Where are the Galapagos. Yellow land iguanas. Other famous beaches

You are tired of the noise of the big city and choose a venue long-awaited vacation? Do you want to relax on the beach under the sound of the surf and get acquainted with amazing sights, but at the same time do not consider boring Turkey, Egypt and Thailand, as well as stiff Europe? We suggest visiting Ecuador, or rather, located about 1000 km west of it Galapagos Islands.

Despite the fact that the Galapagos are quite far from civilization, here you are guaranteed to enjoy all the resort delights and get a lot of fresh impressions! You can come here alone or with a loved one, with children or friends - no one will be bored: neither lovers of lying on the beach, nor explorers of the ocean depths!

The Galapagos Islands is an archipelago of 19 islands in the Pacific Ocean on the equator line, formed 6,000,000 years ago after repeated underwater volcanic eruptions. The equator passes through the crater of the mighty Wolf volcano - the highest point of the Galapagos (1707 m above sea level).

The archipelago is conditionally divided into northern and southern parts. The division occurs along a deep ocean trench. Almost all the islands are located in the southern part, and in the northern part there are only a few small rocky islets (Darwin, Wolfe, etc.). Each island has its own unique nature, and the animals living here have adapted for centuries to climatic conditions and the local rugged landscape. By the way, Darwin Island is named after the famous scientist who conducted his research here and first thought about the evolutionary origin of species. Therefore, the Galapagos is also called the "laboratory of evolution."

The area of ​​the main archipelago is 7880 m2. Now about 30,000 people live on it. And for the first time, a human foot set foot on these lands only in 1535! Currently, the islands have the status of "Galapagos National Park and Ecological Reserve". by the most big city and largest tourist center The archipelago is considered to be Puerto Ayora, located on the island of Santa Cruz.

The unique ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands guarantees a comfortable and pleasant stay! Lady Nature herself opens the door to a wonderful world for brave travelers with bewitching landscapes, white, black and olive sandy coasts, cactus forests and other sights of natural origin.

Weather and climate

Despite the fact that the Galapagos are located on the equator, the climate here is not tropical, but mild and gentle. The weather in this region is largely influenced by cold ocean currents and winds. There are no seasons familiar to us, but two seasons are pronounced: from December to April - the rainy season, from July to October - the dry season.

The hottest periods are December-June, the coolest are July-November. Average annual temperature is about +24 °C. In March and April, the air warms up to +28 °C, and in September - only +21 °C, but by our standards it is quite warm. The water temperature never drops below +21 °C. Thus, you can relax in the Galapagos throughout the year! Acclimatization period for European tourists goes by quickly and almost imperceptibly.

Wildlife of the Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands amaze travelers with an abundance of unprecedented living creatures! Majestic frigates are circling in the sky, on coastal rocks boobies are sitting proudly showing their amazing bright blue paws, hundreds of pelicans and penguins are splashing in the sea.

And in the depths under water there is a life of its own - cruel, but at the same time beautiful. Schools of all kinds of fish dart about in a solid mass, but from time to time the idyll is interrupted by bursts, clanging of closed jaws and the contented rumbling of a predator that has dealt with its prey. Sea lions can also be found in local waters. They are happy to meet tourists and even play with them!

In addition, the rarest Galapagos terrestrial iguanas, elephant and green turtles, holothurians, birds of the finches family, buzzards, cormorants are found here ... All representatives of the local fauna simply cannot be counted! Can you imagine what beautiful and unique photos you will bring back from this trip?! Some animals living in the Galapagos Islands are threatened with extinction. But the guards are successfully fighting the visiting poachers national park.

Galapagos Islands tours

For tourist trip The Galapagos Islands do not require a visa. It is more convenient to book tours with well-known tour operators. On average, a trip to the Galapagos will cost you $ 4,000 (for 1 person). Throughout the route, you will be accompanied by a Russian-speaking guide who will try to create the most comfortable conditions during the trip and tell you a lot of interesting things about these amazing islands.

To get to the Galapagos Islands, you first need to fly by plane to the capital of Ecuador, Kyoto. From there, take an Aerolineas Galapagos flight to Guayaquil (1.5 hours), and only then to the Galapagos (another 1.5 hours).

The local cuisine is very tasty, but at first it is better to limit yourself to the usual rice, eggs, vegetables, seafood and corn tortillas. Once adapted, gourmets can try roasted guinea pig, suckling pig or beef hooves in a South American olive oil and white pepper sauce. But we do not recommend trying the traditional local dish - fried green bananas: this is fraught with indigestion!

You must be vaccinated against malaria and yellow fever before traveling to the Galapagos Islands. And we should not forget that in the equatorial countries, as in many others, you can not drink running water!

Tourist routes

In order to view the Galapagos, travelers take a cruise around the islands with landfalls. Tourist routes pass through the most interesting places of the Galapagos archipelago: northern island Genoves, rich in fantastic fauna, the most picturesque island Bartolome and, of course, the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island, home to the famous giant tortoises. Surprisingly, all the wild animals of the Galapagos are absolutely not afraid of people and allow you to watch yourself from a fairly close distance.

It should be noted that it is possible to move around the permitted places of the picturesque territory of the National Park only accompanied by an employee of the host travel company. Entrance to the park costs about $100. All excursions are paid in cash. It is forbidden to make noise and kindle fires in the protected area, as this irritates birds and animals that have delicate hearing and a sensitive sense of smell.

