Sitting on the shoulder of the South American continent, Ecuador – the mainland at least – somehow manages to avoid the limelight of the region's bigger hitters. There's the Galapagos Islands of course, but otherwise plucky Ecuador gets barely a look-in compared to its surrounding neighbours.

This is, of course, entirely unfair. As one of South America's three Andean nations (the others being Peru and Bolivia), Ecuador has a colourful and varied history with a cultural hinterland that draws more from indigenous civilisation than Latin influence.

While the cities are either modern (Quito) or colonial (Cuenca), once you get into the mountains you'll encounter a way of life that reaches way back to pre-Colombian times. Keep going and you'll reach the Amazon – here barely touched by tourism relative to the commodified rainforests of Peru and Brazil.

All too many people treat Ecuador as a launchpad for the Galapagos. This is a heinous crime against decency and taste. Slow down, spend a while longer, and get to know this fascinating country for its own sake. Welcome to Ecuador!