Ecuador: could it be my favourite South American country?

Picking favourites

I hate choosing favourites - whether it's movies, songs, countries, experiences, or anything else. I just hate choosing favourites. When there are so many amazing and completely different options to choose from, each with its own characteristics that I love, how can I choose just one above all others? I can't, and I won't, and when people ask me "What's your favourite...?" I always groan and try to avoid answering.

But when people ask me what my favourite South American country is, I always respond with "Ecuador. ... Closely followed by Brazil, and Colombia. And I also loved..." and my list goes on until I've listed all 8 of the countries I've visited in South America. I simply just can't limit myself to one answer because I love all of those countries; but if I absolutely had to reduce it down to one, then the answer to that question would be Ecuador.

And I will add another disclaimer: that I am specifically referring to South America here as that is the question most commonly asked, which, contrary to popular belief, does not include Central America (eg Guatemala, Costa Rica), the Caribbean (eg Cuba), or Mexico (which is indeed in North America). If you want to encompass all of those places then ask me what's my favourite Latin American country. And I will groan and refuse to answer. They're just all so wonderful! Plus it depends in what context you mean, because each of them could be a favourite for a different reason. More importantly, if you're asking to know where you should travel to, then it all depends on what you want out of your trip.

Ok, ok, we get it. But what's so special about Ecuador?

But ok so why, you may ask, does Ecuador rank up so high for me, at least within South America? I get this follow-up question a lot, especially since it is a country that some people haven't heard of; many people don't know where it is (here's a hint: Ecuador sounds very similar to "equator"); and most travellers skip through, jumping from Peru straight onto Colombia.

Well, to be honest, that's part of it. Much of Ecuador is really quite similar to Colombia, and much of it is also similar in some ways to Peru. But because people skip it, it has WAY less tourists than its ever-so-popular neighbours.

There is still a healthy level of tourism though, which means it's pretty well set up for travellers: for example, it's very easy to get around; accommodation standards are quite good and cheap; there are plenty of tours and activities for tourists, and there are also excellent free walking tours (thanks to my good friend, Ovi); and you won't have any problem meeting travel buddies there. The level of English spoken by locals is also surprisingly high compared to other South American countries, and for the most part Ecuador is also reasonably safe (though of course you do need to take precautions as with everywhere, particularly in Latin America). It's also really cheap - when I was travelling South America in 2014, Ecuador and Bolivia were easily the cheapest countries of the lot.

So those things all set it up very well for travellers, but they wouldn't mean much if it wasn't already an incredible country. So what is it that makes it Ecuador truly amazing? For me there's two big winning points (of course, don't expect me to pick just one).

1. The people of Ecuador are super, super nice. Although people across almost all of South America are very nice, those in Ecuador and Brazil were probably the friendliest and most genuine that I came across in that continent. In the rest of the world, well they're competing with the likes of Myanmar/Burma (possibly THE nicest I've met), Cambodia, India, and Mexico, to name a few. (I'm told that the Nepalese rank up there with, and maybe even above, the Burmese, though I have yet to go to Nepal so I'll have to hold judgement on that one).

2. Ecuador has almost all the landscapes and beauties of South America, in one tiny country. Ecuador itself a geographically small country, at less than 300,000km2 in area: that is, smaller than Italy, and only slightly larger than New Zealand. Its small size means that you can really get to know the country quite well, and within that one country, you're going to have the opportunity to visit the Amazon jungle, cloud forests, volcanoes with glaciers, crater lakes, beaches, and the jaw-dropping Galapagos Islands. Not only all that, but in addition to beautiful cities it also has a rich-indigenous culture (and you may just find yourself trying to communicate with locals in a town where they don't even speak Spanish, let alone English).

Some of my favourite experiences were in Ecuador, and when you add that to its wonderfully friendly and welcoming people, it's the perfect South American country to visit. Ok it doesn't have Macchu Picchu or the Inca Trail, so you'll still need to go to Peru; nor does it have the salt flats, so you'll still need to go to Bolivia; and there are tons of other incredible things outside Ecuador, so really you should just visit the whole continent if you have time. But what I'm saying is definitely don't skip Ecuador, and do consider it as a primary destination.

