Ecuador

 
Named for its position directly on South America’s equator line, 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’s three distinct regions – Coastal, Andes and Amazonian – has its own climate and weather. You can visit the cool, foggy 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.