Margaritas, Cuba libres, piña coladas and mojitos are drinks with Latin American origins that have become staples at bars across America. But what about the drinks being mixed up further south? Whether you want to know what to order up at the bar during your next ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Ecuador
Gallery: A guide to South American cocktails
Margaritas, Cuba libres, piña coladas and mojitos are drinks with Latin American origins that have become staples at bars across America. But what about the drinks being mixed up further south? Whether you want to know what to order up at the bar during your next ...Five foods to try in Ecuador (besides guinea pig)
When discussing food in Ecuador, the most talked about meal is guinea pig, or cuy. But outside of butterflying cute cuddly rodents on a grill, Ecuadorians eat many other foods that are worth a try. From traditional to tropical, here are a few of the can't-miss eats ...Money in Ecuador: How far can $1 get you?
Ecuador is one place where a little money really does go a long way. Not only does the country use United States currency, but it's amazing how many things you can purchase for just one dollar. Whether you are looking to drink an oversized beer at a pub or feast on 20 ...New Galapagos Islands travel regulations go into effect next week
On February 1st, a new set of travel regulations will go into effect in the Galapagos Islands, which are designed to help protect the environment there, while simultaneously presenting travelers with a better experience. These new rules have already had an impact on ...Adventure vacation Guide 2012: Ecuador
Most Norteamericanos are hard-pressed to locate Ecuador on the map. Those familiar with this South American country the size of Colorado usually associate it with the (admittedly) spectacular Galapagos Islands. Yet Ecuador has so much more offer besides the Galapagos, ...National Geographic offers new Student Expeditions for 2012
High school students looking for something to occupy their time next summer, just received a host of tantalizing new options courtesy of National Geographic. Earlier this week, the organization announced several new trips as part of their Student Expeditions program, which ...Why do we take pictures of our food?
In a sweaty, back alley restaurant in Trujillo, Peru, the shy Peruvian waiter approached my table with a vibrant plate of ceviche. Placing it upon the handwoven tablecloth, there lapsed a good three seconds where all I could do was stare. Then, before reaching for my fork, I ...LAN Airlines surprises restaurant-goers with free tickets to South America
Last night, LAN Airlines surprised nearly 200 unsuspecting patrons at Nuela restaurant in New York with free round trip tickets to South America. The Oprah-style giveaway kicks off the company's Only in South America campaign, a multi-year effort to promote travel to the ...An introduction to ceviche
I was recently made aware of the unsettling fact there are people who are not familiar with ceviche. As this is easily my favorite dish while traveling both home and abroad, this disturbs me so much I immediately find it necessary to share its flavors with the world.
...Snorkeling in the Galapagos
Snorkeling allows those of us who either can't afford or are too scared to SCUBA dive to still experience the wonders of the ocean. That said, often the most awe-inspiring aquatic sites are hidden deep below the surface and hidden to those of us who don't have an oxygen ...
How to choose a reputable adventure travel company or guide
"Adventure travel" is a nebulous term these days. But whether your idea of a thrill is a Class-III rapid or climbing Everest, there's one thing that's ubiquitous when choosing an outfitter: safety. There are hundreds of adventure travel companies worldwide; not all are ...Video of the Day: Galapagos animals can dance
Us Gadling writers don't usually use this space for self-promotion (mostly because our editors get mad at us when we do). But, well, this is the Video of the Day post and I made a travel video today. It just feels right to share it with you. I was in the Galapagos a ...
Five places to see shrunken heads
Call me sick, but I've always been fascinated with shrunken heads.
"OK, you're sick!"
Fine, but you're still reading this, aren't you?
Throughout history many cultures took heads as trophies, including the ancestors of many Gadling readers--the Celts. Celtic ...Five trekking options for adventurers with bad backs
If you've got a bad back or neck--and many of us do--it can make certain aspects of travel challenging, especially if you're otherwise healthy and active. Perhaps the most frustrating issue for adventure travelers such as myself is being limited to day hikes, unless there ...Top five things to look for in a travel doctor, and why you should have one
Despite writing about food and adventure travel for a living, I used to be somewhat blasé about the concept of travel medicine. Multiple incidents of Giardia/dysentery/traveler's diarrhea/full-body outbreaks of mosquito and sand fly bites just taught me to carry a ...New Galapagos travel rules help protect the islands for future visitors
A month ago we told you about some significant changes to the rules of travel in the Galapagos Islands that will go in effect in 2012. In a nutshell, the new regulations say that a ship cannot visit the same island twice within a 14-day period, which will likely have an ...Latin America on a budget: Quito, Ecuador
Old cities are at their most pure and honest in the early morning. Before the crowds draw out to transform the peace with the trappings of modern existence, an old city seems frozen in time. Wandering through Quito in the morning feels like visiting an old stranger's house ...Top 10 types of travel theft (and how to be safe)
In many large cities of the world, thieves hunt travelers from the shadows. They watch you take pictures at monuments, eat tapas at an outdoor cafe, and if you are unlucky, they will follow your steps with excited eyes as you fall into one of their traps. A few weeks ...New Galapagos Islands regulations will change 2012 tours
Over the past decade or so, the Galapagos Islands have become one of the more popular tourist attractions in the world. In fact, they've gotten so popular that the fragile ecosystem there has become threatened by the amount of tourist traffic that now visit the area each ...I was robbed in Quito and all I got was this poo stained t-shirt
It began like any other day in the life of a travel writer - gingerly exposing my limbs, one at a time, to the arctic water gurgling out of my hostel's shower head. It was Tuesday morning, and I had just arrived in Quito. My research had left me in a state of premature ...
