Sights—Fine colonial architecture in Quito; fascinating wildlife on the Galapagos Islands; the world's highest active volcano at Cotopaxi National Park; Market day in Otavalo; impressive ruins at Ingapirca; a train ride from the Andes to the Pacific Coast past the famous Devil's Nose switchbacks; the tropical rain forest in El Oriente; the equator at the Mitad del Mundo complex; the colonial city of Cuenca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the malecon at Guayaquil; Mindo Cloud Forest, a bird sanctuary.

Museums—Archaeological exhibits at Museo del Banco Central; religious art at Museo de Las Conceptas in Cuenca; Museo Guayasamin; Amerindian culture at the Cofan Social Center; first-class exhibits at the Museum of Anthropology and Contemporary Art in Guayaquil; Museo de Arte Colonial and the Museo Municipal Abert Mena Caamano in Quito; Quito's social history at the Museo de la Ciudad; the Solar Museum and Museo Etnografico at the Mitad del Mundo complex.

Memorable Meals—Pimm's in El Panecillo, directly above Quito's Old Town; Roast cuy (guinea pig), locro (cheese/avocado/potato soup), llapingachos (mashed potato and cheese fritters) or humitas (cornmeal tamales) from anywhere that sells these local specialties; ceviche (raw seafood marinated in lime juice and chili) from a good cevicheria; encocados (fish in coconut milk with tomato and garlic); higos con queso (candied figs with cheese), a sweet dessert; international delicacies at Mea Culpa restaurant with a stunning view of the Plaza de la Independencia; or dinner at Theatrum Restaurant.

Late Night—A colorful folkloric show titled Jacchigua at the Casa de la Cultura in Quito; live concerts on the renovated Plaza Foch in the Mariscal.

Walks—Hiking the trails in the hills above Banos; a stroll along the Malecon 2000 promenade in Guayaquil; bird-watching in the areas surrounding Santo Domingo De Los Colorados or Mindo; walking tours of Quito's Old Town or Cuenca; the Inca Trail to Ingapirca.

Ecuador is located on the equator on the northwest coast of South America, bordered by the Pacific to the west, Colombia to the north and Peru to the south and east. The fourth-smallest country on the South American continent, Ecuador encompasses four distinct regions: the Oriente (covers half the country and is a region of thick tropical forests in the eastern foothills of the Andes and in part of the Amazon River Basin), the Costa (flat plains along the Pacific coast), the Sierra (Andes Mountains and highland areas that cover about a fourth of the country) and the Galapagos Islands, which lie about 600 mi/1,000 km off the coast. The capital, Quito, is 9,200 ft/2.8 km above sea level on the Sierra plateau.

Ecuador's cultural heritage is as impressive as its physical beauty. The nation was part of the Inca empire until it fell to the Spanish conquistadors in 1534. In that same year, Inca General Ruminahui razed Quito to keep it from being captured by the invaders. Refounded as the colonial capital, Quito became famous in the 17th and 18th centuries as a center for the arts—there are no finer examples of Spanish colonial architecture, sculpture and paintings than those produced in Ecuador at that time. The colonial center's beauty and rich legacy were recognized when it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Like the rest of South America, Ecuador underwent a period of turmoil as it attempted to cast off Spanish rule in the early 1800s. Independence was won by the armies of Simon Bolivar, with the key battles in Ecuador being won by Antonio Jose de Sucre, one of Bolivar's field marshals. (Ecuador's former currency was named in honor of Sucre.) After forming an unsuccessful federation with Colombia and Venezuela, Ecuador became an independent nation in 1830 and began the long, difficult road toward political stability. During this period, there wasn't much job security in being leader of Ecuador. In the first 95 years of independence (1822-1917), Ecuador had 40 presidents, dictators and juntas, and from 1925 to 1948, none of the 22 presidents or chiefs of state completed his term.