Bartolome

Photos of Bartolome Island have spread all over the world: there are stunning volcanic landscapes here! The main attractions for tourists are swimming with sea lions and small Galapagos penguins, whose numbers have been significantly reduced by the warm El Niño current, watching manta rays and sharks swimming near the shore, climbing to the 114-meter peak of the island, which offers fantastic views of all the Galapagos islands.

Santa Cruz Island

Santa Cruz is considered the main island of the archipelago, and its capital, Puerto Ayora, is the main city of the Galapagos Islands. In the immediate vicinity of the city are the main attractions of this island: Galapagos national park, lava caves, turtle farm, picturesque beach Tortuga Bay and the C. Darwin Research Center. Scientists of the institute are engaged in the preservation of the unique ecosystem of the archipelago. They consider the import of animals from other regions to the Galapagos Islands as the main problem: cats, dogs, goats, insects.

The city has both cheap hotels and expensive hotels. There are many entertainments for tourists: snorkeling, diving, yachting, kayaking, bird watching, cycling and horseback riding, etc. You can travel from Puerto Ayora to other islands of the archipelago on a rented yacht or light aircraft.

San Cristobal

The second largest settlement of the Galapagos is the port of Baquerizo Moreno on the island of San Cristobal. Its main attraction is the Interpretation Center, which was built with the help of the Spanish government. By visiting the Center, you can learn about the volcanic origin and development of the natural features of the islands.

If you want to have fun visit main park village located near small beach and watch the sea lions. These amazing animals are very friendly to people!

isabela island

The main settlement of this island is the fishing village of Puerto Villamil. Tourists almost never visit Isabela, except sometimes they sail by on yachts. But in vain! There are no less attractions than on other islands of the Galapagos archipelago:

The path along the reef is the habitat of white sharks;

Bay of Conha and Perla - wonderful place for snorkeling;

Impressive volcanoes Chico and Sierra Negra (its crater has a diameter of 11 m!);

A farm where giant tortoises are bred;

The lake where they live pink flamingos;

"wall of tears", stones for which were collected and carried by the prisoners of the colony, previously located on this island.

Santiago

The main attraction of the island of Santiago is Puerto Egas beach with black sand of volcanic origin. This beach is home to iguanas, sea lions, crabs, blue herons, gulls and other shore birds. It's nice to just walk or swim and dive under the water in a mask.

We invite you to take a trip to the unique world of the Galapagos Islands. We wish you to have a good time, learn a lot of interesting things and get incredible impressions!

See you on the pages of the site!

The Pacific Galapagos Islands, which belong to the Republic of Ecuador, are also called the Turtle Islands, because in Spanish "turtles" are "galapagos". It is not surprising that this particular animal has become a symbol of the archipelago, because it is inhabited by a large number of giant sea turtles. But, of course, turtles are not the only pride of the islands. There are many plants and animals that can not be found anywhere else, such as the marine iguana, endemic species of seals or the Galapagos fur seal.

Such a rich natural heritage cannot be left without protection, because most of the rare animals today are close to extinction. The Galapagos National Park includes almost all the islands of the archipelago. The islands are diverse: some of them are covered with dense tropical vegetation, while others have a desert “lunar” landscape.

The Galapagos Islands are amazing and lovers wildlife they visit these places with pleasure to observe rare creatures and enjoy wonderful views.

Hispaniola Island

Hispaniola is also known as Hood. Hispaniola was named after Spain. The area of ​​the island is about 60 square kilometers, and maximum height- 206 meters above sea level.

The age of the island is estimated at 3 and a half million years. This is the oldest and most south island from the entire archipelago. WITH geographic point it is the most classic example of a shield volcano, which was formed by a single caldera in the center of the island. Over time, the island moved away from the hot spot, then the volcano died out, and erosion began.

The remoteness of the island from the main group of islands has contributed to the development of a large number of endemic inhabitants that are adapted exclusively to local natural resources.

The Galapagos albatross, a rare bird species, lives here. The steep and forbidding cliffs of the island are great for taking off these large birds. The hooded mockingbird, a bronze fearless bird, is also endemic to the island.

In addition, guests of the island can meet brightly colored marine iguanas, gulls, lizards, boobies and finches here. And large spacious bays attract a large number of sea lions.

What sights of the Galapagos Islands did you like? There are icons next to the photo, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Santa Cruz Island

Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the Galapagos archipelago. The largest city of the Puerto Ayora archipelago is located on it, here you can find all the benefits of civilization. But the main attractions of the island, of course, are natural objects, of which there are many on the island, because almost its entire area is occupied by the Galapagos National Park.

There is an amazing place on Santa Cruz: Tortuga Bay, located near Puerto Ayora, which is a long white sand beach, which is characterized by fairly strong waves. It is here that surfers can practice their favorite sport, and swimmers can relax in peace at the end of the beach strip, where there are no surfers anymore. Here you can explore the mangroves, watch mockingbirds, pelicans, marine iguanas or swim with sharks.

In the south-west of the island is the bay of Las Ninfas with calm waters, surrounded by cliffs in tropical greenery, the nearby Bellavista tunnel is known for being inhabited by sea turtles, different kinds fish, rays and sharks. In general, there are many places worthy of a detailed description on Santa Cruz Island, but it is better to see them with your own eyes.

