Almost everyone who visits Ecuador will end up buying a souvenir of some sort from the vast array of arts and crafts on offer. The most colourful places to shop for souvenirs, and pretty much anything else in Ecuador, are the street markets which can be found absolutely everywhere. The biggest and best of these is at Otavalo, to the north of the capital. Here you can buy everything from alpaca jumpers to wall hangings and Panama hats (which originate from the Ecuadorian coast).
And then there’s the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador’s premier attraction and the greatest wildlife show on Earth. It’s expensive to visit but well worth it to appreciate this once-in-a-lifetime experience.