In 1942, as the result of a war with Peru, Ecuador lost a significant portion of its Amazon Basin territory. After numerous battles, a peace was finally negotiated in late 1998 that has eased tensions along the border. Ecuador's bad luck with its leaders continued, however—it holds the dismal record of the country with the most exiled ex-presidents. Despite high oil prices since 2000 and abandoning their currency for the U.S. dollar, the majority of Ecuadoreans remain in poverty. Huge numbers have emigrated—chiefly to the U.S. and Spain. Revenues sent home from abroad now constitute the country's third- or fourth-highest foreign-exchange earner (along with bananas, oil and tourism). In recent years, Ecuador's indigenous political parties have risen to the forefront of national politics and will continue to be a source of tensions in the future, as will events in the country's troubled neighbor to the north, Colombia. Currently, no one political party holds popular support. A run-off election in 2006 was won by leftist Rafael Correra, who began a four-year term in January 2007.

Ecuador's chief attractions include the Galapagos Islands, colonial architecture, cathedrals, museums, rain-forest trips, Inca treasures, birding, thermal springs, the Andes, volcanoes, handicraft and food markets, local gastronomy, colorful festivals and parades, traditional folk music, hiking, mountain climbing, mountain biking, rafting and other adventure sports, and beaches.

Ecuador is a wonderful destination for travelers who are interested in the outdoors and nature-related activities. (For many nature lovers, a trip to the Galapagos is a pilgrimage.) Those who wish to visit the coast, the high mountains and the rain forest will find them very near one another. The country is not for those who expect a wide range of deluxe conveniences or who are upset by delays and last-minute schedule changes. Travelers who have trouble with high altitudes should be careful when traveling through the Andes (or avoid them alltogether), and those with respiratory problems may have problems with air pollution in Quito.

Contrary to the popular myth promoted in jungle and horror movies, you can safely swim in rivers where there are piranha. The carnivorous fish are not nearly as aggressive as they are portrayed on the screen and rarely attack something that isn't already bleeding.

The line on the pavement at the Mitad del Mundo (Center of the World) complex is not the actual equator. In the 1700s, Frenchman Charles Marie de La Condamine came awfully close, however, finding it mathematically. Several monuments have marked it, the most recent being the 90-ft-/30-m-tall monolith with a gigantic globe on top of it. But GPS measurements have determined it's just a bit off the mark.

As lush as the rain forest is, its soil is only about 4 in/10 cm deep. When cleared of trees, the soil washes away within a year, and the remaining terrain is as arid as a desert. Your participation in a responsible rain-forest excursion helps convey the message to the cash-strapped Ecuadorean government and people that the best long-term use of the rain forest is as an environmentally intact tourist preserve.

You are unlikely to find two groups of the same species of flora or fauna close to each other in the rain forest. If you come across a mahogany tree or a troop of monkeys, chances are the next tree or troop is at least a mile/kilometer away.

New Year's Eve is a special treat in Ecuador. People build large straw dummies to represent local politicians, government agencies and the army. The dummies, carrying signs proclaiming all of the horrible things they did, are placed on floats and paraded down the street. At midnight they are burned to make way for the New Year. You'll also see men in black dresses begging for money. These are supposed to be the widows of the dummies, who must now take to the streets to make a living.

Population growth and overfishing in the Galapagos Islands have been of major concern. The 1998 El Nino phenomenon caused ocean heating, which forced the fish to migrate to cooler waters and has adversely affected wildlife dependent on the fish. There are continued tensions regarding the management of the Galapagos Marine Reserve and the rights of local fishermen. By booking a cruise with a company that contributes to environmental-awareness campaigns, you can make a positive contribution to the long-term welfare of the archipelago.

In the remote southeastern town of Vilcabamba, people are known to live for a very long time—up to 120 years old. The town is also renowned for a hallucinogenic juice that comes from a local cactus. A connection between the juice and longevity has yet to be proven.

Ecuador was the first country in South America to adopt the U.S. dollar as its official currency.

Chimborazo Volcano, though not the highest mountain in the world, is the point farthest from the center of the Earth (it's because the planet bulges slightly at the equator) and thus said to be the closest spot on Earth to the Sun.

Expect to be doused with water if you are in Ecuador during Carnival (it's the custom).

All citizens in Ecuador ages 18-65 are required by law to vote. Ecuadorians who do not fulfill this obligation cannot get passports to leave the country and even cannot complete certain bank transactions. Members of the military and national police, however, are not allowed to vote.