|
There are over 50 designated visitor sites in the Galapagos
National Park. Boats are allowed to land at only these sites.
Must visits include Seymour, located to the north
of Baltra, which is nesting colony for blue-footed boobies
(from May to November) and frigate birds (largest colony
in Galapagos) and along the coastline resides a colony of
playful sea lions. South Plaza where the wildlife
consists of sea lions, iguanas and gulls, the Caleta
Tortuga Negra in Santa Cruz for turtles and white-tipped
sharks. The small barren island located in Sullivan bay
of James Island named Bartolome Island is beautifully
desolate, the volcano is extinct and besides Pinnacle
Rock, you are allowed to snorkel in the brilliant waters
off the northern coast where you'll have sea lions and Galapagos
penguins for company or on the southern side where white
and black tipped sharks and eagle and sting rays.
Bartolome
is also a nesting ground for the famous Green Sea Turtles
of the Galapagos. Sullivan Bay provides a unique
opportunity to view an approximately 100-years old lava
flow. 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 tree molds that were carried
down by the flow of the fresh lava. The highlights of Rabida are the vibrant colours of the volcanic formations, brown
pelicans, flamingos, land and marine iguanas, sea lions,
blue-footed and masked boobies, Bahama pintail ducks and
Common Stilts.
There are two visitor sites on the island
of Espanola (Hood) , famous for its marine iguanas
that uncharacteristically for the species, change colour
during the mating season. You'll also find the Hood Mockingbird
and the Waved Albatross. The two visitor sites on this island
are Gardener Bay - where you can snorkel, and Punta Suarez,
this rocky point of land sustains one of the most impressive
and varied colonies of sea birds on the Galapagos and you'll
also find Espanola lava lizards, Swallow Tailed Gulls, masked
and blue footed boobies, finches and the Galapagos Hawks.
Along its southern shore, high cliffs rise up from the sea
offering the visitors a spectacular view of soaring birds
and of the blowhole, where water spouts up to 50-75 feet
into the air according to the intensity of the surf. Being
an “outpost” island, Hood has a high percentage
of endemic fauna and species that have developed in the
archipelago their own characteristics that makes them unique
in the world. Located on the northeastern coast of Hood,
Gardner Bay provides an excellent beach for relaxing, swimming
and observing sea lions.
The Isabela Island is Galapagos' largest and the
best whale spotting sights in the area. Up to 16 species
have been spotted here including humpbacks, sperm and orcas.
Isabela has a huge variety of wildlife and swimming, snorkelling
and diving sites. West of Isabela is Fernandina,
the youngest of the Galapagos Islands. Among the most volcanically
active, Fernandina lacks the varied wildlife and the flora
of the rest of the Galapagos. It does however, have colonies
of flightless cormorants, marine iguanas and Galapagos penguins.
Puerto Ayora
on Isla Santa Cruz Island
Puerto Ayora is the hub of tourist activity in the Galapagos.
You'll get the most tour options and operators in the islands'
most populous town. After touring the visitor sites, there
are bars and discos, sightseeing and shopping to be explored.
Sightseers should visit the Charles Darwin Research Institute
with its Breeding and Rearing center for young tortoises,
Lonesome George (tortoise from Pinta island) and adult Galapagos
tortoises in captivity and walk down to Turtle Bay (Bahia
Tortuga); not far from Porto Ayora are the villages of Bellavista
and Santa Rosa. Go down the lava tubes in Bellavista, or
explore the slopes of the now extinct Cerro Crocker. More
craters and a tortoise reserve make the trip to Santa Rosa
worthwhile. Puerto Ayora also has the most accommodation
options anywhere on these islands. Budget tourists in particular
should plan on making this their base. If you haven't booked
a tour on the mainland, rest assured you'll find plenty
of options here.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the second most important town in the Galapagos. Meant really for luxury tourists and cruisers, it is not the best place to get a good budget tour going. On the flip side though, there are plenty of luxury resorts and restaurants for those who're doing the islands in style.
Sights on the San Cristobal Island include Los Galapagos where giant tortoises live in the wild, Frigatebird Hill (Cerro de las Tijeretas) where the magnificent birds nest and El Junco Lagoon, a freshwater lake. An hour's ride by boat is the visitor site of Isla Lobos, a major colony of blue-footed boobies and sea lions.
Isabela Island
The main tourist center on this island is the coastal town of Puerto Villamil. The accommodation in the city spans the range from budget to luxury but the number available is few. Most establishments also operate or at least arrange tours up the volcano of Sierra Negra and around. The village of Santo Tomas, about 20 kilometres inland and situated in the shadow of the Sierra Negra, is a pleasant place to spend a few hours in.
Floreana Island (Santa Maria)
Small population of a few hundred people in Puerto Velasco
Ibarra. Sights on the Floreana Island include Post Office
Bay, the location of a wooden barrel that was placed there
in the 18th century by the crew of a whaling ship. Since
that time, it has been used by mariners and tourists as
a "post office". Devil’s Crown volcanic
cone: This islet consists of an eroded volcanic crater that
owes its present form to the strong wave action. The interior
is excellent for snorkeling and the exterior is considered
to be one of the prime areas for scuba diving, especially
when the current is strong (only competent divers should
dive in these conditions).
Genovesa Island
Lava flow, Opuntia cacti, Palo Santo trees, sea lions, fur seals, marine iguanas, storm petrels, gulls, shear-water, tropic birds, masked and red footed boobies, frigate birds.
Santa Fe Island ( Barrington)
The small bay on Barrington’s northeast coast is an extremely picturesque anchorage. There are two different trails on this site. One leads to a scenic viewpoint on top of a cliff where it is possible to find land iguanas, endemic to the island. The other trail is a short circular trail near the beach where you can see land iguanas, early in the morning or in the afternoon when the sun is low. A particular attraction is the unusually tall forest of prickly cacti.
Plazas Island
There are two small islets that were uplifted a short distance
from the east cost of Santa Cruz. The unusual vegetation
and location of the island create an interesting landscape
with the enchanting fauna and flora of the Galapagos despite
its small size, some of the most interesting and outstanding
species of the archipelago live here. It is possible to
guarantee the observation of land iguanas that are often
in the shade of a cacti. Nesting on the rugged southern
cliffs, there 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.
But youcan also see yellow-tailed mullets, Audubon's shearwater,
red-billed tropic-birds, frigate birds and brown pelicans
gliding past the cliff.
Article © by This is Ecuador Magazine
Order your monthly copy of This is Ecuador
|
|
|
