Ecuador Insider Podcast: Lifestyle - Culture - Community - Spirituality - Nature

Abundant Living Ecuador

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In their own words

Discover Ecuador like never before with the 'Ecuador Insider Podcast'. Journey into the heart of Vilcabamba and the Loja region, unraveling its rich culture, vibrant culinary scene, and diverse lifestyle. From breaking down world events to discussing deep spirituality, we provide a comprehensive guide to living in this picturesque corner of Southern Ecuador. Tune in for practical tips on renting and construction, engaging community stories, and a glimpse of the fulfilling, healthy living Vilcabamba offers. Join us on this fascinating, heart centered exploration! Contact us: [email protected]

As heard by us

Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026

Local anecdotes and political discussion make daily life in southern Ecuador legible from an informal expat perspective.

Ecuador Insider Podcast turns life around Vilcabamba and the Loja region into an informal conversation among Jesse, Brandon, and sometimes Carl.

Read our full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Somewhere between Vilcabamba's Saturday market and a referendum, your Ecuador daydream acquires a few practical questions.

Press play if you want

  • the feel of a Saturday market, right down to the live music and kids underfoot
  • safety talk shaped by someone's years living there, with room for how neighbors respond
Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Talks about

Best episodes of Ecuador Insider Podcast: Lifestyle - Culture - Community - Spirituality - Nature

Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.

Ecuador Cost of Living, Rising VAT & Vilcabamba's Unique LifestyleMar 11, 2024

A budget talk that becomes a question of whether Ecuador really fits.

Rising VAT, grocery prices, and the pull of Vilcabamba give the episode a clear, grounded shape. At its core, it is about what a cheaper life in Ecuador buys, and what it asks in return.

Expat Insights on Culture, Climate & Community in Ecuador’s Valley of Longevity

A blunt look at how Ecuador changes habits, weather, and the idea of rules.

Vilcabamba comes across as a place shaped by climate, local routines, and the rules people learn after landing in Ecuador. The discussion keeps circling back to the gap between how things work in the U.S.

Exploring Spirituality and Healing: Yoga, Meditation, and Plant Medicine in Ecuador

A loose, sincere look at healing that begins in the body and moves into emotional work.

Sarah's path through Vilcabamba, Ecuador is the real center of the piece: a move from physical fixes to energy healing, then into the harder work of emotions, old wounds, and the stories people carry.

Global Financial Uncertainties: The Great Reset? Economic Stability & Lifestyle Opportunity

A grounded case for choosing place, community, and steadier values over the hamster wheel.

The episode treats money stress as a practical problem, not an abstract one. It moves from interest rates and inflation to supply chains, then lands on the more personal question of how to live without getting pulled into the hamster wheel.

Views, Conspiracies, and Vilcabamba Life Insights

A candid, teasing look at why Vilcabamba feels inviting and disorienting at once.

It settles into the daily friction of life in Vilcabamba: the pull of community, the appeal of passion projects, and the low-grade strain of living somewhere that does not mirror U.S. convenience or organization.

Ecuador Insider Podcast: Climate, Culture, and Community in Vilcabamba

Weather, paperwork, and local life keep the episode grounded.

Weather, paperwork, and local commentary all end up in the same frame here. The talk moves from winter versus verano to the dry season, the horses, the greener-than-expected landscape, climate change, and a civil registry errand that turns into a small saga.

Living in Ecuador Community: Insights on Health, Healing, and Nature

Vilcabamba life, local healing talk, and a Saturday market that feels like the town's social center.

The piece treats Vilcabamba as a town organized by small routines: a horse that will not settle, a Saturday market, and the steady work of local producers.

From Fear to Freedom: Our Ecuador Experience

A reflective conversation about fear, purpose, and choosing your own path.

The episode lingers on fear, doubt, and the kind of confident bad advice that follows both, then turns toward what a person does next. It keeps circling back to how success gets defined on personal terms, and to the friction that shows up when that answer does not match the…

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Episodes

  1. 1

    US Dollar, Oil, War, Inflation, Trump & Biden: Unraveling The History & Economics #ecuador

    Hidden gem

    Ecuador Insider Podcast opens with Inti Raimi, described as a traditional Incan sun-god ceremony, before moving into a long discussion of the U.S.

    ·41m·2 clips
  2. 2

    You have to be crazy to live here! Calling all black sheep to Vilcabamba Ecuador!

    The hosts discuss unusual cold and windy weather in Ecuador, share a personal anecdote about a fallen tree branch changing their view of the local church, and briefly mention a meeting in San Pedro.

    ·2h 1m
  3. 3

    Exploring Vilcabamba: Eden Cafe Reopens & Local Adventures

    Hidden gem

    Eden Cafe in Vilcabamba reopened after Ralph’s medical situation kept it closed for about a year, and the hosts describe the rebuilt space, the German family behind it, and the farm-to-table food, coffee, cheese, and yogurts.

    ·42m·2 clips
  4. 4

    Technology and Connectivity: Internet Empire in Vilcabamba

    Hidden gem

    Jesse interviews Ivan Macanchi, the owner of Vilconet, the leading internet provider in Vilcabamba and surrounding areas.

