Guidebooks can give travel writing a bad name, but Rough Guides are rarely among them, and it is good to see that this new guide to Ecuador is part of an expanding list for Latin America (other recent additions include Argentina, Chile and Cuba). Illustrated with photographs of high quality, and written by old Latin American hands, the book comes with essential information for visitors while casting an erudite eye over everything from flora and fauna to the fascinating histories of Andean weavers at Otavalo and Darwin's visit to the Galapagos. The South American Handbook remains the best overall guide to the continent but, for Ecuador alone, this book will prove hard to beat. --Toby Green