the exact opposite. It meant an increased military and police presence, more checkpoints, and a visible, reassuring show of force to maintain the peace.

The headlines are real, but they are geographically isolated. The violence is concentrated hundreds of miles away, over a mountain range. Using a headline about Guayaquil to judge the safety of Cuenca makes no logical sense.

This article is sponsored by smilehealthecuador.com.

Don’t let sensational headlines from coastal ports scare you away from the highland city you’re interested in. Use data, look at the specific zones on the travel maps, and see the real picture. And if you want to see the real-world quality and safety of Cuenca’s world-class services for yourself, get a consultation at smilehealthecuador.com. In their modern, professional clinic, the only “risk” you’ll face is walking out with a smile so bright it might stop traffic.