Isabella Island. was named after the Queen of Spain. This is the most big Island Galapagos Islands. The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus.

The area of ​​the island is about 4640 square kilometers, the length is 100 kilometers, and its shape resembles the figure of a sea horse. On this moment There are five young active volcanoes on the island, of which two are located on the Equator.

The island is very rich in its flora and fauna. It is amazing a nice place! Marine iguanas, penguins, crabs, pelicans, Galapagos tortoises, boobies and other inhabitants live here. From the island you can watch the Galapagos whales, of which there are 16 species.

The local population of the island is only about 2200 people. This area is the most important reserve in the country, because it is here that more than 60 percent of the species of flora and fauna are concentrated.

Volcano Sierra Negra

Sierra Negra - active volcano on Isabela Island, has a crater with a diameter of 11 kilometers. The height of the volcano is 1124 meters. Tourists are attracted by its size and picturesque landscapes surrounding the volcano.

Sierra Negra is an active volcano last eruption which was in 2005. Volcano has enough big sizes, with a crater striking in its size - a huge funnel with a diameter of 11 kilometers! Tourists are offered to climb and ride along the edge of the crater on horseback, during which you can not only see the crater, but also the birds and animals that inhabit the slopes of the volcano.

Floreana Island

Floreana is an island in the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The island is also known as Santa Maria or Charles Island. It is the sixth largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago. Its area is about 173 square kilometers.

Floreana Island was named after the first president of Ecuador, Juan José Flores, under whose rule the Galapagos Islands came under the jurisdiction of Ecuador. And before that, the island was called Santa Maria in honor of one caravel of Christopher Columbus.

The main attraction of the island is the unusually beautiful pink flamingos, which have chosen the lagoon at Cape Punta Cormorant. Here you can find a beach where large sea turtles lay their eggs.

At Cape Punta Cormorant, tourists will find black sandy shores, which, thanks to interspersed with the mineral peridot, shimmer with green crystals. These inclusions indicate strong volcanic eruptions.

Fernandina Island

Fernandina Island of the Galapagos archipelago is located in the waters of the Pacific Ocean and was named after the king of Spain, who supported the great discoverer Columbus in his expedition.

In the very center of the island there is an active volcano La Cumbre, in this regard, a trip along Fernandina poses some threat to tourists. There you can also see a depression formed as a result of the collapse of the top of the volcano, at the bottom of which a volcanic lake shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow. Tourists are not allowed here, so you have to be content with walks along the coast, admiring the endless expanses of the Pacific Ocean.

The flora is not rich, the only thing that can survive in difficult natural conditions are laurel cacti, of which there are a great many, and mangroves along the coast.

A pleasant surprise may be a meeting with cormorants, marine iguanas, and, of course, the famous Galapagos penguins. And on the ocean shore, sea lions bask in the rays of the hot sun, sometimes giving their loud voice, capable of blocking the bewitching sound of the surf.

Are you curious to know how well you know the sights of the Galapagos Islands? .

Santa Fe Island

Santa Fe Island is located in the middle of the Galapagos archipelago, has an area of ​​24 square kilometers. Tourists are attracted by one of the most beautiful bays on the islands and the diversity of flora and fauna.

The bay of the island is its main attraction, it is protected from winds and storms and attracts with its clear turquoise waters. Also, tourists can see various animals living on the island and in its waters - sea lions, turtles, rays, iguanas and many others. Will be interesting walks and away from coastline, where there will be an opportunity to look at various types of cacti and other exotic plants.

The most popular attractions in the Galapagos Islands with descriptions and photos for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places Galapagos Islands on our website.

More attractions in the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are part of Ecuador. I didn't know about it when I first went to South America. Jungles - yes, volcanoes - yes, but I could not imagine that those same Darwinian Galapagos, where centennial turtles live, would be so close to the capital of Ecuador and even closer to the second most populous city of Guayaquil.

How to get from the airport to settlements

The airport is located on the uninhabited island of Baltra. From there free bus delivers tourists to the ferry, and he ferries to Santa Cruz, where there is a taxi to Puerto Ayora.

It is convenient to buy a tour on the mainland, then you will be met and taken to the hotel and attractions. For the first time in my life I was greeted with a sign "Daria Ofitserova". A laconic, tanned man led us to the bus, where all the passengers of the plane were packed, including an American couple with a child and four suitcases, tourists in Ecuadorian hats, a group of schoolchildren, Indians and me - ladies in pink resort overalls.

From the plane to the bus, from the bus to the ferry. Swim for a minute, everyone put on their vests, paid a dollar each, took off their vests, went out to Santa Cruz.
Without waiting for personal transport, I walked to the buses, ready to take any that the guide would show. But no: he got behind the wheel of a pickup truck - this is the most popular mode of transport here: even the police drive pickups - and we drove off.

By train

No way by train.

By bus

You can't get there by bus either.

By car

By car only if flying.

By ferry

You can get to the Galapagos Islands only by plane, to move from island to island - by ship.

