Ecuador's Carnival Holiday Is Feb 14-17: What Expats Need to Know

Ecuador's biggest party of the year is just over a week away. Here's everything expats need to know about the Carnival holiday.

The Basics

• Holiday dates: Saturday, February 14 through Tuesday, February 17
• Monday and Tuesday are official feriado days -- banks, government offices, and most businesses will be closed
• Non-recoverable: Employers cannot require workers to make up the time
• Galapagos exception: The islands get a five-day holiday, with Wednesday February 18 added to celebrate the cantonization of San Cristobal and Santa Cruz

Where to Go

Ambato -- Festival of Flowers and Fruit

Ambato's Carnival is the most famous in Ecuador. The city bans water games entirely and instead hosts an elaborate festival of flower parades, fruit displays, and cultural performances. It's the anti-water Carnival -- sophisticated, beautiful, and dry.

Guaranda -- Ecuador's Traditional Water Carnival

If you want the full-immersion Carnival experience (literally), Guaranda is the place. The highland city goes all-out with water games, parades, and traditional chicha drinking. It's Ecuador's most traditional Carnival celebration.

Cuenca -- Cultural Carnival

Cuenca balances tradition with cultural events: the Four Rivers Parade, a Guinness World Record mote pata attempt, concerts (headlined by Nicky Jam on Feb 14), and art exhibitions. Water games happen in the streets but are less aggressive than Guaranda.

Banos de Agua Santa -- Adventure Carnival

Banos combines Carnival festivities with its usual adventure tourism: waterfall hikes, canyoning, bridge jumping, and thermal baths. A popular destination for active expats.

Montanita -- Beach Carnival

The coast's party town goes into overdrive for Carnival. Beach parties, DJs, surf competitions, and general revelry. Not for the faint of heart.

Galapagos -- Extended Holiday

With five days off, the islands offer a quieter alternative. Book well in advance -- flights and hotel availability get tight during any feriado.

The Water Tradition

Carnival in Ecuador means water. Buckets, balloons, hoses, spray foam (espuma de carnaval) -- and sometimes eggs and flour. The intensity varies by location:

• Guaranda: Maximum intensity. You will be drenched, flour-bombed, and possibly hit with raw eggs
• Rural areas: Water games are enthusiastic and unavoidable
• Cuenca/Quito: Moderate. Organized events are controlled; residential streets are less predictable
• Ambato: No water. Officially banned and enforced

Tips:

• Waterproof your phone or leave it at home
• Wear clothes you don't mind getting ruined
• Don't drive with windows down in residential areas
• If you don't want to participate, stay indoors during afternoon peak hours

Practical Planning

• Book transport NOW -- Buses and domestic flights fill up fast
• Stock groceries by Friday Feb 13 -- Supermarkets will be mobbed
• ATMs -- Hit them before the holiday; many run out of cash
• Gas up -- Fill your tank early if driving
• Pharmacies -- Most close for the holiday; plan medications accordingly
• Emergency services remain available: ECU 911

Don't Want to Celebrate?

Many expats use the long weekend for a quiet retreat: Vilcabamba, the Yunguilla Valley, or a hacienda in the countryside. Others simply hunker down at home with a good book and let the festivities pass. Both are perfectly valid strategies.

Sources: Primicias, GK, Ecuador 221, El Telegrafo