• By Gretchen Healey
• Tags community-based tourism floreana island floreana island hotel Post Office Bay

  The wooden barrel at Post Office Bay is very likely the Galapagos Islands’ most famous man-made site. It has been in use since the 1700’s, first for whalers and now for tourists. Visitors leave unstamped mail in the ‘post office’ barrel on Floreana Island for hand-delivery by other travelers. They then root through its … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey
• Tags crafts culture Ecuador hiking Otavalo

The lakes district in the Northern Andes is a beautiful area to explore, not only for its scenery and interconnected valleys, but also for the world-famous indigenous market of Otavalo, Ecuador and its fascinating community of local entrepreneurs. Here, under the watchful gaze of the majestic Mount Imbabura, visitors will find the quiet and harmony … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey
• Tags crafts Ecuador Kichwa Otavalo

“Four generations or perhaps even more” says Miguel Andrango, master weaver, when I ask him how long his family has been in the trade. He himself can remember that far, but admits that there may have been more family members involved even further back. As for the present, he tells me that his four sons and … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey
• Tags accommodation floreana island floreana island galapagos Floreana Lava Lodge galapagos wildlife Puerto Velasco Ibarra snorkeling

The Galapagos’ Floreana Island has a history cloaked in mystery. There are unsolved murders, love triangles and old pirate caves to explore, as well as the natural wonders that the Galapagos Islands are deservedly famous for. We recommend that travelers learn a bit about the Island’s history prior to visiting to set the stage. There … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey
• Tags kayak land-based snorkel SUP water sports wildlife

Ecuador’s famous Galapagos Islands are best known for their incredible wildlife. At Destination Ecuador, we want your first experience on arrival to be able to get up close and personal with some of the Islands’ fantastic animals, so on our unique, land-based Galapagos trips, our first activity has you diving right into water activities. After … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey

“The jungle” can evokes images of dangerous, dense forests where venomous creatures and savage animals lurk in the shadows. However, those images are only found in the imagination of screen writers and those who have never actually been to a tropical forest, especially the Amazon. In the rainforests of Ecuador, South America, although there are … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey

The Amazon! Few places evoke as much excitement and apprehension than the most extensive jungle wilderness on the globe. Most people hear the word “Amazon” and respond with stories of dense, dangerous jungles filled with strange and perilous wild animals. Although the rainforests of the Amazon aren’t as safe as a local state park, they … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey

A little more than a week ago, Ecuador was struck by a strong earthquake. It measured 7.8 on the Richter Scale and as expected from a severe earthquake of that strength, resulted in a lot of structural damage and caused the deaths of at least 600 people. This is a tragic disaster and rescue efforts … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey

The Amazon rainforest is a bastion of biodiversity. This is a well known fact but what is not as well known is how difficult it can be to see the animals that live in the forest. Upon entering the rainforests of eastern Ecuador, most people’s first impression is that of entering a humid cathedral of … Continued

• By Gretchen Healey

Penguins are some of the more memorable of birds. Although most folks don’t really know what a flycatcher is, just about everyone knows about penguins. We know that they can’t fly, are patterned in crisp black and white (and thus look like they wear tuxedos), and are birds of the cold southern oceans. While the … Continued