Top places to visit in Ecuador

So if I've successfully convinced you to visit Ecuador, you might be wondering what wonders to prioritise there in your visit? Obviously it all depends on what you like to do and how much time you have, but here's a list of my top 9 from Ecuador and what I would recommend visiting.

1. The Galapagos Islands

The wonderfully playful Galapagos sea lions quickly became my new favourite animal (ok there's a favourite I'll choose)

Undoubtedly one of the coolest things that Ecuador has to offer, is the unbelievable archipelago of the Galapagos Islands. In these incredible islands, you can explore unique landscapes including lava formations and tunnels, beautiful beaches and nature, incredible diving and snorkelling, and meet so many fascinating types of wildlife: from marine iguanas (i.e. lizards that swim!), to Galapagos penguins (the only tropical ones and the second smallest penguins in the world, after Australia's fairy penguins), to giant tortoises, to a variety of impressive birds, and numerous sharks you can dive with including hammerheads. Although my favourite animals were the sea lions - not always so friendly when they're on shore, but in the water they are incredibly playful! I recommend you watch David Attenborough's docco before you go to the Galapagos (although you'll also find it the odd restaurant or two while you're there), in order to fully appreciate the natural bizarreness and beauty that will surround you.

In terms of time, I would recommend spending at least a week in the Galapagos (I spent two weeks, and there's still more I could have done, but a week would also be sufficient). Whilst doing a cruise is a popular option there (and everyone who's done them seems to have loved it), keep in mind that it's not the only option, and it doesn't have to be a ridiculously expensive destination either. If you are going to do a cruise, you should do some research to make sure you pick one that goes to the destinations you're most interested in, and then if you can, try to get a last minute deal (as they're otherwise quite expensive). I didn't end up doing a cruise and just organised everything myself while I was there, and I absolutely loved it!

2. The Amazon Rainforest

Looking for a Harpy Eagle nest in the Cuyabeno Reserve of the Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon can be visited from several South-American countries, and it's probably most commonly explored from Peru, Bolivia (as a cheaper option), or Brazil. As well as being overlooked generally, Ecuador is also often overlooked as a base for visiting the Amazon - but, encompassing one of the most biologically diverse parts of the rainforest, it really shouldn't be. There are a few spots in Ecuador from which you can explore the Amazon, one of which is the Cuyabeno Reserve near Lago Agrio (which can be visited on multi-day trips from Quito: 4-5 days recommended).

Staying in an eco-lodge on a river is a great base to then go on day and night motorised canoe trips, day and night jungle walks, bird watching, visits to the local indigenous community, and to visit a local shaman to learn about the local use of Ayahuasca. You'll get to see loads of cool wildlife, including toucans and many other awesome and interesting birds, caimans (small crocodiles), monkeys, sloths (if you're lucky), pink river dolphins, and lots more. There are also tons of pretty big spiders around, so if you're an arachnophobe like me, it's best to be aware of this in advance (use it as an opportunity to help with your phobia - I'm way better now than I used to be!), and make sure you keep your mosquito net firmly tucked in all around your bed.

3. Baños

One of my favourite places in Ecuador is Baños - a small town with a touristy vibe but without being overcrowded by tourists (at least in 2014), it is the home to a whole array of exciting adventure activities. You can go white water rafting, canyoning, zip-lining, bungee jumping, mountain bike ride waterfall route, or jump from a steaming hot pool into a numbingly cold one at the hot springs for which the town is named after.

And of course there's also the Instagram-famous Baños swing at Casa de Arbol (which is undoubtedly cool, although it's also the one place you're guaranteed to see all of tourists in Baños, lining up for half an hour to get their one minute on the swing for that must-have, Baños-icon photo). You decide if it's worth the hype; and if you do go, make sure you know what angle you want to have snapped before you get on that swing, and instruct your photographer accordingly (there won't be time to mess around).

4. Quito

The capital city of Ecuador has a beautiful historic centre, as well as a more modern (and expat-filled) centre (La Mariscal). There's also the the artsy neighbourhood of Guápulo to be explored, and if you're lucky, catching a day when the artist's workshops are open to the public. At the Presidential Palace on Mondays you can watch one of of the most impressive changing of the guards I've ever seen. Climbing a series of stairs and (somewhat scary) ladders to the top of the Basilica towers offers great views over the city. Taking the TelefériQo (skyrail) will also provide you with sweeping views over Quito.

