The Galapagos Islands

Ecuador is located in Central South America and The Galapagos are located 620 miles from the mainland of South America. The Galapagos Island chain is also remote, having 13 main islands and 6 smaller islands. This area is well known for its wildlife and is extremely popular with natural historians. Some of the cities of note in the area are Puerto Ayora, and Puerto Villamil. Some of the names of the islands are as follows, in no particular order: Isabella (the largest of all islands in the chain), Pinzon, San Cristobal, Marchena, and Espanola.

Galapagos Islands Weather, Climate and Geography

On The Galapagos, June to December brings cooler ocean water to Galapagos Island. Between December and May is the warm season and the ocean water is warmer. There is more of a tropical climate during this time than is associated with the cold season. Average temperatures range from 72 degrees – 74 degrees during June- December and 77 – 83 degrees from January – May. The islands cover 4897 square miles and Isabella is the largest in the chain.

Passports, Visas and Inoculations

When travelling to Ecuador and The Galapagos, there are certain requirements as far as passports, visa and inoculations are concerned. For passport entry into Ecuador and Galapagos Island you’ll need a current passport. US Citizens do not require a visa if they are staying under 90 days. You will also need to have an onward flight ticket in the same name as your passport is registered to. There are some required vaccinations for Ecuador. You will need to keep all vaccinations up to date. The vaccinations include: Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, and Rabies. If you are travelling to malaria plagued parts of Ecuador, then you will need to take medication to prevent this disease.

How to Get to the Galapagos Islands

First you will need to fly into Ecuador. After landing in Quito, then you will need to take a flight to The Galapagos. There are several flights to Galapagos Island. Flights can originate in either Quito or Guayaquil to the Isla Batra Airport. There is also public transport from Puerto Ayora which takes two hours. There are also flights from San Cristobal. Aerogal and Tame have flights to the islands. It, however, is cheaper to go from Guayaquil than from Quito. Quito is 405 dollars and Guayaquil is 360 dollars for foreigners. You can travel by boat from Guayaquil, but this option really isn’t advised.

Things to Do and See

Bear in mind that tourists are severely restricted on The Galapagos. Galapagos Island has several things that you can do, such as wildlife scuba diving, climbing the hill at Bartolome for an excellent view, visit the Charles Darwin Research Centre on Santa Cruz. In Seymour, see the Magnificent Frigatebird. See penguins and flamingos on Isabella. Take a scuba diving cruise. Or dive in the waters of the Islands. All diving cruises are for advanced divers and snorkelers only.

Restaurants and Nightlife in Galapagos Islands

When touring The Galapagos, you will probably get hungry and want to know where to eat in Galapagos Island. Bear in mind areas such as Santa Cruz has restaurants such as the SPONDYLUS located on the main street in Santa Cruz. This restaurant serves seafood, restaurant and international food to its customers. If pizzas are more your style, then stop on by the Media Luna located on the main street. Now if you are looking for nightlife, the take a look at La Panga. This is a disco located on the main street. Another one to look at would be the Salsa 10 located on Nevada Street in Santa Cruz.

Galapagos Islands Hotels and Motels

In The Galapagos bear in mind that there are several different hotels in places like Puerto Ayora, Puerto Villamil and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on Galapagos Island. One hotel of note is Finch Bay Hotel, located in Santa Cruz at Punta Estrada. This hotel can accommodate 41 guests at a time and has 21 double bedded rooms. This hotel also processes its own water supply and boasts a totally eco friendly hotel. Our last hotel of note in The Galapagos is La Casa de Marita on Isabella, Galapagos Island. This offers a unique land based perspective of the islands.