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.…

If you asked me to choose a favourite island on Galapagos, I would have a hard time. I went to three of them, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Isabela, and loved all of them. Each was special in its own way. But if I absolutely had to decide, I think I would go for Isabela because it was just a bit more special than the others.

Isabela is the island of marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies and pink flamingos. Here, you can find endless white beaches and a small town consisting of dirt roads. Sea lions resting in between the mangroves greeted us when we arrived.

Isabela is just perfect. And so you know how to spend your time here and make sure you don’t miss any of the highlights, here is what we recommend doing:…

San Cristobal island is a paradise. White beaches, warm weather and thousands of exotic animals. This island was our first stop in Galapagos, and it didn’t disappoint. Within two hours of arriving, I had seen more sea lions than I had expected to see during my whole stay in the archipelago.

In total, we had two and a half days on San Cristobal, and we would see many more sea lions during that time. Big ones, small ones, tiny babies drinking from their mothers, young ones frolicking in the water.

But San Cristobal is not just about sea lions. There is a lot more to discover. Keep reading to find out what to see and do on this island:…

From white beaches to smoking volcanoes, jungle and giant turtles, Ecuador has it all. Despite its small size (it is only about half as large as Spain and smaller than the US-state Nevada), it has a lot to offer. This country full of contrasts can keep visitors busy for weeks.

Personally, I spent a bit more than three weeks here but I didn’t get to see nearly as much as I would have liked. As I said, Ecuador has it all. And to help you choose which activities to do and which places to visit, so you can easily put together a trip around the country, here are my personal highlights that I recommend to you and that you should not miss:…