Cuenca, Ecuador: vitamin D, best months and travel guide
Colonial highland city of rivers and Panama hats. Best for: culture travellers, retirees.
The best months for vitamin D in Cuenca are November, when a full dose takes about 6 minutes at midday. Too cool from December to October.
Cuenca month by month
| Month | Rating | Sun window | Peak UV | Full dose, age 30 | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Too cold | 6.6 h | 8.5 | 6 min | 20°C | 27/30 |
| February | Too cold | 6.3 h | 8.4 | 6 min | 20°C | 28/30 |
| March | Too cold | 7.1 h | 9.4 | 6 min | 21°C | 24/30 |
| April | Too cold | 7.0 h | 8.7 | 6 min | 20°C | 28/30 |
| May | Too cold | 6.4 h | 7.6 | 7 min | 20°C | 30/30 |
| June | Too cold | 5.4 h | 6.2 | 9 min | 19°C | 26/30 |
| July | Too cold | 4.9 h | 5.9 | 9 min | 19°C | 20/30 |
| August | Too cold | 7.0 h | 7.7 | 7 min | 20°C | 17/30 |
| September | Too cold | 7.2 h | 8.1 | 7 min | 21°C | 15/30 |
| October | Too cold | 7.7 h | 9.0 | 6 min | 21°C | 18/30 |
| November | Excellent | 7.5 h | 9.3 | 6 min | 23°C | 10/30 |
| December | Too cold | 6.3 h | 8.1 | 7 min | 21°C | 27/30 |
Sun window is the number of hours a day with UV Index 2.5 or higher. Full dose is the minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm out of 30.
What to expect in Cuenca
Colonial highland city of rivers and Panama hats. The coast is hot and wettest from January to May, and cooler and drier from June to December. Quito and Cuenca are cool because of altitude. The US dollar is used.
In Cuenca afternoon highs average from 19°C in July to 23°C in November. The wettest month is May (about 30 rainy days out of 30) and the driest is November (10). Midday UV peaks at 9.4 in March, which is very strong, so protect your skin.
The third largest city in Ecuador and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site. (Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0)
This place is inland, so it does not count towards the country rating.
More about Ecuador · Ecuador in November · Best places in November
Questions about Cuenca
When is the best time to visit Cuenca for vitamin D?
The best months for vitamin D in Cuenca are November, when a full dose takes about 6 minutes at midday.
What is the weather like in Cuenca?
Afternoon highs average from 19°C in July to 23°C in November. The wettest month is May, with about 30 rainy days out of 30.
Which months should I avoid in Cuenca?
For a beach stay, avoid the months when it is too cool from December to October.