Santa Cruz Island, located in the middle of the Galápagos archipelago, is the most popular among tourists because of its proximity to the airport in Baltra.
I based myself in there for my time in the Galápagos and did day tours to the others islands. For me it was the best option because I had only 1 week to explore the islands.
We stayed in the Hotel Ninfa, well located and in walking distance of all restaurants, shops in Puerto Ayora.
THINGS TO DO IN SANTA CRUZ
Santa Cruz is a good island to start your trip in the Galápagos Islands as I found a lot of things to do. Have a look on this 7 things to do list I put together with my favourite.
[highlight]Explore Puerto Ayora[/highlight]
Puerto Ayora is the port town to Santa Cruz and much like the rest of the Galápagos has animals everywhere. Sea lions, sea birds, iguanas, all just around you! It’s so cool! I enjoyed walking around and the seafood restaurants.
[highlight]Visit the Fish Market[/highlight]
[highlight]Spend some time in Charles Darwin Research Station[/highlight]
In a walking distance from Puerto Ayora (about 15 minutes) the Charles Darwin Research Station provides insight into the evolution of flora and fauna. They also explain some of the conservation efforts within the Galápagos.
[highlight] Visit the Tortoise Breeding Center [/highlight]
In the breeding center the tortoises are raised in safety until they are big enough to be released into the wild.
[highlight]Spend an afternoon in El Chato reserve[/highlight]
In the El Chato reserve, giant tortoises roam free and it’s amazing to see them right up close to you.
[highlight]Lava Tunnels[/highlight]
These tunnels were formed when surface lava cooled and solidified, while the underground hot lava continued to flow resulting in a cave.
[highlight]Tortuga Bay[/highlight]
The trail to Tortuga Bay is simple and with good indications along the way. It was hard for me to walk 5km under really high temperatures and I felt like giving up at a point but I’m glad I didn’t.
At the end of the path the white sand beach and beautiful blue waters of the sea made me a happy girl!
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Have you ever been to the Galápagos Islands? I would love to hear from your experiences on the comments below.
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We have 4 days on Santa Cruz island in February, we think,we will do most of your suggestions above as we are booked in Ayora but which island would you visit for a day,which is economic and most wild like,eco to offer …not just beaches,any travel agent to recommend also did you take a bus or hire a Cab to get to Toruga bay and laval….thanks
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Hi,
We had about 5 days and it was enough. To visit for a day I went to Isabella and San Cristobal. I would say definitely don’t miss Isabella were lots of sea lions and giant iguanas wonder around the bay. The prices are about the same, I went by boat but the trip is quite rough, if you can get a small plane in between islands just for a day trip. The travel agents in Santa Cruz have all the same offers so it’s up to you. We took a cab in Santa Cruz to see the giant turtles and to Tortuga Bay it’s only a walking path but it’s a nice one. Hope this helps! Amalia