Sacha Lodge

Overlooking the mirror-smooth lake, the main lodge is thatched and entirely open-sided. Breakfast and lunch buffets can be enjoyed on the Balsa deck, which can easily turn into a few hours of reading and birdwatching. The dinner menu changes daily, but features Ecuadorian and international fare made with fresh, sustainable ingredients. The safari-style bamboo bar is filled with snug sofas and serves a variety of cocktails, beers and South American wines. Sipping on something chilled as the cicadas begin their nightly song and the sunset turns the lake crimson is the best way to end any day.

The cabins are almost entirely built from sustainable woods, barring the expansive windows where you can take in the constant flurry of birdlife. The furnishings are sparse with plump beds kept cool by ceiling fans and plenty of wooden shelves. Each room has a private terrace with comfortable hammocks where monkeys chatter wildly below. The bathrooms are spacious with beige tiling, wide mirrors and a spacious 'jungle' shower with views over the trees. There are three family cabins available as well.

You'll have the chance to explore the Amazon in a dozen different ways. Hike across the 1,200-feet long suspension bridge and look out for the incredible birdlife - almost 7% of the world's known bird species are found here. The guides are incredibly skilled at getting the ultimate photograph through a telescope lens. Trek into the forest to spot the smallest monkey on Earth, visit the fascinating Yasuni parrot lick, or hop into a dug-out canoe and make your way down the mysterious creeks where you may be lucky enough to catch a glance of a river otter swimming by.