Be in both hemispheres

Being in both hemispheres means standing on the ground north of the equator and south of it, whether on one trip or years apart. For most travelers from Europe, North America or most of Asia it takes one trip south, and the most satisfying way to do it is to stand on the line itself, one foot in each half of the world.

Where to do it

Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador

The monument park a short drive north of Quito is the classic equator stop in Ecuador, with a painted yellow line and a museum. The catch: GPS puts the true equator about 240 m (800 feet) north of the monument, so walk over and take a second photo on the real line.

Nanyuki, Kenya

A market town a few hours' drive north of Nairobi, at the foot of Mount Kenya, with a roadside sign marking the equator. Most people pass it on safari in Kenya, on the way to the Laikipia conservancies. Expect a water-swirling demonstration for a tip.

Kayabwe, Uganda

On the road from Kampala to Masaka, two concrete rings mark the line, with cafés and craft stalls around them. It's a natural stop on the way to the gorilla parks of Uganda. Fifteen minutes is plenty.

Pontianak, Indonesia

A city on the west coast of Borneo with a large Equator Monument. Around the March and September equinoxes the noon sun stands almost straight overhead and shadows nearly vanish, and the city holds an event to mark it. The catch: it's off the usual Bali and Java route in Indonesia, so you'll fly in from Jakarta.

Macapá, Brazil

At the mouth of the Amazon, the Marco Zero monument marks the line, and the city's football stadium is built so its halfway line runs along the equator. Getting to this corner of Brazil means a flight, or a long riverboat ride from Belém.

Ilhéu das Rolas, São Tomé and Príncipe

A tiny islet off the south tip of São Tomé, reached by a short boat ride, with a stone marker and a tiled world map on the line. São Tomé and Príncipe is one of Africa's quietest countries to visit. The catch: flights are few.

Addu Atoll, Maldives

The equator runs through the open sea of the Maldives, not over land, but Malé sits north of it and Addu Atoll, the southernmost, sits just south. A domestic flight from Malé to Gan puts you in both hemispheres in one country, with quieter reefs at the end.

How to make it happen

You don't need the line itself. Any trip south counts: Cape Town, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Lima and Bali are all in the Southern Hemisphere, and Nairobi just makes it at about 1.3° S. Watch the near misses: Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are both north of the line. If you live in the south, almost any trip to Europe, Asia or North America does it in reverse.

• Check which side a city is on before you book. Our list of countries on the equator shows where the line runs.
• Remember the seasons flip. January is high summer in the south, which makes a new year abroad on a beach very easy to plan.
• For the photo that proves it, keep camera location on and take one on the ground on each side, not out of the plane window.
• Going far enough south from Europe or North America usually means a very long flight, which can also count for 8,000 km in one hop on the same trip.