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Barking sea lions. Crystal swimming pools tucked between volcanic cliffs. Tortoise ranches. Contemporary, scorching seafood. Santa Cruz Island is without doubt one of the Galapagos’ most populated islands, and the central city of Puerto Ayora is as near bustling as you’ll discover within the Galapagos: docks ship ferries to and from different islands, eating places and scorching kiosks tucked into hidden alleys promote grilled and fried fish, and tortoises roam the cooler inland air of the elevated Highlands.
Santa Cruz is house to lots of the Galapagos’ greatest points of interest, actions, and academic alternatives. It’s a must-visit whether or not you’re planning a land-based Galapagos trip or stopping by on a cruise – like, actually you possibly can’t miss it: you’ll both fly right here or cease right here on a cruise.
Years in the past, we printed the story of our visit to Santa Cruz, Galapagos. It’s an ideal submit and enjoyable to learn, however in typical 2016-travel-blog style, it’s not terribly helpful. So we created this submit: a definitely-very-useful journey information that can enable you to plan your go to to Santa Cruz, Galapagos!
Psst: Planning a visit to the Galapagos Islands? Check out these different posts that will help you plan:
We’ve additionally created an in depth 15-page downloadable information to visiting the Galapagos Islands. Join beneath to get the information ship straight to your inbox!

The right way to Get to Santa Cruz, Galapagos
There are solely two methods to get to Santa Cruz, Galapagos: by air or by ferry.
Santa Cruz’s airport is named Baltra, and also you’ll be capable of fly right here from Quito or Guayaquil.
When you arrive, everybody will board the shuttle to the docks. Santa Cruz Island is a free 5-minute ferry trip from the Baltra docks. From the docks on the Santa Cruz facet it’s a couple of 45 minute drive into Puerto Ayora.
To get to Puerto Ayora from the airport, you possibly can take a white pick-up truck taxi – you’ll discover many ready dockside. The value is about, however everybody goes the identical path, so don’t be afraid to separate a taxi with one other traveler!
The less expensive choice is to take a bus, additionally positioned dockside. There are restricted airline arrivals every day, so count on to attend a short while for the bus to replenish totally earlier than it leaves. The bus will take you to the market on the heart of city, about half a mile from the ocean and most motels/hostels.
When you’re coming from the opposite essential island within the Galapagos, San Cristobal, you’ll take one of many twice-daily ferries to Puerto Ayora. It’s greatest to buy your tickets at the very least a day upfront as their seats are restricted – you possibly can book your ticket online on Bookaway. The trip is about 2 hours. Pop a Dramamine earlier than you allow to move off seasickness!


Suggestions for Visiting Santa Cruz, Galapagos
Santa Cruz Island is without doubt one of the 3 inhabited islands within the Galapagos – however though it’s a populated island, it’s nonetheless stuffed with wildlife – the magic of the Galapagos!
The principle city in Santa Cruz is the coastal port city of Puerto Ayora, the place you’ll discover loads of motels, eating places, and the entire comforts you’d count on from a small island city (don’t get too fancy, although. The web may be spotty. Some nights, we couldn’t even watch Netflix! I do know, surprising). Santa Cruz can be house to one of many two airports within the Galapagos Islands, so there’s an excellent probability you’ll both by flying into or out of right here.
Round each nook is one other alternative to see brightly coloured crabs, snoozing sea lions, and cuddling marine iguanas. You’ll discover many of the perfect eating places, motels, and day excursions in Puerto Ayora.
- Most locations in Ecuador don’t settle for bank cards, or cost further to take action. The Galapagos Islands are not any exception: money is king. Fortunately, there are ATMs galore on Puerto Ayora and a great deal of outlets, eating places and bars to spend your money in! Refill on money right here, as a result of a number of the different islands like Isla Isabela have NO ATM’s in any respect.
- Convey sunscreen with you from the mainland. It’s insanely costly right here, and also you’ll want it for the additional robust rays because of the proximity to the Equator. Make sure that to deliver reef-safe sunscreen for whenever you’ll be within the water, to guard the coral reef and different marine wildlife that dwell within the Galapagos!
- There’s a large grocery retailer proper by the principle dock on the town, the place we picked up groceries for snacks and breakfast. You too can pop to the highest ground for an inexpensive espresso and pastry with a sea view. However understand that most motels gained’t have a kitchen.
- We advocate reserving excursions and lodging on-line upfront should you can. You possibly can e book your Puerto Ayora day excursions as quickly as you arrive on the island and also you’ll avoid wasting cash this fashion, however there’s additionally an excellent probability you gained’t be capable of do each tour you’d like as there’s a restricted variety of areas accessible and excursions are topic to strict laws. Plus, it’s simply sort of irritating to not know what you’ll be doing till you arrive! (We discovered this from expertise.) To e book a day journey or tour, simply discover any tour operator – their workplaces are throughout city – or go to the kiosk close to the docks. Remember that you’ll have to pay in your day excursions upfront with money.
Santa Cruz, Galapagos: Issues to Do
Puerto Ayora is the essential hub for the Galapagos Islands, and an excellent house base to do the Galapagos and not using a cruise. There are a lot of actions you are able to do on the island itself, plus a great deal of day journeys and excursions.
For the complete story of our go to to Santa Cruz Island – errors, mishaps, and all – head over to this post.


