If you visit Ecuador, you will likely pass through Guayaquil. All flights to Galapagos leave from the Guayaquil airport. And if you arrive from Peru, it is a convenient stop to break up what would otherwise be an endless bus ride.

So if you have to come here anyway, why not turn this into a sightseeing stop?

With its colonial buildings, the Malecon, the hillside neighbourhoods and a mangrove island just off its coast, Ecuador’s biggest city is a great place for tourists. There are plenty of things to do in Guayaquil. If you are wondering what you shouldn’t miss, here are five of Guayaquil’s highlights:…

Most travellers who visit Galapagos end up on Santa Cruz sooner or later, and I was no exception. I came here twice – once voluntarily and once involuntarily.

My first involuntary stay, unavoidable due to all boat connections from San Cristobal to Isabela going via Santa Cruz, lasted only a couple of hours. I used that time to eat a giant cup of ice cream – a decision which I regretted later that afternoon when I took a boat to Isabela and desperately tried not to empty my stomach into the sea.

My second encounter with Santa Cruz Island was more fortunate. I stayed for three days, so I had a chance to properly get to know the island beyond the ice cream parlour.…