Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The Galapagos Islands are the place to get into a groaning contest with the sun-bathing sea lions; to mind you don’t trip over the multi-coloured iguana; to swim with the harmless sharks; and trade wise nods and leisurely blinks with the same giant tortoises that have been alive since the days of Charles Darwin. In short, they are the ultimate destination for wildlife and natural history enthusiasts – a crucible of evolution that is all but unique in the modern world