Go to the Fish Market
The Puerto Ayora fish market is a must-see and completely captures the magic of the Galapagos Islands. Sure, it’s the perfect place on the island to buy freshly caught seafood (should you’re fortunate sufficient to have a kitchen to play with, that is very thrilling!), however it’s additionally simply, like, a vibe. For one factor, there’s Lupe.
Lupe the Sea Lion is an everyday on the Puerto Ayora fish market. She positions herself behind the counter instantly beneath the reducing board, the place she is aware of she’ll get fed scraps and pores and skin from the recent fish fillets all day lengthy! She’s like a pet canine that’s additionally an lovable sea lion. We would like one!!
You’ll additionally discover a small crowd of hovering pelicans and herons, and generally napping sea lions as properly. Make sure that to cease by throughout the week when it’s open!

Snorkel in Las Grietas
Las Grietas is a fantastic clear pool between two sheer volcanic cliff faces – therefore the title, which suggests “The Crevices.” Throughout noon when the solar is excessive, the pool is a vibrant, clear blue, and the solar’s rays sparkle all the way in which to the underside of the deep pool, making for unimaginable pictures and views. You possibly can leap off the dock into the water should you like, and climb up the cliffs to leap from the rocks should you dare! Las Grietas is the perfect snorkeling on Santa Cruz Island by far.
To get to Las Grietas from Puerto Ayora, take a water taxi from the docks and ask for Punta Estrada or simply say you’re going to Las Grietas – they’ll know what you imply. It’s a ridiculously quick trip and the water taxi is beneath $1.
When you’re dropped off, you’ll stroll previous a elaborate resort and a few high-end bars and eating places (that is the costly facet of Puerto Ayora). Stroll alongside the boardwalk (it’s the solely choice so that you can stroll on, so that you gained’t get misplaced). The boardwalk will take you previous Punta Estrada, a small cove the place you possibly can swim, with a seashore throughout low tide.

Hold strolling down the boardwalk previous some fascinating pink-tinged salt flats. After about quarter-hour you’ll attain Las Grietas! Hold strolling down the boardwalk till you get to the doorway the place you sign up and wait in your flip to enter with a information (chances are you’ll wait 15-10 minutes to go together with an even bigger group). tl;dr observe the one path till it ends. Simple sufficient, proper?
Listed here are a number of ideas for visiting Las Grietas:
- There are literally 3 swimming pools in Las Grietas and two entrances. Your information decides which entrance you’ll go to, and that’s the place you enter, however you possibly can climb by to the opposite ones. Swim all the way in which to the tip of the primary pool, climb (fastidiously!) over the rocks, and swim by the second pool to entry the hidden third pool. To get to it you’ll both need to fastidiously climb over extra rocks (seriously, watch out. Jeremy slipped and minimize his foot right here) or take a deep breath, dive down, and swim by the underwater cave. When there are not any individuals within the pool, there are lots of of fish swimming on this part undisturbed, and it’s completely unimaginable.
- Your go to is proscribed to 90 minutes, however when you’ve completed, you possibly can stroll again and cease at Playa de los Alemanes and spend the remainder of the afternoon and sundown there, so pack loads of water and snacks.
- Snorkeling at Playa de los Alemanes could be a blended bag, however in case you are eager to strive, then goal for the mangroves in your proper to see sharks at excessive tide, or swim proper out to the furthest rocks to seek out sea snakes at low tide.