    ·40m·2 clips
  5. 5

    Exploring the World: An Ecuadorian’s Global Journey

    Hidden gem

    Belen Torres says she grew up in Guayaquil in a Lebanese Christian family, discovered that much of the food at home was Lebanese rather than Ecuadorian, and attended a strict Catholic school run by nuns.

    ·46m·3 clips
  6. 6

    Arabella's Journey to Sexual Enlightenment and Community Building in Ecuador

    Arabella Kalima traces a life that moved from New England to Kauai, Seattle, Austin, and finally Vilcabamba, Ecuador, where she arrived in September 2022 and now runs Quinta Linda, a two-room bed and breakfast.

    ·47m·3 clips
  7. 7

    Discovering Hidden Gems in Ecuador: A Traveler's Tale

    Hidden gem

    Daniel Picón Lagos says he grew up in Bucaramanga, Colombia, studied industrial engineering for 10 years, and left at 27 or 19 to travel South America in search of plant medicine.

    ·41m·2 clips
  8. 8

    Healing Wounds: Lorena's Inspirational Story of Transformation and her Return to Vilcabamba Ecuador

    Hidden gem

    Lorena says her mother left Ecuador when she was 9 months old, returned when Lorena was 10, and took her to Madrid, where she says she experienced abuse, depression, and narcissistic behavior.

    ·49m·3 clips
  9. 9

    Exploring Ecuador: Insights from a Local Perspective

    Hidden gem

    Pedro Guaicha says he was born in Pindal in 1995, spent 10 years in Spain after Ecuador’s 1999 economic collapse, and returned to Ecuador at 16 before studying in Quito and Loja.

    ·33m·2 clips
  10. 10

    Comparing the US, the Coast and the Mountains - Ecuador Invades Mexico?

    ·1h 54m
  11. 11

    From Fear to Freedom: Our Ecuador Experience

    Hidden gem

    The conversation opens on fear, bad advice, and the choice people face once fear shows up.

    ·1h 8m·4 clips
  12. 12

    Global Financial Uncertainties: The Great Reset? Economic Stability & Lifestyle Opportunity

    Hidden gem

    The conversation begins with long-running recession pressure and keeps circling back to how people actually live through it.

    ·55m·3 clips
  13. 13

    Exploring Spirituality and Healing: Yoga, Meditation, and Plant Medicine in Ecuador

    Hidden gem

    Jesse introduces Sarah as a friend he has gotten to know in Vilcabamba and as one of the more interesting people in the valley.

    ·1h 3m·4 clips
  14. 14

    Expat Insights on Culture, Climate & Community in Ecuador’s Valley of Longevity

    Hidden gem

    Jesse and Brandon open with jokes about Carl being on vacation and the usual back-and-forth.

    ·54m·3 clips
  15. 15

    Views, Conspiracies, and Vilcabamba Life Insights

    Hidden gem

    The hosts talk through Vilcabamba life and how it can hit newcomers harder than they expect.

    ·1h 2m·4 clips
  16. 16

    Living in Ecuador Community: Insights on Health, Healing, and Nature

    Hidden gem

    It starts with a horse and a little wobble.

    ·1h 7m·4 clips
  17. 17

    Finding a new home in Ecuador: From West Virginia to Vilcabamba

    Hidden gem

    Catalina, the teacher and facilitator behind Echo Club in Vilcabamba, traces her path from Bogotá and Cali in Colombia to Ecuador, including a move for agroecology studies at the National University of Colombia.

    ·36m·2 clips
  18. 18

    Expat Profile: Restaurant Owner; Finding oneself and real Community in Vilcabamba, Ecuador - Sol Bistro

    Hidden gem

    Sol Bistro co-owner Daniel says an ayahuasca ceremony left him lost and searching for healing, eventually bringing him to Vilcabamba after years in New York, a restaurant job in Manhattan, and work in Ecuador’s El Oro mining sector.

    ·47m·3 clips
  19. 19

    Ecuador Insider Podcast: Climate, Culture, and Community in Vilcabamba

    Hidden gem

    The hosts open on the cold, windy season and the familiar correction that winter here is really verano, even if it still feels like the cooler, drier stretch of the year.

    ·1h 31m·5 clips
  20. 20

    Sickcare or Healthcare? Unveiling the Secrets of New Biology with Asher Cowan

    Hidden gem

    Jesse Baer interviews Asher Cowan on Abundant Living Ecuador about Dr.

    ·55m·3 clips
  21. 21

    Meet a Master Muralist of Vilcabamba Ecuador

    Hidden gem

    This episode features an interview with Galo, a master muralist from Vilcabamba, Ecuador, who shares his journey from growing up in a beekeeping family to becoming an artist inspired by nature's magic.

    Aug 4, 2024·12m·1 clip
  22. 22

    Inside Ecuador's Anti-Corruption Movement: A Candid Talk w/ National Assembly Member Jorge Peñafiel

    Jorge Pena Fiel, an Ecuadorian congressman, discusses the country's anti-corruption movement, detailing the assassination of Fernando Via Vicencio, the rise of cartels under Correa's policies, and current challenges under President Noboa.

