Amazon adventures

NATURAL BEAUTY, RICH CULTURE AND HIGH ADRENALINE AWAIT IN THE ECUADORIAN AMAZON RAINFOREST. WORDS: SJ ARMSTRONG

CITY LIFE: QUITO

Old-world charm meets cutting-edge cuisine and bohemian flair in Ecuador's lively capital, rewarding travellers who venture beyond the grand plazas and imposing churches of its UNESCO-awarded core

BACK TO BASICS

From the Andes to the Pacific coast, communities across Ecuador are busy bringing their ancestral culture into the 21st century. All over the country, they've set up projects to preserve elements of their identity, be it food, traditions or the nature around them - and have achieved this goal by opening their doors to travellers

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

The wildlife of Ecuador's Galápagos archipelago is the stuff of legends, providing travellers with an endless showreel of bold, unique species in and out of the water. Now, thanks to the expansion of the Galápagos Marine Reserve in 2022, there's even more space for these animals to thrive

Raise a glass

PEDRO NAVARRO, CO-FOUNDER AND CO-OWNER OF SANTANA BREWING COMPANY IN QUITO, TALKS ABOUT THE COUNTRY'S GROWING CRAFT BREWERY SCENE

Cultural festivals

BORN OF A BLEND OF ANDEAN TRADITIONS, CHRISTIAN CELEBRATIONS AND AFRICAN ECUADOR'S FESTIVALS ARE AS UNIQUE AS THE NATION ITSELF SPIRITUALISM,

WHAT THEY'RE EATING IN GUAYAQUIL

With multiple venues featured in Latin America's 'best restaurants' lists, this port city is one of Ecuador's most exciting culinary destinations

ON THE TRAIL: IMBABURA

DISCOVER ECUADOR'S ARTS AND CRAFTS ON A ROAD TRIP THROUGH THIS ANDEAN PROVINCE, WHERE EVERY VILLAGE CHAMPIONS A DIFFERENT TRADE

Ecuadorian chocolate

KNOWN AS THE MOTHERLAND OF CHOCOLATE, ECUADOR IS HOME TO ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS VARIETIES OF CACAO BEAN

MEET THE ADVENTURER - Amar Latif

THE GLASWEGIAN EXPLORER DISCUSSES SENSORY DISCOVERY AND MAKING TRAVEL MORE ACCESSIBLE TO BLIND PEOPLE

WHERE TO STAY Bath

WITH NEW ATTRACTIONS AND HOTEL OPENINGS, THE SOMERSET CITY IS FLYING HIGH THIS YEAR

NORTHUMBERLAND DIGGING DEEP

Five years in the making, the new Ad Gefrin museum and distillery mixes Anglo-Saxon history and whisky tastings

VIVID SYDNEY Let there be light

AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST FESTIVAL IS BACK IN NEW SOUTH WALES FOR 23 DAYS OF ILLUMINATIONS, FOOD AND MUSIC

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL

A new campaign is seeking to improve air travel for passengers with by calling for change throughout the industry disabilities

CAPE TOWN

South Africa's 'Mother City' has shaken off its post-pandemic funk and is welcoming visitors with exciting hotel openings, shiny new restaurants and its evergreen natural beauty

KYOTO

Beneath the surface of sedate geisha teahouses and hushed shrines, Kyoto is a hotbed for legendary live music here, Japan's most unique, riotous acts are set free in the city's underground clubs, grungy dive bars and historic cafes

Into the woods

RINGED BY MOUNTAINS AND STEEPED IN TRADITION, THE BLACK FOREST REGION IN SOUTHWEST GERMANY HAS INSPIRED CENTURIES' WORTH OF FAIRY TALES. TODAY, ITS STORY REVOLVES AROUND CRAFTSMANSHIP, CREATIVITY AND TIME ITSELF

WATER OF LIFE

The River Spey supplies the water for around half of Scotland's fabled distilleries, producing some of the most illustrious - and often most expensive - malts in Caledonia. The region is a place of pilgrimage for whisky-lovers, some of whom cycle and hike between cosy nooks and spicy drams. Others choose to be fully immersed on a canoeing and wild camping adventure

