Places to see!
Last Updated: October 2026 Nestled in the heart of Colombia’s beautiful Coffee Region, Salento is one of the country’s most colourful and charming little towns. Surrounded by lush green mountains, coffee plantations and spectacular scenery, it’s a destination that should be on every Colombia itinerary. Famous for its brightly painted colonial...
Last Updated: October 2026 The Cocora Valley is one of Colombia’s most spectacular landscapes and an absolute must-visit when exploring the country’s beautiful Coffee Region. Famous for its towering wax palms, Colombia’s national tree, the valley is home to some of the tallest palm trees in the world, reaching heights of up to 60 metres. Seeing...
Last Updated: October 2026 Cali might not be the first destination that comes to mind when planning a trip to Colombia. Known for its turbulent past and reputation for crime, it’s a city that many travellers overlook. But there’s much more to Cali than its reputation! Known as the Salsa Capital of the World, Cali is a vibrant city filled with infectious...
Last Updated: October 2026 Tucked away in southwestern Colombia, Popayán is a charming colonial city known for its beautiful whitewashed buildings, historic churches and relaxed atmosphere. Nicknamed La Ciudad Blanca (the White City), it’s one of Colombia’s lesser-known destinations and a lovely place to spend a couple of days. But our introduction to...
Please note: We crossed the Ecuador–Colombia border at Rumichaca in July 2019. This article shares our personal experience at the time, rather than an up-to-date border-crossing guide. Immigration requirements, transport arrangements and border conditions have changed since our visit, so please check the latest official information before planning your journey. After...
Last Updated: October 2026 Ecuador might be one of South America’s smaller countries, but don’t let its size fool you! From towering Andean volcanoes and colourful colonial cities to lush Amazon rainforest and the extraordinary wildlife of the Galápagos Islands, this little country packs an incredible amount of diversity into a relatively small area. We...
Ecuador is an amazing country that is becoming more and more popular with international visitors. With super friendly people, amazingly diverse wildlife and scenery, and a compact size that’s great for travellers with time constraints, it’s no wonder that tourism is starting to boom in Ecuador. But there’s another great reason to visit Ecuador. It’s also a great...
Last Updated: October 2026 Cuenca is undoubtedly one of Ecuador’s most beautiful cities. With its cobbled streets, elegant colonial buildings, magnificent blue-domed cathedral and colourful markets, it’s a city that’s easy to fall in love with. Located high in the Ecuadorian Andes, Cuenca is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed city known for its...
After a month of travelling through Ecuador with the bare minimum of Spanish under our belt, we realised that we needed to do better. If we were going to travel through South America for at least 6 months, we really had to try and learn some more Spanish. We’d read that the small beachside town of Montañita was the best place to learn Spanish in Ecuador. In...
When we decided to spend six months of our world tour travelling through South America, we knew that we would enjoy our time there a lot more if we learnt a little bit of Spanish. While we could probably make do with a few simple words and a bit of Google Translate, actually learning how to put some basic sentences together would make for a much more enjoyable...