Go to the Kiosks
The Kiosks/Los Kioskos are the perfect place to eat in Puerto Ayora. The Kiosks are a seafood alley: a road lined with small, locally-owned eating places all cooking variations of extremely recent, regionally caught seafood bought from the fish market earlier within the day.
You’ll hear scorching from the charcoal parillas and scent smoky, grilled fish lengthy earlier than you stumble throughout this little alley.
When you arrive, you’ll discover the road crammed with tables, completely satisfied vacationers, and locals mingling among the many numerous kiosks, all of whom are promoting a variation of the identical objects, loudly proffered by servers thrusting menus and complete uncooked fish beneath your nostril, all accompanied by the sizzle and tantalizing scent of charcoal-grilled fish.
That is Puerto Ayora’s culinary specialty: an enormous smokey charcoal grill, the Picallada, constructed like a chimney and stoked with blow dryers to remain scorching all evening lengthy.
Every thing from recent complete fish rubbed with spices and nestled in tin foil, to octopus laid instantly on the grill for an ideal char and sear, to the effervescent seafood casserole in clay bowls, to scorching buttered ears of corn, are all smoked and roasted on that very same grill. And it’s freaking scrumptious.
Strolling by the alley is a little bit like carrying a bulls-eye in your brow: each step you are taking, somebody fingers you a menu or a fish or lists a number of objects and their costs at you, all in rapid-fire Spanish. However truthfully, you possibly can’t go improper: choose wherever, and order no matter they advocate. It’ll be nice.
Our favourite half about Los Kioskos? The most effective meals in Puerto Ayora can be essentially the most price range pleasant! An entire brujo fish to share is $15 at Sol y Mar, certainly one of our favourite kiosks in seafood alley. Their grilled and fried complete fish, grilled octopus, seafood cazuela, sopa de queso (scrumptious cheese soup) and numerous batidos (fruit milkshakes) are all wonderful.
The kioscos are positioned at Baltra & Charles Binford. It’s straightforward to stroll from wherever on the town. You too can all the time take an inexpensive pickup truck taxi. If that you must, ask any native for assist discovering los kioskos – they’ll all know.

Go to the Charles Darwin Analysis Station
The Charles Darwin Research Station in Santa Cruz is much less of a station and extra of a posh: the principle constructing is crammed with data and some small displays, however the principle points of interest are all outdoors.
Turtles are bred in a piece of the middle – every large island within the Galapagos has its personal land turtle breeding heart, we discovered.
As we watched large previous tortoises munch on turtle snacks and slowly chase one another round, we discovered that for years, the tortoise breeding heart tried its greatest to provide offspring that may proceed the survival of a tortoise species with just one present member: Lonesome George.

Sadly, lack of expertise of tortoise lineage result in a deadly flaw: the females being mated with Lonesome George had been hybrid species, that means that they may not efficiently mate with the previous tortoise.
He died a number of years in the past, taking his complete species with him.
Fortunately, advances in tortoise breeding have made it doable to resurrect this species from extinction: by breeding tortoises containing a excessive share of the genes of Lonesome George’s species, after a number of generations a totally genetically an identical tortoise will probably be born!
That’s some Jurassic Park sh**, proper there. Science is so cool.
Together with tortoises, you possibly can spy land and marine iguanas basking close to the middle.