There are tours with a program for several days: you fly to the Galapagos and sail on a small yacht or a large liner from attraction to attraction. The price of tours starts from 300 USD per day, depending on the comfort class (economy, tourist, first or luxury) and the duration of the trip (usually from 3 to 12 days). The prices of an tour can be compared by.
You can plan your own program. Then, upon arrival, you are accommodated in a hotel and every day you choose tours in agencies on the islands. Day trips cost from 50 to 200 USD (cheapest - by car around the island, the most expensive - boat rental and diving). You won’t be able to see remote islands where it makes no sense to go one day, but save money.

Clue:

Galapagos Islands time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 9

Kazan 9

Samara 10

Yekaterinburg 11

Novosibirsk 13

Vladivostok 16

When is the season. When is the best time to go

It is always warm here, but there are two seasons depending on ocean currents:

• June to November - dry and cool,
• from December to May - warm and humid.

In summer and autumn, air and water have an average temperature of +20 ° C, the wind blows, but it seems that the native islanders have little idea that -20 ° C can be called cool in Russia. So I boldly declare: you can go to the Galapagos "cool" season, unless you are tormented by thoughts about July +30 ° C in Russia of the middle lane.

Winter and spring are warm and rainy seasons. Air and water temperature +25 °C. Despite the rains, winter is the most tourist time. Warm showers are not so terrible, and if you're lucky, they won't be at all.

To summarize: you can go to the Galapagos at any time - the equator, it is always warm, prices do not depend much on the season.

Galapagos Islands in summer

Summer in the Galapagos is cooler, in my opinion, than winter. The Humboldt current brings to the shores cold water, and this reduces the temperature on land. But the water is saturated with microorganisms, which attracts fish and sea birds, there are more penguins, and albatrosses arrive on the island of Hispaniola.

Galapagos Islands in autumn

In autumn, as in summer, it is drier and cooler. Sometimes it rains lightly, which is called Garua, but sea ​​life more diverse, so divers should go in the fall.

The mating season of blue-footed boobies is coming - this is information for amateur ornithologists. For everyone else: blue-footed boobies are simply beautiful rare birds with blue paws, and you can look at them in the Galapagos autumn.

Galapagos Islands in spring

As I said, from December to May it is warmer than from June to November. More sun - you should take care of sunscreen SPF 30+. A bonus of spring in the Galapagos is the flowering and painting of the flora, as well as the opportunity to watch the turtles lay their eggs on the beach.

Galapagos Islands in winter

Going to the Galapagos in winter is ideal. I was in February and never saw rain during the promised wet season. I swam in the ocean - warm as cappuccino foam, and walked around the city in a T-shirt and shorts, forgetting about the Moscow "get ink and cry."

Clue:

Galapagos Islands - monthly weather

conditional areas. Descriptions and Features

There are four inhabited islands:

• isabela,
• Santa Cruz
• San Cristobal,
• Florian.

I would suggest to settle on each of them. If you book a sea tour, then you don’t have to worry about accommodation - you will sleep in a cabin. But traveling by ship is more expensive, so I decided to live on one island and make day trips to others. It remains only to choose where to settle.

Santa Cruz

The easiest way to settle in the Galapagos is to fly to Baltra, from there take a ferry to Santa Cruz and drive to the most Big City Galapagos (for a second, 11 thousand inhabitants) - Puerto Ayora. There are many accommodation options: from hostels to luxury hotels. Prices start from 30 USD per night.

As elsewhere in Latin America not all hotels have a website, so if you have not booked a hotel in advance, then in Puerto Ayora you can find where to spend the night.

Apart from traditional hotels I would note a specific Latin American lodge - bungalows remote from the city. The price of accommodation in boutique hotels in Galapagos is comparable to hotels in the city, but it will be difficult to get to the beaches and attractions. But nature!

Isabela

Isabela is the largest island, but you can only get there by sea, flying first to Baltra or San Cristobal. The largest (and only) city is Puerto Villamil.

Accommodation price from 40 USD: hostels, guesthouses, hotels and villas. The cost of housing depends on the number of people in the room, conditions and proximity to the beach - people come to Isabela for silk sand and bounty views.

San Cristobal

On this small island is the second airport in the Galapagos. The center of civilization is the city of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

Prices for hotels and hostels start from 40 USD, but there are not many accommodation options, so if you want to stay here, you should book in advance.

Floriana

Quite a small, but still inhabited island. The settlement is a village of 100 inhabitants of Puerto Velasco-Ibarra, and there are practically no hotels here.

You can go to the island in one day, but if you want to stay overnight, book your accommodation very, very early.

Personal experience

I ended up living on Santa Cruz in Puerto Ayora. It looks like any settlement on the seashore: small, with souvenir tents - any or, except for the fact that pelicans crash their noses into the water at full speed, and fur seals warm themselves on the piers.

In addition to the central street, there are areas for locals. It's safe there, I walked alone, looked at schools and the university (how can you study when you have an ocean here?), a church on which a turtle and a pelican are painted - this can only be seen here.

What are the prices for holidays

In the Galapagos, as I noticed, it is more expensive than in the mainland of Ecuador. There are many American tourists here, travelers from all over the world, and locals are not shy about inflating prices, referring to the uniqueness of the place. On the islands, as in all of Ecuador, the US dollar is used, but if you can go to the mainland with barely enough money for a ticket, then when you go to the islands, stock up on finances. Here is a different world: not just, but a natural attraction that people go to see from everywhere and do not spare money for a dream.

How to save?

Again, plan ahead! A ticket for a Quito-Galapagos plane will cost from 150 USD one way (moreover, a foreigner cannot buy a one-way ticket, so immediately - 300 USD). Guayaquil-Galapagos - cheaper (from 50 USD), but if you buy in advance, there is a chance to find a ticket for only 14 USD. It is better to fly to the airport on the island of Baltra. The second airport of the Galapagos - to San Cristobal - is smaller and farther, which means there are few flights and tickets are more expensive. And one more thing: upon arrival, all non-citizens of Ecuador must pay 100 USD for visiting the islands as a world famous nature reserve.

It is cheaper in my experience to stay in a hotel on one island and move to other one-day tours than to buy a place in a ship's cabin: price sea ​​tour starts from 300 USD per day, and while living in a hotel, you can pay from 30 USD per night, buy excursions for 50–200 USD and dine for less than 2 USD.

It is cheaper to travel with a company, then you can rent a yacht (1000 USD per boat for 10 passengers for 4 days!) And book inexpensive hotel rooms for three or four (for comparison, a triple room - from 45 USD, a single room - from 30 USD).

The most expensive thing on a trip is plane tickets and excursions. The food is very cheap - lunch in a nice restaurant can cost 2 USD, a taxi around the city - 1 USD.

A super budget option is to go to the islands as a volunteer. I have met such people in the Galapagos, but a volunteer trip will have to be taken care of very early and take at least a month for it. The programs do not pay for travel, so in any case you will have to buy a plane ticket yourself.

Main attractions. What to see

Nature is the main attraction of the islands. Fearless animals that walk along the beach and the city, century-old turtles and strange plants - everything seems to be similar to what you have already seen, but together - it drives you crazy.

I went to see nature, but I did not expect how it would amaze me so much. It seems to be a country landscape: a green lawn, trees at a distance, but suddenly the pastoral picture turns into a surreal one - a huge turtle crawls out from behind a bush, slowly chewing grass.

If we take into account that the largest city of the Galapagos is inhabited by 11 thousand people, then you can imagine what they look like tourist streets. But the uniqueness of the islands is in everything, and even in small settlements there is something to see.

Promenade of Puerto Ayora

The street that runs along the ocean in the capital of the Galapagos is called Charles Darwin Avenue. There is a center of civilization, cafes and restaurants, tourist offices.

At the beginning of the street, a fish market opens in the morning - locals sell seafood, and pelicans try to steal fish from the stalls. At the end of the street is a port from where yachts and ships leave for other islands.

Promenade of Puerto Villamil

The embankment of the island of Isabela differs in atmosphere from the capital - there is also a port, there are animals and birds, but life is different - relaxed, unhurried, island-like.

The embankment is called Melecon, on which I saw bars with hammocks under coconut palms, fur seals and iguanas.

I categorically do not recommend going to the Galapagos for one day: only getting from Russia is a day. The ideal duration of the trip is a week, the minimum is three days. But to see one island in a day is possible. For example, I would recommend this option:

1. Arrive at Baltra Island - the earliest flight arrives at 9.
2. Hire a car and drive to Puerto Ayora. It takes about an hour to get there, but along the way you stop at a turtle farm, see twin craters and lava tunnels.
3. Arrive in Puerto Ayora. After lunch, take a taxi to Darwin station, go on a tour, and then drive to the beach and stay there until sunset.
4. It always gets dark at the equator at 6, so you return to the city and go to a restaurant in the center to celebrate your first day in the Galapagos.

Top 5

The Galapagos are surreal. You walk along the coastal shopping street in the morning: souvenir tents are on the right, the sea is on the left, and then, out of nowhere, a huge winged something flies out and fits into the water at full speed - a pelican. Okay, so be it. Meeting with a tourist group, waiting for the boat - the usual tour. If not for a fur seal, which lay down on one of the piers and basked in the sun.

Beaches. Which is better

Like everything in the Galapagos, the beaches here are unusual: there is not only sand on the shore, but also black stones of solidified magma. Popular - Tortuga Bay on Santa Cruz and Puerto Villamil on Isabela.

Tortuga Bay

The largest and most famous beach on the island of Santa Cruz and in all the Galapagos. Drive not far - about 2.5 kilometers from Puerto Ayora.

Here you can see fur seals, turtles and sharks (and swim with them). Of the birds, I observed pelicans and flamingos.

Puerto Villamil

Main city to Isabela - Puerto Villamil. It's also called the beach. The atmosphere here is heavenly - coconut palms, iguanas run around white sand, fur seals lie in the shade.

As well as on Tortuga Bay - the shores of solidified magma, you can swim with a mask.

Other famous beaches

I would highlight the following:

• Gardner on Hispaniola.
• Garrapatero on Santa Cruz
• Puerto Egas on Santiago
• Bartolome island beach,
• Postal beach on the island of Florentina.

Museums. Which are worth a visit

Galapagos - one big natural museum(it’s not for nothing that every foreigner pays 100 USD upon entry), and there are rules here: animals are exhibits, they can’t be touched, foreign flora and fauna can’t be imported, it will destroy the ecosystem.

Of the places that are most like a museum, I liked the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz and the turtle farming center on Isabela Island.

Darwin Station

Located on Santa Cruz near Puerto Ayora. This science Center, but they conduct excursions for tourists, talk about the famous tortoise Lonesome George and show yellow iguanas, turtles and birds.

I saw a fur seal playing with a swimming iguana and it was like in a National Geographic movie.

Giant tortoise breeding center

On Isabela Island, near Puerto Villamil, there is a place where turtles are bred.

There you can see turtle eggs, newly hatched babies and giant adults.

parks

All Galapagos Islands - big park, but there are natural attractions that are definitely worth a look. Among them are twin craters and lava caves.

twin craters

Los Gimelos (from Spanish - twins) - two craters on the way from the airport of Baltra Island to Puerto Ayora. They look like giant potholes on either side of the Santa Cruz Island main road. Once there was gas in the craters, but it burst out, collapsing the surface of the earth.

Now around beautiful forest with fern trees, which I heard only grow in the Galapagos.

lava caves

The Galapagos are volcanic islands, which means that lava once flowed over them.

She formed underground passages, and the strangest thing about these caves is that you can walk through them, like through an underpass.

neighboring regions

Neighborhoods of the capital Puerto Ayora:

• Darwin station (drive from the center 10 minutes),
• Tortuga Bay beach (2.5 kilometers from the city),
• twin craters, turtle farm and lava caves (located next to each other, half an hour drive from the coast to the mountainous part of the island).

I wrote about these sights above.

Surroundings of Santa Cruz - Isabela, Floriana and other smaller islands. I will talk about uninhabited islands later.

nearby islands

The Galapagos is an archipelago, which means that it contains many islands. Four inhabited: Santa Cruz, Isabela, Floriana. And more than a hundred uninhabited. Almost everyone has an animal, fish or bird that is not found anywhere else in the world. That is why the islands are worth visiting. Now I will tell you about the most famous ones.

Hispaniola

In the town of Suarez Point, they watch blue-footed boobies, in Gardner Bay - albatrosses.

Santiago (San Salvador)

Sea lions, turtles, flamingos, dolphins and seals live here. People come here to look at Darwin's finches, which led the scientist to the idea of ​​biological evolution.

To the port of Egas - to swim with a mask and snorkel, to the beach of Espumilla - to see crabs and iguanas.

Rabida

Martian landscapes with orange-red sand and nests of brown pelicans.

Genovesa

People come here to watch the Galapagos birds.

There are two attractions on the island: the Prince Philip Trail with bird nests on the rocks and Darwin Beach, ideal for diving.

Marchena

On the island is active volcano tourists are rare here.

They come here for diving.

Fernandina

Third largest, but uninhabited due to volcanic activity, which is still there.

Here you can see the Galapagos hawks.

Bartolome

Dormant volcano, one of the most visited uninhabited islands.

Famous for landscapes, which even got into the frames of the movie "Master and Commander" with Russell Crowe.

Food. What to try

The main food in the Galapagos is seafood. They are fresh here - only from the ocean - and are inexpensive. If you can make your own, I advise you to buy them in the morning at the Puerto Ayora market and experiment with island cuisine. If you don't dare, go to a restaurant. Food prices are low here. You can have lunch for 2 USD, and a full dinner in a good restaurant on the embankment will cost 15–25 USD.

Local dishes worth trying:

• ceviche - a fish soup also popular on the coast of Ecuador;
• enseboyado - fish soup, but with the addition of onions;
• empanadas - pies with fillings: cheese, potatoes, fish, etc.

In restaurants and cafes, try fish and seafood - fried or baked, they are served with potatoes, rice or yucca.

Especially worth mentioning about fruits. They are not local, they are imported from Ecuador, but they are ideal in the heat. You can buy familiar bananas and papaya, exotic guanabana, tree tomato and naranchia. Fresh fruits are made from all fruits, and coconuts are sold with straws to drink coconut milk.

Fruits are sold on the embankments in small tents - tiends, and in Puerto Ayora there is a market (turn off the embankment onto Baltra Avenue and walk straight for ten minutes).

All Galapagos restaurants are located in the cities and towns of the inhabited islands: Puerto Ayora, Puerto Villamil, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Puerto Velasco Ibarra.

In Puerto Ayora, tourist restaurants are located on the waterfront. The farther from it - the cheaper, but the less likely that you will bring the menu in English, and the waiters will speak any language other than Spanish.

On the outskirts of Puerto Ayora, which is a 15–20-minute walk from the embankment, which is the center of the city and civilization here, there are many nameless cafes with plastic chairs where a bite to eat costs 2–4 USD. Food is a little more expensive on Isabela Island.

Lunch on the promenade of Puerto Ayora will cost 10–15 USD, dinner -15–25 USD. I recommend El Chocolate, Isla Grill and Il Giardinos. On Isabela, you should lie down in a hammock next to the Iguana Point bar. Here you can order a beer or fresh juice and relax with beach-island music.

Restaurants with white tablecloths expensive hotels. Here you can order good wine and try local dishes with a beautiful presentation. But the flavor of the islands, in my opinion, is still in eateries and street cafes.

Safety. What to watch out for

The islands are safe. Here you should not be afraid of either hooligans or scammers. You can walk in the morning, afternoon, evening and night, alone, together or in company. Local residents are positive, tourists are their main source of income and they do not want to lose it.

