1. Language
The regional language of Ecuador (and the Galapagos Islands) is Latin American Spanish. Because a great deal of tourists travelling to the Galapagos speak English, most people employed at any level of that tourist industry will usually have some level of English speaking ability (some exceptional, some more basic). Most people involved in tours have good English (tour operators, guides etc) as do most people working on the “tourist strips” of the islands (restaurant staff, hotels, shops etc). Many of the taxi drivers also have at least a reasonable grasp of the language.
However, when you leave the “touristy” areas (back street café’s, areas outside of the towns that aren’t designed specifically for tourists to visit etc) English ability starts becoming more random with some locals speaking it quite well and others only understanding some words or sometimes none at all. So while knowing Spanish is not essential, learning some basic words can occasionally come in handy (and locals seem to love it when foreigners try to speak the local language, even if it is awkwardly or incorrectly).
2. Outings
DO NOT book anything big or expensive for your 1st day of arrival in the Galapagos. Plane flights get delayed and things can go wrong, which runs the risk of your time and money getting wasted and can ruin your trip before it has begun. Things like accommodation is fine to book for day 1 on the islands, but be smart and organise your bigger expenses for later days when are confident that you will have definitely arrived, got basically settled and had a little time to orientate yourself.
The less things you book before you arrive, the more money that you can save. Online pre-booking of things like accommodation and Day Tours can cost as much as 3 TIMES more than what you can pay if you just wait until you are on the islands in person. If arriving in the Galapagos without arranging anywhere to stay makes you too nervous, then I recommend booking only the 1st night (or 2 nights max) for when you arrive, which should give you plenty of time to find alternative accommodation in the following days. *Note - While I admit that not booking ahead is a bit of a gamble, I literally booked nothing but my plane tickets when I travelled there in early August for 16 days (14 full days and 2 half days). Despite August being considered to be in the last month of the “peak tourist” period, I still had a plethora of options of places to stay from day 1 and never experienced any problems whatsoever. I also never missed out on any of the Day Tours I wanted to do and in the process saved myself a MASSIVE amount of money.*
The “peak tourist” seasons are considered to be around mid-December to mid-January (near Christmas and New Year’s) and from around mid-June to early September. During these times it may be more difficult to barter for discounted accommodation and Day Trips due to higher demand and things may be filled up or sold out on some days if they are popular. Therefore, it might be best to decide what your “must have” experiences are and consider booking those specific things in advance, but be prepared to pay more for the privilege. The “low tourist” seasons are considered to be April to May and September to October.
3. Weather
2. Outings
DO NOT book anything big or expensive for your 1st day of arrival in the Galapagos. Plane flights get delayed and things can go wrong, which runs the risk of your time and money getting wasted and can ruin your trip before it has begun. Things like accommodation is fine to book for day 1 on the islands, but be smart and organise your bigger expenses for later days when are confident that you will have definitely arrived, got basically settled and had a little time to orientate yourself.
The less things you book before you arrive, the more money that you can save. Online pre-booking of things like accommodation and Day Tours can cost as much as 3 TIMES more than what you can pay if you just wait until you are on the islands in person. If arriving in the Galapagos without arranging anywhere to stay makes you too nervous, then I recommend booking only the 1st night (or 2 nights max) for when you arrive, which should give you plenty of time to find alternative accommodation in the following days. *Note - While I admit that not booking ahead is a bit of a gamble, I literally booked nothing but my plane tickets when I travelled there in early August for 16 days (14 full days and 2 half days). Despite August being considered to be in the last month of the “peak tourist” period, I still had a plethora of options of places to stay from day 1 and never experienced any problems whatsoever. I also never missed out on any of the Day Tours I wanted to do and in the process saved myself a MASSIVE amount of money.*
The “peak tourist” seasons are considered to be around mid-December to mid-January (near Christmas and New Year’s) and from around mid-June to early September. During these times it may be more difficult to barter for discounted accommodation and Day Trips due to higher demand and things may be filled up or sold out on some days if they are popular. Therefore, it might be best to decide what your “must have” experiences are and consider booking those specific things in advance, but be prepared to pay more for the privilege. The “low tourist” seasons are considered to be April to May and September to October.
3. Weather
Weather wise, the Galapagos Islands only has slight climatic variations throughout the year. The warm, slightly rainier season is from late December to June. This means warmer waters for swimming, but the chance of cloud and showers (though these are often quick passing).
The cool, dry season is from late June to December (meaning blue skies and occasional mid-day showers). However, “cool” is a relative term in the Galapagos as the days are still warm but the water is cooler due to the southern tradewinds. The warmest and sunniest months are usually February and March and from December to May the waters are meant to be clearer and calmer which should mean increased visibility underwater.
4. Money
The cool, dry season is from late June to December (meaning blue skies and occasional mid-day showers). However, “cool” is a relative term in the Galapagos as the days are still warm but the water is cooler due to the southern tradewinds. The warmest and sunniest months are usually February and March and from December to May the waters are meant to be clearer and calmer which should mean increased visibility underwater.
4. Money
**IMPORTANT - Ecuador only uses North American dollars (USD) and locally minted Ecuadorian coins as its currency and once on the islands there’s nowhere to exchange foreign currency.