There are a number of cool day trips that can be done from Quito, including heading to the Equator, where you can see both the wrong Equator line and the right one, jump between the southern and northern hemispheres, participate in a range of activities such as balancing an egg on a nail, and see the bizarre tourist village that has been set up.

5. Otavalo market

Just a couple of hours north of Quito, the small town of Otavalo has a daily market, which on Saturdays takes over almost the whole town. It is definitely a stop for the end of your Ecuador trip, so that you can fill your bags with all the beautiful and well-priced handicrafts and alpaca products that are on offer. Saturday mornings also feature an interesting animal market, where you can buy livestock such as cows, piglets, and chickens, as well as puppies and kittens (kept in bags), and watch the locals proudly showing off their purchases to each other.

6. Quilotoa

Quilotoa lake. This is on a cloudy day, so just imagine the beauty on a clear day with the sun shining on the emerald lake.

Quilotoa is a small town with a stunningly beautiful lake in a crater of a volcano (ok it's not technically a crater, but it's the easiest way of describing it without going into detail). In the surrounds of Quilotoa there are some great walks to be done, including multi-day hikes. There are several options for accomodation in the area, such as staying down by the lake, or at an eco-lodge hostel in a nearby town, Chugchilán, a good jumping point for day walks and passing through indigenous villages.

7. Cotopaxi

A great day trip from Quito, the Cotopaxi Volcano offers the opportunity to do a steady hike up the volcano to reach the glacier (take warm clothes), enjoy the views (if you're lucky with weather and clear skies), and mountain bike back down to a lake. If you're feeling extra adventurous you can attempt the more involved overnight hike to the peak of the volcano, but it's worth noting that the weather conditions can be pretty intense, and many groups don't make it to the top (regardless of their fitness - I met an ex-military guy who didn't make it to the top due to the wild weather), or even if they do they often can't see much of a view other than white.

8. Mindo

Mindo is a beautiful cloud forest just north of Quito with a range of activities and nature adventures on offer. (Since most activities start in the morning, it's advisable to arrive in the afternoon/evening, so you can be organised to set out the next day.) One of the highlights is spending a day hiking through the waterfall sanctuary, and enjoying the brief Tarabita (cablecar) ride through the forest. Also recommendable is checking out the butterfly and orchard gardens; a tour of a chocolate plantation; and a bird-watching breakfast. Worthy evening activities include night walks through the forest to spot wildlife, and a Frog Concert.

9. The coast

Whilst not as incredible as the Galapagos, the coast of mainland Ecuador offers some beauties as well (although I wouldn't necessarily rank them as must-dos unless you have time to spare). Some examples that I explored are:

Montañita: a tiki-style touristy village which is great for partying in Cocktail Alley, and surfing lessons in reasonably easy conditions.
The quieter and more chill beaches of Ayampe or Las Tunas near Puerto Lopez.
Isla de la Plata (also known among backpackers as the "Poor man's Galapagos"), where you can see some of the great birds that are on the Galapagos (such as blue- and red-footed boobies, and frigates), and do some okay snorkelling.

Whilst I unfortunately didn't get to visit these next two places, I'm going to add them to the list as they've been highly recommended to me by other people I met travelling in Ecuador (and potentially they would rank them higher in the list). They are definitely on my list for my next visit.

10. Cuenca

The third largest city in Ecuador, UNESCO-listed Cuenca is said to be the second most important and beautiful colonial city in Ecuador (after Quito), and possibly the most charming, with its cobblestone streets for example. It's the centre for many craft traditions, including the famous Panama hats (no, they are not from Panama, despite the name). Cuenca is also supposedly a popular spot for American retirees.

11. Vilcabamba

In the south of the country, close to Peru and thereby offering a great stop on the way down or up, Vilcabamba's beautiful scenery (apparently) offers a fantastic location for hiking and/or relaxing. It's also apparently another hotspot for expats, and a bit of a hippie town, offering a variety of vegetarian and vegan food.

I'd love to hear in the comments what you love about Ecuador and any other places you would recommend visiting. Also feel free to ask me if you'd like any more specific recommendations on the places within Ecuador that I have visited and I'll be happy to help out where I can.

#AllYouNeedisEcuador