Cuenca Travel Tips

Cuenca Travel Tips: Everything We Learned on the Ground

These are the Cuenca travel tips we wish someone had handed us before we landed with two kids, a card half the ATMs did not like, and 8,200 feet of altitude to get used to.
If you are planning a trip or considering a trip soon, here is a list of Cuenca travel tips to help you have a more seamless vacation!

Transportation

Cuenca has an extensive public bus system that is very inexpensive.  Buses are everywhere!  So much so that in the city center it causes quite a bit of pollution.  So if you are looking for your most cost effective way to get around the whole city, the buses are calling your name.  Cuenca also has the very first above ground metro line in the country.  It is still very new so it is quite limited in its routing.  I am not sure if they have plans to expand it in the future.

Truth be told, we took taxis everywhere.  Unlike neighboring Peru, the taxis are very clearly marked and maintained much better.  They are also insanely cheap by most standards.  Unless we were traveling outside of the city, to the zoo in the mountains, or horseback riding in the countryside, our total cost was usually less than $2 USD.  The convenience of hailing a cab wherever we were was much more convenient than looking into the bus routing, and so cost effective that for us it was a no brainer.

Money Matters

The national currency in Ecuador is the US dollar.  Making traveling here from the states extra convenient!  I did have some issues with ATMs that I wasn’t prepared for.  There were several that wouldn’t accept my card, which is a problem I haven’t had in other countries.  Here is a photo of the ATM I found that did like my card and didn’t have a large $5 transaction fee attached to it.  I think the fee for this one was around $1 at the time of our visit.

It’s pretty hard to miss this one on the street beaming with its fluorescent pink appearance.  I also discovered that you cannot withdraw more than $100 USD per transaction from any of the ATMs, that I found at least.  However, I was able to make several $100 withdrawals in a row.  Not sure what that cap is for if they let you do several in a row, but whatever.  Just letting you know!

Markets and Daily Needs

If we are in a location for more than a few days, I love to hit the local grocery store to get cereals and snacks, etc for the kids.  The supermarkets in Cuenca were nicer and cleaner than our stores in California.  I was also surprised by the amount of familiar goods.  Maybe it is because of the large expat population here but I found Kraft Mac and Cheese, among others that the kids were pumped about.

They also had a wide variety of cereals, similar to the states, with many familiar brands.  Pro tip: if you are traveling with kids, get milk and cereal to have at the hotel/apartment, I always have them eat a bowl right when they wake up so we don’t have any hangry meltdowns before we get to our breakfast destination.  Kids are always happy to eat a second breakfast (like a little hobbit), so no appetites are spoiled, just keeping mom and dad’s sanity intact for a bit longer!

Can You Drink the Water?

So apparently, from what I was informed, Cuenca is the only city in Ecuador that treats their water, both the drinking water and the waste water, before being returned to the wild.  While we were told it is fine to drink the tap water in Cuenca, our hard and fast rule when traveling is to stick to bottled water to not risk unnecessarily ruining the vacation.  We did however, brush our teeth with the water, not worry about ice cubes in drinks at restaurants, and washed produce in the water.  I am happy to report we were just fine!

Accessibility Around the City on Foot

For the most part, Cuenca is relatively flat and easy to explore on foot.  That being said, along the south side of the historic center there is a decline down to the Tomebamba river.  The photo above shows the amount of stairs between the two levels.   About 5-10 minutes walk to the west there is a road and sloped sidewalk to take you up and down if you need a more accessible route for strollers, bad hips, etc.  Or you can take a taxi!

The infrastructure of the city exceeded my expectations.  Sidewalks were flat, wide and well maintained.  Nothing like the cobblestone streets in parts of Europe that are not so stroller or ankle friendly.

Electrical Plugs

Ecuador uses plug types A and B, so if you are traveling from the US you do not need a converter.

Medical and Emergency

Fortunately we did not have any medical problems or emergencies during our visit to Cuenca.  We were told by a good friend that suffered a bad bike accident in Cuenca that the medical care was extremely good and exceeded their expectations.  However, we never experienced any treatment first hand.  I read on a few expat websites that if there is an emergency, calling 911 will not get you prompt transportation to the hospital.  They recommended instead calling the fire department or a taxi.  If you have any concerns about this, please research it further before travel.

Ecuadorian National Police at: 1 800 DELITO (335486)

Universal Emergency Number: 911

Fire: 201

Police: 101

I always recommend looking up your embassy number and keeping it somewhere accessible, like your phone notes, in case there is a national emergency.

Tipping in Ecuador

Taxis

Tipping is not expected by taxi drivers, but if you would like you can round up when you are paying for a kind gesture of thanks.

Restaurants

On occasion a service fee will be added to the bill, in which case a tip is not necessary.  Otherwise you can leave a 5-10% tip as an appreciation of their service.  Most casual restaurants you will pay at the counter after you eat and there is a tip jar.

Tour Guides

This depends on if it is a private tour or group tour.  For a full day private tour I read that $15-$30 per person is suggested while a group tour is along the lines of $10-$20 per person.  For half day tours you can half the amounts suggested above.

Language

While many people in Cuenca speak English, it is always helpful to know some basic Spanish to navigate the city and communicate with locals.  Here are some basics that are worth learning:

• Tu hablas Inglés? (Do you speak English?)
• Hola (Hello)
• Por favor (Please)
• Gracias (Thank you)
• Cuanto? (How much)

You wouldn’t believe how far a few phrases can go over, by way of respect for a culture.  We always try to speak the native language to people first, even if it is asking if they speak English.  It is respectful and almost always promotes a kind interaction.  You should never assume that people speak your language or English when in a foreign country.  Try to meet them in the middle with an attempt at their language.

Safety

As with any city, it is important to be aware of your surroundings and take the usual precautions to ensure your safety.  I read on many sites that Cuenca is a safe city especially when comparing it to some other cities in Ecuador.  We were told by a few locals to be mindful of our personal belongings in the traditional markets (which we do anyways regardless of where we are).  Petty theft is common, as it is in most larger cities anywhere in the world.  We felt extremely safe walking around, even at night.

Beware of the Altitude

Cuenca is located in the Andean mountains at an altitude of approximately 2,500 meters or 8,200 feet.  Plan to take it easy for the first couple days of your trip and drink plenty of water.

Cuenca Travel Tips That Matter Most With Kids

If you are reading this with a toddler on your hip, these are the four that will actually change your day.

Altitude first. Cuenca sits at 8,200 feet and kids feel it the same way adults do, just with less warning. Give the first two days to easy, flat, close to home things and keep water on you.

Then cash. The $100 per transaction cap is the one that catches people out, because a family week adds up fast. Pull what you need in a few back to back withdrawals at an ATM you already know likes your card, rather than hunting for a new one with a stroller in tow.

Then the stairs. If you are pushing a stroller, do not head straight down the steps to the Tomebamba River. Walk five to ten minutes west and use the sloped sidewalk instead, or take a taxi, because at these prices it is barely a decision.

And breakfast. Buy milk and cereal on day one. A bowl the moment they wake up buys you a solid hour before anyone melts down on the way to a real breakfast.

The rest of the trip starts on our Cuenca with kids guide. The full list of what we did is on things to do in Cuenca with kids, every place we ate is on where to eat in Cuenca with kids, and the day to day of taxis, strollers and picky eaters is on traveling to Cuenca with kids.