Forged by fire

As wildlife-watching standards steadily improve on these remarkably biodiverse islands, it is still up to travellers to set the tone by choosing ethical tours and respecting the world around them, writes Mark Stratton

IN THE CITY OF BARRANQUILLA, ON COLOMBIA’S CARIBBEAN COAST, A HOME-COOKED FAMILY MEAL AND CARNIVAL FEVER GO HAND IN HAND

Some of the oldest stays on Kenya’s Lamu archipelago are part of a new wave of projects tackling the environmental and economic challenges these remote islands now face

1 Food that speaks of home When guests arrive I like to welcome them with something that evokes the comfort and welcome of a Sri Lankan home — roast paan still warm from the bakery, a punchy pol sambo

From pristine colonial centres to Amazonian villages and Andean hill towns, the more you see of Ecuador, the more you realise every bit of it is unique, writes Ilan David

It’s all about the choreography of the plants, about the foliage especially, the broad and the narrow, the upright and the sprawling, the moss green and the lime, and all that is green in between,” sa