Eat & Drink in Puerto Ayora
The principle stretch of Puerto Ayora is the perfect place to cease for a meal, a drink, or a nightcap! Listed here are a number of of the perfect locations to eat and drink in Puerto Ayora:
- For a small and low cost dinner, stroll as much as the market (nook of Avenida Baltra and Islas Duncan) from 6pm onwards for empanadas. Two stalls serve savory and candy (Nutella and banana – suuuuuper heavy however so yummy) empanadas for $1.5-2.5, with salads juice or the normal colada morada, a thick drink from cornflour, pineapple juice and berries ($1).
- The most effective espresso in Puerto Ayora may be discovered at 1835 Coffee Lab, a roastery serving regionally grown Galapagos espresso.
- You’ll discover loads of locations to get drinks for Completely satisfied Hour alongside Charles Darwin avenue, the principle road in Puerto Ayora. Stroll by round sundown to benefit from the perfect 2-for-1 drink provides!
- Your greatest ice cream after a protracted day on the seashore is Galapagos Deli. One scoop is biiiiig and two are an excessive amount of, however we’ve a tip for you: You possibly can ask for 2 flavors in a single scoop, so strive creamy chocolate with an area fruit, equivalent to Mora, the regionally grown blackberry.
- Strive a typical native breakfast at Tropic bird Cafe: going through the ocean proper subsequent to the fish market, this $5 breakfast and lunch spot is definitely extremely popular with the locals. Strive an encebollado with chifle, fish soup with a facet of fried plantain chips to crush up within the soup.

Swim in Tortuga Bay
Tortuga Bay is called as one of the crucial lovely seashores in Ecuador, however it’s due to its pristine white sand, not as a result of it’s teeming with turtles. Additionally, the visibility within the water was terrible for snorkeling. We kayaked across the bay searching for rays, sharks, and turtles, and solely managed to see a number of tiny fish.
It was, nevertheless, an ideal seashore day, which was well worth the journey even when the snorkeling wasn’t! We advocate spending a day enjoyable on the seashore, swimming, and kayaking in Tortuga Bay.
To get to Tortuga Bay, you possibly can take a water taxi ($10 every approach) that goes across the perimeter of the island to and from Puerto Ayora. You possibly can catch one on the essential docks in Puerto Ayora. Test timetables although or chances are you’ll miss the final one and find yourself strolling.
Nonetheless, we expect the greatest technique to get to Tortuga Bay from Puerto Ayora is by strolling. From the Puerto Ayora pier, cross the principle highway and attain Baltra Avenue. It’s a crimson cobblestone road with a motorbike lane. Stroll 2 blocks and also you’ll attain Charles Binford Avenue. Flip proper. Comply with Charles Binford Avenue out of city till you attain the tip of the road, after about 10 minutes.
On the finish of the road is a staircase up a brief hill. On the high of the hill is a little bit kiosk the place you’ll sign up to enter the park.
From the kiosk is a clean cobblestone path – stroller pleasant, we noticed a number of households – that you simply’ll stroll down for about 45 minutes. It’s not the prettiest stroll until you get pleasure from seeing the identical cactus and stubbly tree surroundings for 45 minutes.
You’ll attain the seashore and be rewarded with an extremely lovely view. The water right here is just too harmful for swimming, so there’s normally no person right here. Flip proper and stroll down the seashore for a shocking 15 or so minutes till you attain the tip of the seashore.
To your left are some rocks the place you possibly can see nesting marine iguanas and watch turtles swim within the open ocean. When you come throughout low tide, there’s a secluded little seashore with shade from the place you possibly can see the mile-long Tortuga Bay in its entirety.
To the proper you’ll discover Tortuga Bay – search for individuals swimming and sunbathing on the shore of a giant horseshoe-shaped bay!

