Is Guayaquil safe to visit right now? (November 2026)

Travel advisories for Ecuador

What the advice says

• The US State Department advisory is Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution, dated August 18, 2026. This advisory is issued at the country level, not specifically for Guayaquil.
• UK FCDO advice, updated November 1, 2026, warns that mugging and pickpocketing are common in Ecuador, with criminals using distraction techniques, liquid squirting, staged fights, and bag snatching by passengers on motorbikes. Travelers should stay alert in public places and avoid walking alone in quiet areas or at night.
• The FCDO notes that violent crime, including armed robbery and gunpoint theft, occurs throughout Ecuador and advises particular care in Guayas province, which includes Guayaquil. Travelers are told to be especially cautious in Guayaquil's city center, southern parts of the city, and port areas, since the city's murder rate is very high, mainly gang-related.
• On October 14, 2025, a car bomb exploded near the Mall del Sol shopping center and the Sheraton Hotel in northern Guayaquil, causing multiple injuries and at least one fatality, with secondary explosions reported the following day on a road connecting Guayas and El Oro provinces. Since March 2023, organized crime gangs have also caused small explosions and made false bomb threats in Guayaquil.
• The FCDO highlights a risk of express kidnapping in Ecuador, where victims, sometimes selected after hailing taxis from the street, are held while criminals withdraw money from their bank accounts, with some cases involving the drug scopolamine. Travelers are advised to let someone they trust know their whereabouts, especially after dark.
• Bank and ATM robberies have occurred, so the FCDO recommends using ATMs inside banks or shopping centers, avoiding withdrawals after dark, and calling 911 to request a police escort if withdrawing or depositing large sums of cash.
• A State of Emergency is in effect, with heightened police and military presence possible nationwide without notice, and street demonstrations and strikes can occur without warning and sometimes turn violent, so travelers should avoid large gatherings and monitor local media.