Originally Posted by
jmj9905
Thank you all for your positive reviews. The current situation is quite different. Drug gangs took over a prison and a local television station. The president has declared a state of emergency and is bringing in the Military to fight the drug gangs. I am very concerned about the safety issues. However, the trip is 2 months away, so I will wait and see. Thank you all for your prompt responses.
You're right. These are disturbing developments. They go way beyond questions of crime, and it doesn't matter that Guayaquil has less of it than it used to have. This goes to the very future of Ecuador. If the government can't take control of this problem, the country in general will become dangerous to visit.
Unfortunately, there's no way to avoid at least one night on both ends in Quito or Guayaquil. The timing of international flights does not mesh with domestic flights to the Galapagos. I'm sure direct international flights to the islands will never be allowed for environmental reasons.