Spirits of the sacred forest

MADAGASCAR IS HOME TO COLOURFUL CHAMELEONS, FIERCE FOSSAS AND OVER 100 SPECIES OF LEMUR. BUT WITH MUCH OF THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLAND'S WILDLIFE FACING EXTINCTION, ITS INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND ECO LODGES ARE FOCUSED ON CONSERVING THEIR PRECIOUS HABITATS

ULTIMATE ITALY

Famed for its crowd-pleasing cuisine, cypress-cloaked landscapes and elegant palazzos, Italy offers enough for a lifetime of new discoveries. From a coastal road trip through Calabria to street art tours in Turin and dining in the shadow of Mount Etna, here are 21 experiences that cast the country in a different light

MEXICO CITY

Welcome to Mexico City — a fascinating and chaotic sprawl of 25 million people where lively weekend craft markets are held in leafy parks, mariachis serenade in neighbourhood plazas and the air carries the aroma of roasted corn from roaming street sellers. Once just seen as the region's gateway city, Mexico's capital has grown in popularity in recent years, and there are an increasing number of hotels in the city's trendiest locales. The historic centre has experienced a resurgence, with beautiful hotel conversions of heritage buildings. Beyond it, buzzing neighbourhoods such as Roma, Condesa and Coyoacán are where to head for stylish guesthouses.

NAPA VALLEY

It may be synonymous with vineyards and bold Cabernet Sauvignon, but dig deeper and you'll find experimental menus rich in local produce and a gutsy craft beer movement that prove there's more to the region than grapes

Meeting of minds

LITERARY FESTIVALS ARE ALL OVER THE UK AND IRELAND THIS MONTH, IN LOCATIONS JUST AS APPEALING AS THE BOOKS THEY SHOWCASE

Fall Costa Rica to Cape Town Trips to inspire

Trek ancient pilgrimage routes, explore ruined temples and see life and death on a holy river - here are five epic itineraries perfect for adventurous travellers. Words: Dom Tullet

CITY LIFE LEEDS

Buoyed by a year-long festival of culture in 2023, Yorkshire's economic powerhouse has become a hive of creativity with shops, food and events that give a nod to the city's industrial past while looking to the future

CITY LIFE ACCRA

Ghana's beachside capital has become one of the most exciting places in Africa for artists and grassroot creative enterprises, with studios and galleries filling the gaps between raucous clubs and bustling markets

HONEY HUNTERS

The Gurung ethnic group has been collecting wild honey in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal for centuries, risking their lives to harvest the sticky combs from cliff nests using ancient techniques handed down through the generations. The honey hunters will leave their village with porters to carry their food, water and equipment, and head into the forest to face the largest honeybees in the world

IN THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE ANCESTORS

On the beaches of remote Western Australia, where the sea is the same colour as the sky, the next generation of Aboriginal gameledes (custodians) have reclaimed their heritage and are using tourism to showcase their customs and knowledge to travellers in meaningful ways

ISLAND SPIRIT

Downtown Kingston is in the throes of a creative rebirth, while across the country, Jamaica's farmers and fishers are carving a new path, with enterprises such as a floating clubhouse and waterfall retreats. Six decades after independence from the British, this Caribbean island nation is looking to a brighter future

THE GREEK ISLANDS

GREECE'S NUMEROUS ISLES ARE BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR IDYLLIC BEACHES, TOES-IN-THE-SAND TAVERNAS AND LAIDBACK PACE OF LIFE. BUT FOR THOSE WILLING TO EXPLORE A LITTLE FURTHER, CLOUD-CIRCLED CLIFFTOP VILLAGES, LOCAL MARKETS STOCKED WITH MOUNTAIN HERBS AND SECRET STRETCHES OF SAND AWAIT. THERE'S A GREEK ISLAND TO SUIT EVERY TRAVELLER IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK