Buccaneer Cove is located on the northwest coast of Santiago Island. Its landscape is spectacular, with its cliffs filled with seabirds and its red sand beach. A unique landscape of the archipelago !
This site, as well as Santiago Island in general, is full of history. At the time, it was an interesting stop for sailors who docked there to collect fresh water, wood and also meat (mainly tortoises).
Urbina Bay is located on the west side of Isabela Island. The short treck inland allows you to see different type of wildlife such as land iguanas, mockingbirds, Galapagos hawks and occasionally, giant tortoises. You can also have a spectacular view of Alcedo volcano.
At the beach, you will be able to see the largest marine iguanas in the Galapagos. You can also see pinguins, flightless cormorants, sea turles and much more while snorkeling around the area.
To access Las Tijiretas you must walk on a magnificient marked trail of approximately 1km from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno that climbs slightly up. The entrance of the trail is on the street that leads to Playa Mann. Tijeretas is the common name for frigates bird in spanish. It is one of the only places where you can watch the two species of frigate birds nesting in the same colony. It is also a very nice spot to go snorkeling. You can have the chance to snorkel with sea lions, sea turtles and rays. This is also a good place to go for a swim in this very calm bay.
The beach of Puerto Chino is located on the opposite side of the island from the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. It is accessible via a walking path from the road that passes La Galapaguera del Cerro Colorado. This beautiful and secluded spot is a good place for swimming and relaxing on the beach. You can observe sea lions and different types of birds around the beach. Is it a very nice spot to relax and enjoy a picnic.
Genovesa is a small island located at the northeast of Santa Cruz. This island is the paradise of bird lovers. The flat trails will leads you through the mangrove and saltbush where you will see nesting red-footed boobies. You can also see other species of bird like the lava gull, blue-footed boobies, lava herons and more. This island is only accessible via a very limited number of naturalist cruise itineraries.
Floreana is one of the 4 inhabited islands of the archipelago. It has only around a hundred inhabitants. The island offer very good wildlife watching opportunities. You can see flamingos, Nazca boobies, Blue-footed Boobies, Floreana Mockingbirds, sea lions and more. The island is full of important history for the Galapagos archipelago and which is worth learning about! Floreana can be visited by cruise, day trip or by staying overnight in the only hotel on the island: The Wittmer Pension.
Point of interest: Cormorant Point
Cormorant Point is located on the northern part of Floreana Island. It features a golden-greenish beach that is compose of a mixture of minerals, all of which are responsible for the sand’s unique color. Not far inland, a brackish lake home to a variety of migratory and coastal birds, is also ideal for flamingo-watching. Here, there’s quite a large percentage of flamingos living in one single pond ,considering the small population of Galapagos Flamingos.
Floreana also offers a couple of interesting dive sites: Devil’s Crown, Champion Islet, Cormorant Point
The Sierra Negra volcano has one of the largest crater in the world, with a diameter of 10 km. This volcano, still active, experienced its last eruption in June 2018. One of the superb hikes to do takes you from the Sierra Negra volcano to the Chico volcano, through a variety of vegetation and offering spectacular views of the entire island. This is one of the most beautiful long hikes in the entire archipelago.
Another hike takes you to the other side, to the sulfur mine where you will observe the fumaroles coming out of the active volcano, as well as the mountain covered with the characteristic yellow sulfur. This 3.5 km trail crosses magnificent volcanic landscapes. The drive from Puerto Villamil to the trail entrance takes approximately 45 minutes.
Located at approximately 6 km west of Puerto Villamil, this site is of great historical interest. Between 1940 and 1950, Isabela Island was used as a prison. This wall is the vestige of that time when the prisoners built, stone by stone, this gigantic wall which will be of no use. Several prisoners died during the construction of this wall, due to the extreme conditions encountered. This site can be visited independently. You can go there leisurely on foot to make it a full-day activity or rent a bike in town to speed up the trip.
The path leading to this site is absolutely beautiful. You will pass through mangroves, beaches and you can stop at different viewpoints.
Las Tintoreras is a small volcanic islet located about 10 minutes by boat from the port of Puerto Villamil. This islet is full of life! It is possible to snorkel with penguins, white-tipped sharks, sea lions, marine iguanas and sea turtles. This is a pleasant activity that can be done in half a day.
El Junco is a lagoon formed by a collapsed cone of a long-extinct volcano that has transform into a fresh water source over the years. Located in the highlands of San Cristobal island, this is one of the very few permanent sources of fresh water on the whole archipelago. You can hike to the lagoon by using the long series of steps to the top. You can also walk around the crater to observe local fauna and flora and enjoy the spectacular view over the entire island of San Cristobal. This is a nice hike to benefit the fresh air of the island.