    Mar 12, 2024·1h 4m·5 clips
  23. 23

    Ecuador Cost of Living, Rising VAT & Vilcabamba's Unique Lifestyle

    The hosts discuss Ecuador's rising VAT to 15% and exit tax changes, while sharing personal stories of moving to Vilcabamba for its affordable cost of living, health benefits, and community.

    Mar 11, 2024·1h 1m·5 clips
  24. 24

    Ecuador US Dollar: Inflation, Debt, Drugs, Cartels, State of Emergency, Real Estate Market

    Mar 8, 2024·1h 9m
  25. 25

    Empowering Change: Cristian’s Quest for Community & Environmental Revival in Ecuador

    Mar 7, 2024·53m
  26. 26

    Investment Safe Haven Amid Economic Uncertainty in Ecuador? #usd #storeofvalue

    Feb 29, 2024·1h 4m
  27. 27

    Unlocking Ecuador: Building Dreams in a Land of Opportunity #sustainability #naturalbuilding

    Feb 28, 2024·51m
  28. 28

    Expat Life Ecuador | Jail, Basketball, Thailand, Organic Agriculture, & Awakening in Vilcabamba

    Feb 27, 2024·52m
  29. 29

    Secrets Revealed: Ecuador Expert on Climate Change & Biodiversity

    Feb 26, 2024·55m
  30. 30

    Carnaval, Culture, Spirituality, and the Art of Slowing Down in Vilcabamba, Ecuador

    Feb 26, 2024·37m
  31. 31

    Real Estate Commissions, Murders in Vilcabamba, Military Ninja Samurai vs Local Police

    Feb 11, 2024·1h 13m
  32. 32

    Expat Life Ecuador: Community Pillar, 40 Years in Vilcabamba Ecuador; History, Health, Safety, Orchids, Entrepreneurship w/Dennis D'Alessandro

    Feb 4, 2024·55m
  33. 33

    Leave the World Behind: Obama, Trump, Tesla, Cyberpandemic, End Times Apocalypse |The Ecuador Option

    Feb 4, 2024·1h 5m
  34. 34

    Ecuador's Crime Crackdown: Safer Streets, Carnival Off, Home Invasions, Security Tips

    Feb 3, 2024·1h 6m
  35. 35

    Expat Life Ecuador: Spencer Reiman Bledsoe - Survivor to Ayahuasca to Self Discovery in Vilcabamaba

    Jan 30, 2024·59m
  36. 36

    Prosecutor Murdered, 22 Tons Cocaine found, Crime Rate, Security Update Ecuador, Vilcabamba, Noboa

    Jan 30, 2024·1h 2m
  37. 37

    Insiders Perspective on the Future of Ecuador: Safety, Crime & Politics w/ Andres Spaudo

    Jan 26, 2024·46m
  38. 38

    Expat Life Ecuador: From New Jersey to Ecuador - Financial Advisors Thoughts on Ecuador vs USA

    Jan 26, 2024·1h 2m
  39. 39

    Expat Life Ecuador: Leap of Faith - Leaving the Netherlands for Ecuador

    Jan 26, 2024·1h 30m
  40. 40

    Expat Life Ecuador: Vilcabamba's Evolution - Time Travel with Peter Owner of Eco Resort Izhcayluma

    Jan 26, 2024·1h 10m
  41. 41

    Cracking down on Crime: Inside Ecuador's Battle Against Cartels & Gangs

    Jan 21, 2024·1h 3m
  42. 42

    Global Currency Reset Effects Bitcoin, Crypto, Stocks & Real Estate in Ecuador

    Jan 21, 2024·1h 25m
  43. 43

    Debunking Misconceptions: Community Protection, Power Blackouts & Vilcabamba’s Citizen Assembly

    Jan 21, 2024·1h 3m
  44. 44

    The Rental Market in Vilcabamba, Loja, Ecuador - Prices & Tips for your relocation; World Events

    Jan 21, 2024·1h 9m
  45. 45

    Navigating Foreign Investment in Ecuador with Architect Milton Mena

    Jan 21, 2024·1h 17m
  46. 46

    Should I move to Ecuador in 2024? #expat #ecuador #southamerica

    Jan 21, 2024·1h
  47. 47

    Healthcare Showdown: Ecuador vs. USA 🏥 | Affordable Living

    Jan 21, 2024·49m
  48. 48

    The Government Declares State of Emergency 🚨 in Ecuador 🇪🇨 #ecuadortravel #expats #safety #culture

    Jan 21, 2024·1h 1m
  49. 49

    Can Noboa Be the Next Bukele? Ecuador's New President: What it means for economy & crime.

    Dec 28, 2023·1h 11m
  50. 50

    How does Israel - Palestine War Impact Ecuador?

    Dec 26, 2023·1h 51m
  51. 51

    Escape the Matrix? Community, Low Stress Living, Family Values | Pros and Cons of living in Ecuador

    Dec 24, 2023·44m
  52. 52

    Why did we leave the U.S.A. and Canada? Expat life in Ecuador with Abundant Living

    Dec 22, 2023·1h 29m