🇪🇨 Ecuador

Ecuador is a mostly ocean-diving country, with the strongest focus on the Galápagos Islands. The cold/temperate Humboldt Current affects parts of the Ecuadorian mainland coast, so conditions can vary more than in the Pacific island chains. Around the Galápagos, divers generally find clear open-water conditions and year-round wildlife encounters typical of an oceanic ecosystem, with access by liveaboard or from the main islands. On the mainland, dive options exist along the coast (for example around Guayas), but diving is usually more limited compared with the Galápagos. Expect saltwater dives, ocean currents, and the need for good briefing on entry/exit conditions and local regulations, especially in protected areas.