The Galapagos give the impression of absolute security. They do not pose any danger locals, nor the local fauna. Animals cannot be touched, so they are proud and self-sufficient and are not going to attack. Even the sharks are kind here - in travel agencies there is a swimming service with Galapagos sharks.

I traveled alone. I walked around Puerto Ayora in the evening and at night, the locals not only didn’t think to encroach, but got to know each other and talked. When they found out that I was from Russia - Russian tourists do not come here often - they asked how long it took me to get there and whether it was cold in Russia.

Things to do

There will definitely be something to do in the Galapagos. In addition to trips to the islands and sightseeing, you can swim with a mask and snorkel - they are sold and rented in shops on the coast. You can go diving - on your own or with an instructor, you can swim with sharks, go to meet the sunrise on the beach or go to look at plants, birds and animals in the area. There are many tourist offices in the port or on the waterfront that organize day trips provide car and guide.

extreme sports

Galapagos - legendary place for divers. Here are a few islands worth scuba diving.

Gordon Rocks

A place where you can swim with hammerhead sharks. For advanced divers, but for the sake of diving with sharks, it is worth learning.

North Seymour

There are white and black reef sharks, green sea turtles. The place is conveniently located - the island is located between two large inhabited islands Santa Cruz and Isabela.

Bartolomeo

Here you can meet not only fish and sea turtles, but also penguins - they swim in search of food.

Almost the entire coast is a space for diving. Near the port of Puerto Ayora there are many diving centers where you can rent equipment, arrange transfers and lessons. For example, Academy Bay Diving, Scuba Iguana, Sharkfriends.

One day tour to a neighboring island with transport and equipment rental will cost from 140 USD.

If you're afraid of scuba diving, go snorkeling. They can be bought or rented from shops along the coast. Ideal for snorkeling is the bay near Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island. It is called the Pearl Shell - "Concha de Perla". Here, a hundred meters from locality you can see fish, crabs and marine iguanas.

I also recommend Punta Espinosa on Ferdinand Island. There you can see not only fish, but also dolphins, and sometimes whales swimming in the distance.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

In the tents on the coast, there are a lot of souvenirs with the symbols of the Galapagos, mostly with iguanas and turtles, but they are made either in Ecuador or in China.

A more authentic purchase would be coffee - it grows here on the islands and the locals say it tastes like nothing else. It's just good coffee in my opinion.

Also local produces jewelry. If you like their design, buy - it will be a good souvenir.

How to get around the islands

Everyone travels around the islands on foot - the distances are short, or by pickup trucks - for unknown reasons, this particular type of car is popular here.

A taxi in the city costs 1 USD, on the island - as agreed with the taxi driver. There are no services for calling cars or a specific place where they can be found. But you can easily catch a taxi on the street.

There is also a rental of bicycles or scooters - about 15 USD per day.

Transport rental

There is no car rental service in the Galapagos. There is simply nowhere to go by car - the number of places that can be reached by land is incomparable to the number of attractions available on a yacht or ship.

If you want to go from Puerto Ayora to a remote beach or another part of the island, arrange with a taxi driver: for 10–15 USD, he will take you where necessary and will wait a day or half a day.

Galapagos Islands - holidays with children

If you want your kids to see iguanas and turtles in the wild rather than on TV, the Galapagos is the perfect place to do it. Here picturesque beaches with silky sand, calm, warm ocean. The kids will definitely love it there.

Among the shortcomings - a long flight and the need to move between the islands by ship, this is not suitable for small children.

Location: Ecuador
Square: 8010 km²
Coordinates: 0°30"52.8"S 91°02"05.2"W

Almost 1000 kilometers from the Republic of Ecuador, located in the northwest of the South American continent, are the unique Galapagos Islands.

Speaking in dry scientific terms, the Galapagos are 13 volcanic islands, which appeared as a result of almost incessant volcanic eruptions at the bottom of the sea. In addition, the archipelago includes 6 islands of non-volcanic origin and 107 rocks, and small islands of land that were washed up by ocean waves.

According to the assumptions of scientists, which cannot be considered reliable data, the very first island of the world-famous Galapagos, arose approximately “only” 7 million years ago. This suggests that Galapagos archipelago, by certain standards, can be called relatively young. By the way, two islands bearing beautiful female names Fernandina and Isabela are still at the stage of formation, and what they will be in a few hundred years is rather difficult to predict. The thing is that at a depth below them volcanoes constantly erupt, which means that these islands are constantly growing.

The total area of ​​the Galapagos today is almost 8,000 square kilometers, they are considered an integral part of the state of Ecuador. About 30,000 indigenous people live on the islands, although it is rather difficult to calculate the exact number of Galapagos residents: most of them are almost constantly at sea or lead the life of hermits on one of the rocky islands. It is impossible not to mention that the Galapagos Islands got their name in honor of ... a water turtle, more precisely, water turtles: galápagos is a Spanish word in the plural, literally translated into Russian as water turtles. This is where the data that will be of interest to scientists, geologists, historians and volcanologists almost end.

In Search of God

Further, the Galapagos cannot be described using only scientific terms and data, which, by and large, will be of little interest to a simple layman or tourist who decides to go to one of the most amazing places on our planet. To the place where the well-known scientist Darwin “discovered God”.

