Quito or Cuenca

Old Aug 25th, 2012, 02:19 PM
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Quito or Cuenca

Me and my wife are planning a 6-7 month trip to South America next year starting in January 2013.

We will start from Ecuador around 15th January, will stay there for 2months and then move to Bolivia, Peru for a month each .

Next to Chile, Argentina and brazil for around 45 days then head back to India for a year's travelling there.

for the 2 months in ecuador, we want to sit back and relax for the first one month in ecuador and then go see the country.

I have been looking at options in Ecuador, two places that I have found are

1. quito
2. cuenca.

I want to avoid any cities if possible, and cuenca seems like a good option.

I need help with more options so that I can finalize a plce, look for an apartment to rent etc.
Thanks in advance.

Vikram
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Old Aug 25th, 2012, 11:43 PM
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"I want to avoid any cities if possible" I think you will find that Quito, being the capital city, is the largest in Ecuador and Cuenca is the third largest.. We are are researching a similar trip to yours about the same time and will be renting apartments or houses for at least part of our time in Ecuador. I am leaning towards Cuenca as a base as it is smaller and rentals seem to be a little cheaper than Quito. Being a small country, most places can be reached with only a days travel so Cuenca seems to be the preferred option and this websites is quite helpful http://www.incuenca.com/
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Old Aug 27th, 2012, 09:06 AM
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Cuenca sounds like what you're both looking for. It is the third largest city in Ecuador, but it seems much smaller than Quito or Guayaquil. It's much more slow paced and very enjoyable, and it still has its colonial center in place. Cuenca's elevation (8,300 ft) is also lower than Quito's (9,800 ft), so the altitude is not quite as big an adjustment.

Do make a point to visit Quito, though.
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Old Aug 29th, 2012, 12:19 PM
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Thanks Jeff, my research so far has come down to cuenca.

have you been to any of these Otavalo, Cotacachi, Ambato or Banos.?
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Old Sep 4th, 2012, 06:27 AM
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I have been to all the places that you mention and I would pick Cuenca over Quito any time although if I wanted to hide away and relax then I would choose Banos! They are completely different though with Banos being a small place with lots of adventure activities and nature, also not being far from Mishualli for the jungle as well and of course not forgetting the active volcano! It is however pretty tiny! Cuenca is a pretty city with nice restaurants and bars but still large! Otavalo is of course most famous for its market and the surrounding countryside is very pretty but I would not choose it as a base personally.
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Old Sep 10th, 2012, 01:40 AM
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What about the weather tho? I heard that Cuenca gets many times more rain than Quito and that there are almost mini-climates throughout the country? I ask because I am looking at these places myself.

I hope that you will post about these venues as you travel. I am particularly interested in safety, for women and for homes -- I have read that most place in Ecuador homes are sealed tightly and windows barred because crimes of theft are so high?

Thanks!

TF
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Old Sep 10th, 2012, 05:57 AM
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Actually, it's just the opposite: Quito gets close to 50 inches of rain a year; Cuenca gets about 30.

If crime is a concern, all the more reason to choose Cuenca over Quito. It's a much smaller city. Things are a lot more relaxed. I don't think Quito is SO terribly dangerous compared to some other cities in South America, but compared to Cuenca, it is.
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