UK FCDO updates Ecuador travel advice following Galapagos flooding and security warnings

What was announced

On 1 November 2026, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel guidance for Ecuador. The latest update focuses on heavy rain and flooding on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos, which led Gobierno Galapagos to declare an emergency on 31 October. The announcement highlights reported power outages, road closures, and travel disruptions affecting access to Baltra Airport. Ecuadorean authorities encourage tourists currently on Santa Cruz Island to fill out an online form in Spanish to declare whether they need urgent help and to detail their travel plans.

The update maintains existing FCDO warnings regarding security across the country. The office advises against all but essential travel to seven coastal provinces: Esmeraldas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. Airside transit through Guayaquil Airport in Guayas province remains permitted. The FCDO also advises against travel within 20 kilometers of the Ecuador-Colombia border, excluding specific locations in Carchi province such as the El Ángel Ecological Reserve, the Rumichaca border crossing, Tulcán, and the Pan-American Highway. A 60-day state of emergency declared by the Ecuadorean government on 15 September remains active across eight provinces due to security conditions.

What it means

Travelers already on Santa Cruz Island or planning to visit must prepare for local transport problems and potential power cuts. The FCDO instructs tourists to follow guidance from local authorities, avoid flooded zones, and check directly with tour operators or airlines regarding travel bookings. Completing the Spanish-language form allows local officials to track where tourists are and who needs emergency assistance.

Across the wider regions named in the advisory, official warnings carry direct financial implications. Traveling to areas where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel can invalidate travel insurance policies. Visitors traveling through provinces covered by the state of emergency can expect to see higher numbers of police and military officers on the streets.

What the announcement does not tell us

The advisory does not state how long the emergency status on Santa Cruz Island will last or when closed roads and disrupted power services will be fully restored. It does not provide an English translation or direct link for the assistance form required by local authorities. Additionally, while the announcement notes that a curfew ran from 17 to 30 September in four provinces, it does not specify whether any curfew restrictions remain active following that date.