Stroll to the tip of Tortuga Bay and observe the trail to the proper to get to Playa Mansa, the calm, lagoon-like a part of the seashore the place you possibly can lastly discover shade and – in case you are fortunate on a quiet day – spot little sharks within the shallow water.
Listed here are a number of ideas for visiting Tortuga Bay:
- Pack in every thing you will have for the day as there may be nowhere to purchase something on the seashore. We advise bringing tons of sunscreen and solar safety (the solar is way stronger right here on the equator!), numerous water (keep in mind you’ve gotten a protracted sunny hike to and from Tortuga Bay), a packed lunch and snacks, toilet paper (there isn’t a rest room, however you’ll find a spot should you want one within the bushes), a towel, and naturally your swimsuit!
- The water is comfy for swimming and not using a wetsuit and is fairly shallow throughout low tide.
- We rented snorkel gear for $14 and schlepped it together with us on the stroll, however it positively wasn’t price it – this isn’t an excellent snorkel spot. There are alleged to be reef sharks, rays, and turtles within the water, however it’s deep and murky and you’ll’t see something.
- We rented kayaks for $20 an hour from the lone vendor on the seashore. We tried to snorkel in several spots within the bay that had been too far to swim to, however that didn’t pan out. If you get pleasure from kayaking only for the sake of it, lease a kayak. In any other case, you possibly can skip the kayak rental. If you’re fairly assured in your swimming skills, swim out a little bit farther from the seashore and you’ll begin seeing turtles within the water.
- You possibly can see iguanas throughout low tide on the principle stretch of the seashore in addition to sunbathing on the very finish of the seashore earlier than attending to Playa Mansa. You too can discover turtles by strolling left on the finish of the seashore to the little lookout manufactured from lava stones the place you possibly can see them swimming within the water.

Go to a Tortoise Ranch
You’re not going to go to Galapagos with out seeing its most well-known inhabitant, proper?
Whilst you could spot them on the facet of the highway or go to a breeding heart, you possibly can see them in all their glory (and gigantic measurement!) at a ranch within the Highlands, the inland a part of Santa Cruz Island that sits at about 2,000 ft of elevation increased than the coast. The air up right here is cooler, which makes it the right habitat for tortoises!
There are two essential ranches to select from, each value $5 (which features a information to indicate you round) and have a restaurant and café do you have to need a snack or lunch overlooking tortoise.
To get to the tortoise ranches, take a bus from Puerto Ayora to Santa Rosa ($1-1.5) after which stroll (plan 90 minutes) following the one path within the village and switch left on the signal to the ranches. Comply with the highway and on the finish, flip left for Primicias (farther away) and proper for El Chato. When you get in Santa Rosa, you may as well hope to discover a taxi to take you the remainder of the way in which.
You too can lease a motorbike and cycle to Santa Rosa (you higher be in excellent form and cycle usually) or pop the bike on the bike rack on the bus to Santa Rose, then bike the remainder of the way in which there.
Alternatively, you possibly can take a taxi ($40 spherical journey) which can watch for you there.
Listed here are some ideas for visiting tortoise ranches:
- El Chato has three small lava tunnels, so you can begin with a shorter one and work your approach as much as the longer, darker ones (in case you get claustrophobic!). Primicias has one, nearly a mile-long tunnel with no approach of exiting earlier or turning round.
- Don’t put on your greatest garments — you’ll be strolling by excessive grass, crawling into an empty tortoise shell, and strolling round muddy fields, so be ready!
- Convey a sweater and/or raincoat; even when it’s sunny on the coast, it could actually get very moist up within the higher-elevation highlands. And convey socks! It helps keep away from ant bites within the tall grass. Plus if it’s muddy, the ranches provides you with rainboots.
Swings at Highland Views
Highland Views is a farm inland – within the increased elevation, cooler a part of Santa Cruz island often known as the Highlands – that’s open to vacationers ($5). Right here you possibly can stroll across the farm and take un beautiful views that stretch all the way in which throughout the island to the ocean, befriend and feed cattle, and see an indication of how they make sugarcane juice. However the actual draw are what Instagrammable goals are produced from: swings!
How loopy you need to go on the swing is as much as you: there are not any guidelines – and no security belts. Arise or just sit; both approach, the primary second you swing your ft ahead and overlook the complete island and see all the way in which to Santa Fe is exhilarating.
Tip: You’ll get the perfect image in case your photographer stands on the facet of the large posts holding the swing.
Oh, and don’t overlook to sit back within the hammock and pet the canines earlier than you allow!
- To get to Highland Views, you possibly can take a taxi for $15. Or for the cheaper and extra adventurous route, catch a bus from the nook of Baltra Avenue and Isla Duncan to El Cascajo for $1 – there may be one within the morning and one after lunch. From Cascajo, stroll again down the hill you got here up with and also you’ll discover the trail as much as Highland Views.

