Month by month
| Month | Afternoon | Sea | Rain | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28 °C | 25.7 °C | 9 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| February | 28.6 °C | 26.4 °C | 16 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
| March | 28.6 °C | 26.8 °C | 17 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
| April | 28.3 °C | 26 °C | 10 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| May | 27.4 °C | 25.9 °C | 6 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| June | 26.1 °C | 25.2 °C | 3 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| July | 25.5 °C | 24.2 °C | 3 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| August | 25 °C | 23.3 °C | 1 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| September | 25.2 °C | 23.7 °C | 2 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| October | 25.2 °C | 23.7 °C | 2 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| November | 25.4 °C | 23.6 °C | 1 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| December | 26.8 °C | 24.6 °C | 4 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
Nearby in April
Before you go
Three things to check once you have picked your dates.
Entry
No visa needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passport valid for at least 6 months. 90 days in any 12-month period, paid 90-day extension possible; you may be asked for proof of onward travel at border control.
For a British passport, per the UK Foreign Office on 10 July 2026. Rules change: check before booking.
Safety
Area advised against except essential travel
Santa Elena lies in an area advised against except for essential travel. Areas concerned: the coastal provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Guayas (incl. Guayaquil), El Oro, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo; within 20 km of the Colombian border.
Official advice updated 10 July 2026
Health
Vaccines · hepatitis A and hepatitis B if you are not already vaccinated. Routine vaccines up to date (measles in particular).
Yellow fever · Vaccine recommended for parts of the country (not recommended for areas <2,300 m (7,550 ft) elevation, west of the Andes Mountains, in the provinces of Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and designated areas in the provinces of Azuay, Bolívar, Cañar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Imbabura, Loja, and Pichincha. Vaccine is not recommended for travel limited to areas >2,300 m (7,550 ft) elevation, the cities of Guayaquil or Quito (the capital), or the Galápagos Islands). No entry requirement.
Malaria · Present. Areas: Areas <1,500 m (<5,000 ft) elevation in the provinces of Cotopaxi, Esmeraldas, Morona-Santiago, Orellana, Pastaza, and Sucumbíos Rare cases <1,500 m (<5,000 ft) in all other provinces No malaria transmission in the cities of Guayaquil or Quito (the capital) No malaria transmission on the Galápagos Islands. Preventive medication recommended: Transmission areas in the provinces of Cotopaxi, Esmeraldas, Morona-Santiago, Orellana, Pastaza, and Sucumbíos: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine All other areas with reported malaria transmission: No chemoprophylaxis recommended (insect bite precautions and mosquito avoidance only) — prescribed before departure.
Mosquitoes · dengue and Zika reported: protect yourself from bites.
Per the CDC (page reviewed 3 September 2026); see a travel clinic a few weeks before departure.
Beau Fixe is not a safety or health authority. These notes summarise dated public texts and link to their source: France Diplomatie (Licence Ouverte 2.0), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Source: CDC). Only the competent authorities are authoritative.
FAQ
Can you swim in Santa Elena in April?
The sea averages 26°C in April — yes, pleasant swimming.
How hot is Santa Elena in April?
Expect 28.3°C in the afternoon and 23.6°C at night, averaged over the last 10 years.
Does it rain a lot in Santa Elena in April?
Around 10 days with rain (≥ 1 mm) in the month — 33% of days.