Small enough to make a trip from the inland Andean volcanoes at dawn, through tropical cloud forests at midday, and arrive at the Pacific coast in time for sunset and drinks; large enough to host howler monkeys in the Amazon jungles and up-all-night beach parties—Ecuador has it all. Lose yourself in Inca ruins at Ingapirca where, in the Temple of the Sun at a certain hour of the solstice, sunlight would fall through the center doorway into a chamber at the temple’s apex (where’s Indy when you need him?). Each stone in the construction was chiseled to fit together perfectly; the Inca were a sans-mortar bunch, and pretty awesome at construction, to boot. Next stop: high-school biology class. Dig through the archives of your mind: remember Charles Darwin? On the Origin of Species? Your crush sitting in the next row? Yes, stop there. Where your teacher is rambling on about the Galapagos Islands. Just a skip, hop, and jump off shore, this cluster of 19 islands is more than worth the voyage. Dote over the descendants of finches with differently shaped beaks that changed the course of modern scientific thought. Then, with your educational portion of the trip safely out of the way, come back to the mainland to party until dawn at Montañita, Ecuador’s idyllic, bohemian surfer hangout. It’s a scientifically proven fact: drinks taste better when your mind is full of natural beauty. Back in Quito, glide through the narrow back alleys with hidden but beautiful examples of colonial architecture, recently restored from sketchy paseos to a UNESCO World Heritage Site-quality stroll. You may even consider extending your stay to stick around in the country for a healthy dose of horseback riding, trekking, and scaling the Andean foothills.