Things to do and see
on the Galapagos Islands

San Cristóbal Island
With the second biggest population besides Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal contains the provincial and administrative capital of Galapagos, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. From here, some of the island’s visitor sites can be reached by foot. San Cristóbal is an ideal place for surf enthusiasts – the Playa Punta Carola is a good surfing spot. For swimmers, Playa Mann (through Avenida Northia) or Playa de Oro are recommended. The climate on San Cristóbal is extremely arid. As concerns diving, in this aquatic paradise an endless range of creatures, colors, and movement is revealed. It is possible to see the red footed booby, the Chatham mockingbird, nesting frigates, sea lions, flycatchers, marine iguanas, several bird species, and even tortoises. When diving, you can find sting rays, barber fish and butterfly fish. Sites include the Cerro Tijeretas (Frigate Bird Hill), which offers some safe snorkeling without strong currents, the Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock), the Isla Lobos (Sea Lion Islet), on which the blue-footed boobies nest and sea lions rest, as well as the Interpretation Center. It gives a good introduction to the Galapagos islands, their marine and land life, flora and fauna.

Española Island
Possible visits are to the Bahia Gardner and Punta Suarez, which are ideal spots for snorkeling and diving. Gardner Bay provides an excellent beach for relaxing, swimming and an opportunity to observe sea lions. Here you can also see sharks on the crystalline waters of the ocean. Punta Suarez is a rocky point of land that sustains one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds on Galapagos. Along its southern shore, high cliffs rise up from the sea providing you with spectacular views of soaring birds and of the blow whole, where water spouts up to 50-75 feet into the air, depending on the intensity of the surf. Animals that can be seen here include albatrosses, blue-footed boobies, the Española mockingbird and lava lizard, marine iguanas, and swallow-tailed gulls.

Floreana Island
Usually visited are the Punta Cormorant and Post Office Bay. Historically, this latter site is the location of a wooden barrel that was placed here in the 18th century by the crew of a whaling ship.  It has been used since this time by mariners and tourists as a post office. The idea is to carry letters or postcards to their destination by hand. Punta Cormorant offers one of the largest and the best flamingo lagoon on Galapagos. Between December and May, these birds, and also green sea turtles, nest here. Punta Cormorant is situated between two tuff cones that give the area a special atmosphere. There are various species of shorebirds to be seen, such as common stilts, and white-checked pintail ducks. This is a unique zone due to the high percentage of endemism in the plant life. It is also very interesting to see the two distinct beaches: the “green beach (due to high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand) and the “flour sand beach” made up of coral. Other animals of this island are rays, "joint footed" petrels, ghost and sally lightfoot crabs, and sea lions.



Santa Cruz Island
The Charles Darwin Interpretation Center is a biological research station and a well visited place. It is interesting to learn how the protection and conservation of the islands are carried out. The Bachas Beaches’ sand is made of decomposed coral, white and soft, making it a favorite nesting site for sea turtles. Other exciting sites are the Highlands of Santa Cruz and Tortuga Bay. The west cove offers a nice snorkeling and swimming area and an ideal spot for relaxing. The white sand beach is often considered the nicest of the archipelago. Animals such as pelicans, tortoises, flamingos and other coastal birds, e.g. black-necked stilts and whimbrels, and marine iguanas can be observed on this island.

Bartolomé Island

From the summit of Bartolomé, it is possible to observe a variety of volcanic formations, spatter and tuff cones, lava flows and lava tubes. The moon like landscape provides the most scenic panorama on the archipelago.  Swimming and snorkeling in the clear waters are favorite activities. Sea lions, multi-colored fish and occasionally penguins may be seen at the base of the tall pinnacle rock, which dominates this island’s landscape.

Plazas Island

Wild life here contains land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, yellow-tailed mullets, Audubon’s shearwaters, red-billed tropicbirds, frigate birds, and brown pelicans gliding past the cliff. The protected rocky seashore is a prime habitat for a large colony of noisy sea lions. The vegetation here changes its colors according to the season.

San Salvador/Santiago Island

From Puerto Egas, a hike inland to the salt crater is an excellent opportunity to sight land birds such as finches, doves, and hawks. The island is a place of great coastal bird activity, and unusual migratory species can be observed here. Walk down the rugged shoreline, especially at low tide, and you will see iguanas bask on the rocks and sea lions laze in the tide pools. At the end of the trail there is a series of sea caves where fur seals and night herons are found resting on shady ledges.

The Chinese Hat, a recent volcanic cone, is also an interesting site. On the rocky shoreline nearby Santiago, Galapagos penguins are often seen. Snorkeling and swimming is possible in the cove.

Santa Fe Island



The island offers the possibility to spot land iguanas, sea lions, and to go snorkeling, swimming, or walking in the dense forest, where the largest species of the giant Opuntia cactus can be found.

Isabela Island
With a different vegetation zone and home to more wild tortoise species than the other islands, Isabela is inhabited by animals such as penguins, boobies, cormorants, marine and land iguanas, pelicans, boobies, turtles, tortoises, sally lightfoot crabs, Darwin finches, and Galapagos hawks and doves. If you want to see whales and dolphins, the west coast of Isabela in the Bolivar Channel is the best place to go. The island was formed by six volcanoes that fused. Visiting sites are the Caleta Targus, which offers fascinating views of the volcanoes and the famous Darwin lake, and the Bahía Urbina. Walking there lets you see marine iguanas and huge tortoises.

Fernandina Island

The youngest of the archipelago, and shaped like a sea horse, this island is still seismically active. An interesting site of the island is Punta Espinosa. Dense colonies of marine iguanas on black lava rocks - which you may see eating algae, flightless cormorants, pelicans, Galapagos sea lions, and penguins live on Fernandina island. If the snorkeling conditions permit, it might even be possible to see how the marine iguanas eat underwater.

Rábida Island



Rábida has red sand beaches due to the presence of iron and other minerals in its volcanic composition. The rich wildlife includes flamingos who inhabit a saltwater lagoon, a bachelor sea lion colony, pelicans, white-checked pintails, boobies, and several species of finches.

Genovesa Island
On the horseshoe shaped island, Darwin Bay offers the possibility to dive along the inner wall. This island is also called “bird island”, as there are varied bird colonies nesting here. See frigates, red-footed and masked boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrels, tropical birds, finches, and mockingbirds on this island. Another fascinating place are the Prince Philip’s Steps, a steep path leading through a vivid seabird colony and further inland, through a thin forest, finally to be overlooking a rocky lava plain. Genovesa is also home to the smallest land iguanas of the archipelago.