Ecuador

Perched directly on the South American equator, Ecuador is best known for its amazing wildlife-spotting opportunities. Most visitors spend their entire holiday touring the Galapagos Islands, never realizing what they are missing in the rest of the country.

Ecuador has three distinct regions: Coastal, Andes and Amazon, each with its own climate and weather. You can visit the Andes to wander down Cuenca’s cobbled colonial streets, sunbathe on a tranquil Pacific beach, stand on the Equator in Quito, encounter indigenous tribes in the Amazon, shop in a rural market at Otavalo, and bathe in volcanic waters in Banos. No wonder it’s such a popular retirement destination.