WHAT TO SEE ON THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS?

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What to see on the Galapagos Islands?

Galapagos Travel Information

San Cristobal Island:
Interpretation Center: This was built with the cooperation of the Spanish Sience Centre. It gives a very good introduction to the Galapagos Islands, its marine and land life, fauna and flora. It is located in the outskirts of the small city of Pto. Baquerizo Moreno, which is the capital of the Galapagos province.

Cerro Tijeretas (Frigate Bird Hill): The trip to the hill takes approximately 20-40 minutes. Once there, you can have a spectacular view of the white beaches on one side and the roofs of Puerto Baquerizo on the other. The hill is often visited by Frigate Birds, hence its name. Here it is possible to see Magnificent Frigate Birds and Great Frigate Birds in the same colony. This is the perfect place to compare and learn to distinguish them. This site offers some safe snorkeling without strong currents. It is great for beginners. You can find sting rays, barber fish and butterfly fish.

Isla Lobos (Sea Lion Islet): This small islet, located only an hour by boat from Pto. Baquerizo Moreno is separated from the main island by a narrow stretch of calm water. Upon its rocky shores Blue-footed Boobies nest and sea lions rest. The atmosphere is one of tranquillity and primitive beauty. This shows a very typical Galapagos environment.

Española Island (Hood):
Bahia Gardner: Located on the northeastern coast of Hood, Gardner Bay provides an excellent beach for relaxing, swimming and an opportunity to observe sea lions. Here you can also observe sharks on the cristaline waters of the ocean.

Punta Suarez: This rocky point of land sustains one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds in the Galápagos. Along its southern shore high cliffs rise up from the sea affording the visitor spectacular views of soaring birds and of the blow whole, where water spouts up to 50-75 feet into the air according to the intensity of the surf.

Floreana Island:
Post Office Bay: Historically this 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. Apart from being the Post Office Barrel, this site was the landing area for some of the first colonists.

Punta Cormorant: This site probably, offers one of the largest and the best flamingo lagoons on the Galapagos. It is situated between two tuff cones that give the area a special athmosphere. There are various species of shorebirds to be seen besides flamingos, the most frequent are common stilts, white-checked pintail ducks and other migratory birds. This is a unique zone due to the high percentage of endemism of the plant life. Also very interesting are the two distinct beaches: the “green beach” (named for the high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand) and the “Flour sand beach” made up of coral.

Santa Cruz Island:
Charles Darwin Interpretation Center: Although the great majority of Galapagos visitors come here to observe and appreciate natural wonders, it is also interesting to learn how the protection and conservation of the islands are carried out. One of the principal attractions are the National Park information center, Van Staelen Exhibition Hall, Breeding and Rearing Center for young tortoises, Lonesome George (tortoise from Pinta), adult Galapagos tortoises in captivity.

The Bachas Beaches: These two small beaches are found to the West of Turtle Cove. Their sand is made of decomposed coral, which makes it white, soft, and a favourite nesting site for sea turtles. Behind one of the beaches there is a small brackish water lagoon, where occasionally it is possible to observe flamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels. The other beach is longer, but it has two old barges that were abandoned there during the Second World War, when the USA used Baltra Island as a strategic point to protect the Panama Channel. (The metal is rusty and sharp, so it is not a good place for swimming).

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island: The trail to the highlands leaves from Bellavista and passes through the agricultural zone, near the National Park boundary, the miconia zone and then goes to the fern and sedge zone. With clear weather (unpredictable) this area affords beautiful scenesof rolling hills and extinct volcanic cones covered with grass and lush greenery all year round.

Tortuga Bay: The path is good for birdwatching, it is easy to spot several species of finches as you walk along the path. The sunsets here are excellent. The west cove offers a nice snorkelling and swimming area and a nice spot for relaxing. The white sand beach is considered by many the nicest of the archipelago. Its name comes from the sea turtles that go there to lay their eggs. Other species can be found, including pelicans, flamingos and marine iguanas.

Bartolome Island:
A small barren island, located in Sullivan Bay off James Island (Santiago), Bartholomew has two visitors’ sites. At one of them it is possible to climb to the summit of the island, from where visitors can observe a variety of volcanic formations, spatter and tuff cones, lava flows and lava tubes. The moon like landscape provides the most scenic panorama of the archipelago. At the other site, the visitor may swim and snorkel from a beautiful beach or walk across the isthmus to another beach that faces south, where swimming is prohibited. Multi–coloured fish and occasionally penguins may be seen at the base of the tall pinnacle rock, which dominates Bartholomew’s landscape.

Plazas Island:
These are two small islets that were uplifted a short distance from the east coast of Santa Cruz. The unusual vegetation and location of the island create an interesting landscape in which the fauna and flora of Galápagos are enhanced. Moreover despite its small size, some of the most interesting and outstanding species of the archipelago occur here. It is possible to guarantee the observation of land iguanas that often are in the shade of a cactus. Nesting on the rugged southern cliffs, are usually swallow–tailed gulls, which can be seen along with various other sea birds. The protected rocky seashore is a prime habitat for a large colony of noisy sea lions. The principal attraction of Plazas are the land iguanas, the sea lions and the swallow–tailed gulls. Also you can see yellow–tailed mullets, Audubon’s shearwaters, red-billed tropicbirds, frigate birds, and brown pelicans gliding past the cliff.

Santiago Island:
Puerto Egas: Wet Landing. James Bay at the western end. Puerto Egas with its black sand beaches was the site of a small salt mining industry in the 1960s. A hike inland to the salt crater is an excellent opportunity to sight land birds such as finches, doves and hawks. A walk down the rugged shoreline, especially at low tide, will turn up many marine species. Iguanas bask on the rocks and sea lions laze in the tide pools. At the end of the trail there is a series of grottoes or sea caves where fur seals and night herons are found resting on shady ledges. The wet landing on the dark sands of Puerto Egas, James Bay leads to one of the more rewarding visits on the Galapagos. First, a trail leads inland to the remains of a salt mining operation, one of several largely unsuccessful attempts to commercialize the Galapagos. Some groups will make the 1 hour round trip to the Sugarloaf Volcano (about 1000 ft elevation). But it is the Fur Seal Grotto that produces the most pleasure for visitors. Here one can get very close views of both fur seals and sea lions in a series of rocky pools. For many, this is the only opportunity to see the Galapagos fur seal, once thought to be on the verge of extinction. In addition to the fur seals, James Bay offers the best opportunity for tide-pooling on the Galapagos.

Sullivan Bay: This visitor site provides a unique opportunity to view a recent lava flow of approximately 100 years old. The east side of James Island is known to have barren volcanic landscapes, dominated by black pahoehoe (ropy) lava flows of very young age. On the surface of the lava it is possible to observe some trees that were carried down by the flow of the fresh lava. It is also interesting to see how some Mollugo plants are starting to colonize the small lava fissures.

Chinese Hat:
Chinese hat is a tiny Island just off the southeastern tip of Santiago Island and is less than a quarter of 1 sq km in size. It is a fairly recent volcanic cone, which accounts for its descriptive name, it has the shape of a down-facing Chinese Hat. The hat shape is best appreciated from the northside. Opposite Chinese Hat, on the rocky shoreline of nearby Santiago, Galapagos penguins are often seen. A 400 m. trail goes around the cove and through a sea lion colony - marine iguanas cover the landscape. The volcanic scenery is attractive, and there are good views of the cone. There are snorkeling and swimming opportunities in the cove.
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