Garrapatero Seaside
Garrapatero Beach is a hidden gem within the Galapagos – a shocking quiet seashore (besides on weekends) the place you possibly can swim and kayak within the crystal clear water, calm down on the smooth white sand, or stroll alongside the seashore laced with volcanic lava rock.
There’s not a lot to see within the water, so go away your snorkel gear at your resort, however the panorama is attractive. Spend all day sitting within the shade, watching the pelicans on the water and leaping within the waves. And preserve a watch out for flamingos!
Plan for an all-day tour and pack a lunch to deliver with you (we advocate a pulled pork sandwich from Island Deli). There’s a lavatory and altering space accessible right here, so you possibly can bathe earlier than you head again.
- To get to Garrapatero Seaside, you possibly can take a taxi from Puerto Ayora (about $20 every approach) – make sure to allow them to know you’ll want a return trip. So as to add a scenic vista, negotiate in your taxi to drive you again by way of the highlands. It prices a little bit extra, the views are price it as you come back house. You’ll additionally get an opportunity to breathe within the cool, high-altitude, air for some time – a refreshing change after a protracted day on the seashore!
- You too can lease bikes on the town ($10-15, ask for a lock) and bike there, a little bit beneath 5 miles (put together for hills). You’ll cease at the very least twice to benefit from the view and snap pics, or simply as a result of there’s a tortoise on the highway. For the way in which again, e book a taxi upfront ($20) as there is no such thing as a sign and the way in which again is STEEP!

Santa Fe Island Day Journey
We took the Santa Fe Island day tour from Puerto Ayora. The tour was over 8 hours lengthy: we left at 8am and returned at 5pm.
First, we spent over an hour enjoyable on a seashore. Not one of the group knew we had been going to be parked at a seashore for over an hour, so no person had introduced something to do, blankets, sun shades, and so on – we had been all ready to simply hop within the ocean and snorkel. There was numerous grumbling and tedium. I spent an hour constructing a sand fortress. There are worse methods to waste time, however I do want we’d had some advance discover.
Subsequent we went to a rocky cliff face to snorkel. The present was extremely robust; that is not your common enjoyable snorkeling and swimming was tough! We did see some fairly fish – the water was deeper than a lot of the different excursions we went on.
After snorkeling, we went to a different space, a vibrant blue lagoon, the place we lastly had been in a position to swim with sea lions alongside the rocks the place they lay enjoyable. Then a supplied lunch, then one other elective hour for swimming, after which an odd half-hour of our boat making an attempt to catch fish for the following day’s lunch; then lastly we returned.
The most effective a part of this tour was that it wasn’t rushed; we weren’t always having to maintain up with a gaggle or all trailing the identical animals. Additionally, there are 3 separate places, 2 of which have distinctive snorkeling alternatives, so it wasn’t repetitive or boring in any respect.
Listed here are some ideas for the Santa Fe tour:
- When you do that tour, do it earlier in your journey as you’re unlikely to see a lot that’s new and thrilling should you’ve already been snorkeling rather a lot.
- You possibly can book the Santa Fe tour online in advance, or e book on the docks when you arrive.
- Our tour didn’t embody wetsuits, however the water is frigid. Lease wetsuits at any company on the town for the day.
- The supplied masks had been poorly made – two of the air tubes, together with mine, fell off within the ocean. We had been then requested to pay for the misplaced tubes (I politely refused). But one more reason why we advocate bringing your personal snorkeling gear as a part of our Galapagos Packing List.

Seymour Island Day Journey
On this all-day tour you’re more likely to see frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls as you hike across the island. Then, you’ll go swimming and snorkeling with sea lions. You might spot flamingos and sharks, too!
That is an all-day, 8 hour day journey that leaves at 8 am. As soon as picked up, you’ll drive for about an hour to Itabaca Canal earlier than boarding your boat.
You’ll head to an space to hike and stroll round, in addition to go to a blue-footed boobies nest – should you’re fortunate, you’ll see them doing awkward little courtship dances throughout mating season! You’ll go to Las Bachas Seaside for snorkelling and swimming earlier than heading again to your resort.
Lunch, snorkel gear, and a wetsuit are supplied.
When you’re not visiting Isla Isabela, this may be your solely probability to see blue-footed boobies – and people foolish little birds are properly well worth the tour. In any other case, you would possibly need to wait till you possibly can take the Los Tuneles tour on Isabela Island, which is similiar.
You possibly can book this tour online in advance, or when you arrive in Puerto Ayora at any native tour operator or on the kiosk by the docks.

