Boobies, Tortoises, and Iguanas...Oh my!

Going to the Galapagos was a bucket list trip for us. As a scientist, Aaron had always wanted to visit the birthplace of Darwin's theory of evolution and study the finches that inspired it. So, we headed there with a few friends and fellow science teachers for spring break 2017. We were definitely on a budget, so we decided to do a land trip rather than the more popular (and expensive) cruise trips. We called Isla Santa Cruz our "homebase" and booked trips from there.  It was definitely the more affordable and less seasick inducing way to go.

When we arrived at the airport on Isla Baltra, we paid our $100 entrance fee and then hopped on a bus to the ferry.  Isla Baltra is separated from Isla Santa Cruz by a short ferry ride. Then, we had the option of taking a taxi ($25) or a local bus ($2) into the town of Puerto Ayora.  We opted for the bus.

Fun fact: The airport on Isla Baltra is the first green airport in the world! Read more here.

View of the ferry from Isla Baltra to Isla Santa Cruz.

One of the best things about the town of Puerto Ayora is that it is extremely bike friendly with bike paths through downtown and along the coast. Once we arrived at our Airbnb (which included bicycles to use), we were off to explore the town and grab a fresh seafood lunch!

The BEST ceviche and patacones (fried plantains) I've ever had!

We didn't come to Galapagos with any set plans.  We heard that it was cheaper to book trips upon arrival, so we spent our first afternoon wandering the streets of Puerto Ayora at mid-day in search of excursions. It was HOT and super sunny, but we managed to find a few tour operators that weren't closed for an afternoon siesta.  We had heard that Isla Isabela was a must-see, so we booked a one night, 2-day trip for the next day.

On the water taxi taking us to our speed boat to Isla Isabela.

It took about 2.5 hours by speed boat to reach Isla Isabela from Isla Santa Cruz.  We saw manta rays jumping in front of our boat on the way! Because we booked a tour ($220), everything was included: speed boat from Isla Santa Cruz, hotel, lunches and dinner, kayaking/snorkeling tour, and the Volcan Sierra Negra/Volcan Chico hiking tour.  We usually are not big on tours when we travel (tours = $$$ and less flexibility) but almost everything is tour based in the Galapagos.

Kayaking to Las Tintoreras

Isla Isabela is one of the most volcanically active places in the world. Its beach is beautifully desolate.  The large, black volcanic rocks juxtaposed with the pure white sand and turquoise water was truly a sight to see. An absolute MUST DO if visiting Isla Isabela is the 10-mile roundtrip hike up to Volcan Sierra Negra and Volcan Chico.  It was one of the highlights of our whole trip.

Volcan Sierra Negra--the second largest caldera in the world!

Once back to Isla Santa Cruz, we visited a tortoise reserve, hiked to the breathtaking Tortuga Bay, did a day trip to Isla Santa Fe to swim with sea lions (and we saw a hammerhead shark!), geeked out about finches (okay, that was mostly Aaron), and relaxed.

Small Ground Finch

What we enjoyed the most about the Galapagos was the number of activities available!  From hiking volcanoes, snorkeling with sea lions, kayaking with boobies, eating seafood, relaxing on the beach, and biking around town...it was the perfect balance of activity and relaxation (we are not big beach vacation type people).  We would love to return and head to San Cristobal and its surrounding islands next time.

Here's a list of our favorite places and must-see sights:

Isla Santa Cruz

• Casa Hospedaje Cozy Galapagos, our Airbnb for the week, on Isla Santa Cruz.  Highly recommended for a group of 3-4 people! 
• La Garrapata has fantastic service and delicious seafood with affordable prices.  We went there for our friend's birthday on the last day and received free cake and ice cream! 
• Schawarma ??--a restaurant just off the main road.  $5 shawarmas are a delicious and cheap dinner! 
• Tortuga Bay is a gorgeous beach.  Walk there from Puerto Ayora or grab a water taxi at the dock. It's not always open for swimming but swim in the lagoon at the end of the beach.
• Las Grietas is a great place to snorkel, swim, and jump off cliffs without going on a tour.
• Reserva El Chato is a wonderful place to see giant Galapagos Tortoises in a "wild" setting.  We threw our bikes in the back of a cab from Puerto Ayora ($18 one way) and biked the (mostly downhill) 10 miles back into town! 
• Charles Darwin Research Center is an informative place to go on the first day in the Galapagos.  It offers background on the area and an introduction to the flora and fauna. 
• Isla Santa Fe was on a day trip tour we did.  The highlight of this trip is swimming with the sea lions! Book this trip from many of the tour operators in Puerto Ayora. 

Isla Isabela

• Volcan Sierra Negra and El Chico day hike is a MUST DO! The walk through El Chico is what I imagine Mars looks like! 
• Las Tintoreras is a short kayaking/snorkeling tour off the coast. Great place to see the infamous Blue-Footed Boobies and penguins.
• Los Tuneles is the best place for snorkeling and seeing wildlife on Isabela.  However, the highlight is the lava bridges--it's worth the price!