Is Machala safe? Ecuador travel risk
Is Machala safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Machala scores 66/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Ecuador Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 18 Aug 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country (updated 2 Oct 2026); Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Machala scores 66/100 (Elevated). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Ecuador (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Machala: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km.
Driven by: security (68/100) and crime and scams (94/100).
A score of 66 is higher than the scores of 88% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Ecuador travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Location & Spatial Data
In the El Oro territory, Machala is established at 3.2667° S, 79.9667° W. It lies 375.3 km NNE relative to Quito. Time zone observed: America/Guayaquil.
El Oro
3.2667° S, 79.9667° W
16 m
America/Guayaquil
288,072
Transit Links & Medical Facilities
Proximate Regional Communities (Ecuador)
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Machala happened in March, June and September (3 of 3 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
3 major seismic events recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M6.8 on 18 Mar 2023 (55 km away) — USGS details
- Most recent: M5.5 on 22 Oct 2025 (41 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Ecuador travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Ecuador entry requirements.
Surrounding Places with Full Dossiers
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