Galapagos Islands | Everything You Need to Know to Visit!
We went on a trip to Ecuador with EF Ultimate Break (use our code 27TRAVELS100 for $100 off your first trip with EF!) and it was one of our favorite trips ever! Part of the trip with EF is getting to visit the Galapagos Islands which has always been a bucket list destination for us. The Galapagos is actually made up of a few different islands off the coast of Ecuador and is known for their wildlife conservation and preservation. Out of anywhere we’ve ever traveled to, we think the Galapagos has done the best job with protecting their land, nature, and animals that are locally found in the islands. There are certain items that are prohibited from entering the islands, and each time you go to another island within the Galapagos, your bags are checked again for prohibited items. There are also certain areas on the islands that you cannot visit without a local guide — which is why booking the trip with EF was so amazing because they take care of all of that for you!
The Galapagos was such an epic trip that we will honestly never forget. Keep reading to see what you need to do when you visit the islands!
Santa Cruz Island
El Chato Ranch
hike to Las Grietas
Santa Cruz is typically the first island most people visit when they arrive in The Galapagos since it’s closest to the main transportation hub — the island of Baltra. Santa Cruz was definitely the most touristy island we visited, it had the most shops, restaurants, bars, etc. out of the islands we visited. Here were out favorite things we did in Santa Cruz:
El Chato Ranch - El Chato is a private ecological reserve where you can see giant tortoises. The Galapagos is known for the giant tortoises that reside on the islands, and it’s actually how The Galapagos got it’s name! We went on a short guided hike on the reserve and saw so many tortoises in their natural habitat!
Go swimming at Las Grietas - a swimming hole located on the island of Santa Cruz. The water was so clear and we saw tons of fish while swimming there. Getting to Las Grietas requires a short hike and you cannot enter without a local guide!
Walk around Puerto Ayora - Puerto Ayora is the main town area of Santa Cruz. Here you will find tons of local shops, restaurants, bars, etc. There is also a pier where, if you are lucky, you can see sea lions just hanging out!
San Cristobal Island
Blue-Footed Boobie
Playa Mann
San Cristobal Island is the oldest island in the Galapagos and it’s the island where Charles Darwin first landed in 1835. This island was not as touristy as Santa Cruz and had a way more local vibe to it. Here are our favorite things we did in San Cristobal:
Walk along the shoreline to spot Blue-Footed Boobies - Blue Footed Boobies are a unique bird species found in The Galapagos. They are named for their blue feet, and you can spot them along the shoreline most mornings! You will also see sea lions and other local wildlife along the shore as well.
Snorkel with the sea turtles at La Loberia - La Loberia is a beach where you can see sea lions in their natural habitat and snorkel with sea turtles! There were so many sea turtles in the water here, and they got really close to us. We have never seen this many sea turtles in our lives and it was one of the coolest experiences ever.
Hike to Las Tijeretas - another lookout and swimming spot in San Cristobal. Here you can swim with sea lions and sea turtles, and you will also find a large statue of Charles Darwin.
Lay out with sea lions at Playa Mann - Playa Mann is probably the only beach we’ve ever been to where there is more sea lions than people haha! Here you will see dozens of sea lions on the beach sleeping and in the ocean swimming. Since there are so many sea lions there, the beach doesn’t smell the best. But it’s still a must-see! Maybe just don’t plan to spend your whole day there.
Where to Eat & Drink in The Galapagos
Chakana
Bahia Mar
Santa Cruz
Bahia Mar
1835 Coffee Lab
Plaza El Jardin
Santa Cruz Brewery
El Chato Ranch
San Cristobal
Chakana
Midori
Green Island
If you want to see more of what we did in the Galapagos, make sure you watch our Ecuador & The Galapagos YouTube video below!
Thank you to EF for bringing us on this trip! As always, all opinions are honest and our own. Some links on this post are affiliate links of which we receive a small commission, but the price is the same for you.