Car hire and driving in Esmeraldas
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Ecuador traffic drives on the right. Picking up at ESM means 4 km (2 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648794 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648798 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648848.
Drives from Esmeraldas
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esmeraldas to Santo Domingo de los Colorados | Ecuador | 145 km (90 mi) | about 2 h 13 min |
| Esmeraldas to Quito | Ecuador | 182 km (113 mi) | about 2 h 47 min |
| Esmeraldas to Ibarra | Ecuador | 183 km (114 mi) | about 2 h 48 min |
| Esmeraldas to Quevedo | Ecuador | 222 km (138 mi) | about 3 h 23 min |
| Esmeraldas to Latacunga | Ecuador | 240 km (149 mi) | about 3 h 40 min |
| Esmeraldas to Portoviejo | Ecuador | 241 km (150 mi) | about 3 h 41 min |
| Esmeraldas to Manta | Ecuador | 244 km (151 mi) | about 3 h 43 min |
| Esmeraldas to Pasto | Colombia | 266 km (165 mi) | about 4 h 3 min |
| Esmeraldas to Ambato | Ecuador | 271 km (169 mi) | about 4 h 8 min |
| Esmeraldas to Riobamba | Ecuador | 312 km (194 mi) | about 4 h 46 min |
| Esmeraldas to Daule | Ecuador | 316 km (196 mi) | about 4 h 49 min |
| Esmeraldas to Milagro | Ecuador | 344 km (214 mi) | about 5 h 15 min |
| Esmeraldas to Lima | Peru | 1,475 km (916 mi) | about 22 h 29 min |
| Esmeraldas to Bogotá | Colombia | 740 km (460 mi) | about 11 h 17 min |
| Esmeraldas to Caracas | Venezuela | 1,765 km (1,097 mi) | about 26 h 55 min |
| Esmeraldas to Guayaquil | Ecuador | 352 km (219 mi) | about 5 h 22 min |
| Esmeraldas to Cali | Colombia | 444 km (276 mi) | about 6 h 46 min |
| Esmeraldas to Medellín | Colombia | 742 km (461 mi) | about 11 h 19 min |
| Esmeraldas to Maracaibo | Venezuela | 1,396 km (867 mi) | about 21 h 17 min |
| Esmeraldas to Valencia | Venezuela | 1,645 km (1,022 mi) | about 25 h 5 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Esmeraldas?
The right, as everywhere in Ecuador.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.