More precisely, exactly in the Galapagos Islands, Darwin "discovered" evolution on our planet. I would like to immediately make a reservation that only ardent admirers of the teachings of Charles Darwin adhere to this point of view. Almost all historians agree that the famous theory of evolution was formed much later. And Mr. Darwin only used the knowledge gained in the Galapagos in his work.

“Everything is now very easy for me to explain! What I saw in the Galapagos Islands, namely animals and plants, is not found anywhere else on the planet. However, many species bear some resemblance to those found elsewhere in the world. This means that evolution still takes place everywhere, practically, in an orderly and uniform way,” Charles Darwin wrote something like this in his notes. Quite a strange theory, isn't it? Yes, yes, it is precisely such conclusions that for the most part constitute the theory of evolution, to which at the moment the vast majority of scientists are skeptical.

History of the Galapagos Islands

To say that the history of the Galapagos Islands is remarkable for anything, of course, with the exception of its origin, would be too presumptuous. The Galapagos were discovered by a Spanish priest in the spring of 1535. There is nothing surprising in this, in those days when Spain was experiencing its heyday, the state often equipped various research expeditions led by church ministers, because it was they who were supposed to carry the word of God to unenlightened peoples.

Before 1832 unique islands belonged to Spain, and then were annexed to Ecuador. Until 1936, the islands, which were located at a considerable distance from the mainland, served as a place where convicts served their sentences, who died, for the most part, from various diseases or simply became savages. In 1936, the authorities of Ecuador, realizing what wealth is located very close to them, declared the Galapagos National Park, where rich flora and fauna were under vigilant protection. 1978 was a landmark year for the Galapagos Islands, they drew the attention of the UNESCO organization, recognizing them world heritage. This is such a short and mostly unremarkable story that guides tell to numerous tourists.

Flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands

Alas, it is almost impossible to describe the richness of flora and fauna that can be found in the Galapagos in one article. One has only to make a reservation that the vast majority of animals and plants that can be found on volcanic islands, in coastal zone and on sheer cliffs, are endemic. This says only one thing, they are not found anywhere else on our planet. Naturally, the symbol of the Galapagos Islands is the marine iguana, which is shown in almost all television programs dedicated to this unique archipelago. She is the only iguana who spends most of her time in sea ​​depths. At the same time, being cold-blooded, she is forced to bask in the sun. She does it with great pleasure on the coastal rocks: she is not afraid of any waves, because tenacious claws help her to hold on and take sunbaths even on very slippery stones.

Describing the endemics of the island, one should not forget about the Galapagos cormorants, buzzards, holothurians and sea lions: all these animals, like many others, live only on the Galapagos. Numerous attempts by scientists to spread them to other isolated islands, where the conditions were almost identical, ended in failure.

Naturally, it would be an unforgivable mistake to forget about the Galapagos tortoise, or, as scientists call it, the elephant tortoise. After all, it is thanks to her that the huge archipelago got its name. Alas, at the moment they are on the verge of extinction and scientists are doing their best to preserve this rare and, at the same time, interesting view turtles, whose weight exceeds 400 kilograms, and the length is approximately 2 meters. In nature, these turtles, which gave their name to a number of volcanic islands, live for about 100 years. Scientists cannot calculate their exact age. Not so long ago in one of the zoos died Galapagos tortoise, whose age was accurately recorded - 170 years. This endemic used to be very widespread in the Galapagos, but the enterprising Spaniards, having learned the characteristics of these turtles, which could easily live in stuffiness for several months without water and food, decided to make them ... live canned food. Hundreds of them were thrown into the holds, and if necessary they were killed and boiled, from a species that is disappearing today, turtle soup.

Modern Galapagos

The most popular islands among tourists currently include: Hispaniola, Fernandina, Rabida, Pinson and Baltra. As mentioned above, the Galapagos is a National Reserve, therefore, in order to visit this place, which cannot be described otherwise than by high-flown epithets, you will have to stop in Ecuador. There are many hotels there: from economy class to five-star hotels. Unfortunately, it will not work to get to the Galapagos Islands on your own, unless the traveler decides to risk his life and overcome a distance of 1000 kilometers across the ocean, which is famous for its obstinate character and the presence of a large number of sharks in it who want to profit from warm-blooded meat. Therefore, in order to get to a place where everything is the most amazing, fantastic and “out of this world”, you will have to rent a yacht that can take the traveler to the Galapagos in 5-9 days. It all depends on the number of passengers and, of course, on the wallet of the tourist. The yachts provide a variety of entertainment during the cruise, diving in the Galapagos Islands, which are recognized as one of the seven wonders of the underwater world, fishing in the ocean and much more.

Prices for a cruise to the Galapagos range from $100 to $1,000 per day on the ship. But such amounts do not scare away tourists at all. On the contrary, buy a ticket and enjoy the beauty of the Galapagos, see with your own eyes undersea world and its inhabitants is a big problem. Only in advance booked ticket will give confidence that the traveler will be able to see with his own eyes practically what the great scientist and explorer Charles Darwin saw in 1835. By the way, a long journey, despite the entertainment, is still tiring. Constant pitching, which leads to dehydration of a person suffering from seasickness, life on a ship on a strictly scheduled basis: breakfast - lunch - dinner, diving, fishing - a little boring, but the expectation of something great and hidden from the eyes of millions of people that will become available, once the yacht reaches the Galapagos, it is worth these small inconveniences.