Santa Cruz, Galapagos Lodges: The place to Keep
There are many motels on Santa Cruz Island positioned in Puerto Ayora, starting from cheap to extra luxurious. Count on decently sized non-public rooms with non-public loos, scorching water, towels, drinkable water, and the works for round $50-70 an evening, or a bit increased should you decide to incorporate breakfast.
Listed here are our picks near the principle stretch of Puerto Ayora:
- Mid-Vary Resort: Sueno Silvestres is positioned near the Charles Darwin analysis heart and some blocks away from the seashore & essential road of Puerto Ayora in a pleasant quiet and personal space. Our room was massive, scorching water was plentiful, there have been free towels and drinkable water supplied, and the proprietor Carlos was pleasant and welcoming. Breakfast is accessible for an additional price.
- Trip Rental: This spacious modern loft has ocean views EVERYWHERE – from the lounge, the non-public balcony. This sunny little apartment nestled within the treetops is only a 5-minute stroll away from the principle city stretch – AND it’s beneath $100/evening!
- Funds-Pleasant Hostel: Hostal Vista al Mar has dorm rooms (together with all-female rooms) and a visitor kitchen and a backyard for $15-20/evening. That’s an incredible worth for the Galapagos!

Most motels in Santa Cruz are positioned inside a 10-minute stroll from the docks, kiosks, and grocery shops in Puerto Ayora. However a number of motels are positioned on the Punta Estrada Waterfront close to the quiet Alemanes Seaside. It’s a brief water taxi trip again to the principle stretch in Puerto Ayora. (And really near Las Grietas!)
Listed here are our picks for the place to remain in Punta Estrada:
- Finch Bay is fingers down the nicest resort in Santa Cruz. Suppose luxurious every thing. There’s even a personal dock with a personal yacht for visitors. Facilities embody free Wi-Fi, A/C, a beautiful swimming pool and restaurant, and a pier with yachts to go to the islands. Breakfast with bacon, sausages, pancakes, recent fruits and eggs is served day by day.
- Hotel Angermeyer Waterfront Inn is in a picturesque resort manufactured from lava stones and driftwood. Big home windows overlook the ocean as you dine in your included breakfast or get pleasure from a cocktail by the fireside. Sunbathe, chill, or snorkel on the non-public waterfront!
Psst: Planning a visit to the Galapagos Islands? Check out these different posts that will help you plan:
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- Vaccines & Meds: We use the journey guides on the CDC website to analysis advisable medicines and vaccines for worldwide journeys. We all the time advocate getting each vaccine advisable by the CDC! You will get them at your main care physician’s workplace or a walk-in pharmacy.
- Excursions: We love reserving guided excursions, particularly meals excursions and strolling excursions, to get an area’s perspective and a historical past lesson whereas sight-seeing! We e book our excursions utilizing Viator and GetYourGuide.
- Transportation: We use Rome2Rio to determine get from place to put, and e book native transportation on-line utilizing Bookaway wherever we are able to. Once we e book a rental automotive, we use Kayak to check rental corporations and discover the perfect deal.
- Baggage Storage: Every time we’re trying out early or benefiting from a protracted layover, we use LuggageHero to securely retailer our baggage whereas we’re operating round. Use the code PRACTICALW for two hours of free baggage storage on us.
- VPN Service: A VPN retains your digital data (like web site login particulars, financial institution data, and so on) secure, even whenever you’re related to an unsecured community whereas touring. Plus, it helps you to use Netflix & different streaming websites overseas! We use NordVPN. Use the code WANDERLUSTPROMO whenever you enroll!
- What to Pack: Here are the travel essentials that we deliver on each journey. We even have packing lists for hot weather, cold weather, and plenty of extra. Check out all of our packing guides!
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