There will be a $20 fee for the INGALA Transit Control Card (up to 90 day Tourist Visa) which you MUST PURCHASE at the “check in area” BEFORE going through security at the Airport in Quito or Guayaquil (they won’t let you board the plane without it and you risk potentially missing your flight). There’s also a $100 fee per adult ($50 for children 11 or under) for the National Park Fee that you buy after you’ve landed at the Galapagos Airport (which is a requirement for all foreigners). THIS MUST BE PAID IN CASH before you can enter the islands (so credit/ debit cards will be useless for this). Therefore it’s 100% NECESSARY to have the PHYSICAL MONEY you need on you BEFORE catching your plane.** *Hint - You can fill out your details for the $20 “INGALA Transit Control Card” (Tourist Visa) online and pick it up in the Ecuador Airport to save yourself some time and hassle.*
*Additional Hint - As soon as you receive your $20 “INGALA Transit Control Card” at the Ecuador Airport, KEEP IT INSIDE YOUR PASSPORT at all times for your entire trip. You do not want to lose it until well after you have left the islands and returned to Ecuador.*
**WARNING - There’s a local rumor that the $100 National Park Fee is going to be increased to $200 per adult at some point this year (unconfirmed).**
**IMPORTANT - While the islands are much more expensive than the Ecuadorian mainland, many things in the Galapagos are still cheap enough to make credit cards worthless for smaller purchases and services (also there’s between 12% up to 22% for VAT and card surcharges). On top of that, most places do not take credit cards anyway, which MAKES CARRYING PHYSICAL MONEY ALWAYS ESSENTIAL in the Galapagos (preferably in lower denomination notes as many local vendors will also refuse to give change for $50 and $100 notes).** *Note - Traveller’s cheques are pretty much useless as well. But the banks on the islands MAY accept them (but I couldn’t confirm this).
There are several ATM’s at Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) and near the San Cristobal town waterfront, but they have a withdrawal limit of $300 per ATM and $600 maximum daily total withdrawal limit. This being said, there have been past reports that sometimes ATM’s in the Galapagos have been used for “scamming”. Therefore the safest method to withdraw money is from one of the banks and getting your cash from a human teller directly (You will need to bring your passport as proof of ID to do this). Banks will also exchange $50 and $100 notes into smaller “more useful” denominations for you. There’s a bank on the main street of Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz that is perfect for this.*Hint - If carrying large amounts of money to cover foreseeable expenses on your trip, it’s probably in your best interests to seek out accommodation that has onsite or in-room safes available (I found multiple mid-range expense accommodation that offered these).
**IMPORTANT - THERE ARE NO ATM’S OR BANKS ON ISABELA ISLAND OR FLOREANA and Credit Cards are useless there. So MAKE SURE you are cashed up BEFORE catching the “inter-island” boat (ferry) to Isabela or Floreana.**
5. Things To Bring With You - Most things that you need can be purchased in shops on the islands with few problems and “reasonably” (cough, cough) cheaply. HOWEVER, there are a few things that are so mind-bogglingly expensive in the Galapagos that I STRONGLY RECOMMEND you bring them with you in your luggage. These include…
There will be a $20 fee for the INGALA Transit Control Card (up to 90 day Tourist Visa) which you MUST PURCHASE at the “check in area” BEFORE going through security at the Airport in Quito or Guayaquil (they won’t let you board the plane without it and you risk potentially missing your flight). There’s also a $100 fee per adult ($50 for children 11 or under) for the National Park Fee that you buy after you’ve landed at the Galapagos Airport (which is a requirement for all foreigners). THIS MUST BE PAID IN CASH before you can enter the islands (so credit/ debit cards will be useless for this). Therefore it’s 100% NECESSARY to have the PHYSICAL MONEY you need on you BEFORE catching your plane.** *Hint - You can fill out your details for the $20 “INGALA Transit Control Card” (Tourist Visa) online and pick it up in the Ecuador Airport to save yourself some time and hassle.*
*Additional Hint - As soon as you receive your $20 “INGALA Transit Control Card” at the Ecuador Airport, KEEP IT INSIDE YOUR PASSPORT at all times for your entire trip. You do not want to lose it until well after you have left the islands and returned to Ecuador.*
**WARNING - There’s a local rumor that the $100 National Park Fee is going to be increased to $200 per adult at some point this year (unconfirmed).**
**IMPORTANT - While the islands are much more expensive than the Ecuadorian mainland, many things in the Galapagos are still cheap enough to make credit cards worthless for smaller purchases and services (also there’s between 12% up to 22% for VAT and card surcharges). On top of that, most places do not take credit cards anyway, which MAKES CARRYING PHYSICAL MONEY ALWAYS ESSENTIAL in the Galapagos (preferably in lower denomination notes as many local vendors will also refuse to give change for $50 and $100 notes).** *Note - Traveller’s cheques are pretty much useless as well. But the banks on the islands MAY accept them (but I couldn’t confirm this).
There are several ATM’s at Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) and near the San Cristobal town waterfront, but they have a withdrawal limit of $300 per ATM and $600 maximum daily total withdrawal limit. This being said, there have been past reports that sometimes ATM’s in the Galapagos have been used for “scamming”. Therefore the safest method to withdraw money is from one of the banks and getting your cash from a human teller directly (You will need to bring your passport as proof of ID to do this). Banks will also exchange $50 and $100 notes into smaller “more useful” denominations for you. There’s a bank on the main street of Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz that is perfect for this.*Hint - If carrying large amounts of money to cover foreseeable expenses on your trip, it’s probably in your best interests to seek out accommodation that has onsite or in-room safes available (I found multiple mid-range expense accommodation that offered these).
**IMPORTANT - THERE ARE NO ATM’S OR BANKS ON ISABELA ISLAND OR FLOREANA and Credit Cards are useless there. So MAKE SURE you are cashed up BEFORE catching the “inter-island” boat (ferry) to Isabela or Floreana.**
5. Things To Bring With You - Most things that you need can be purchased in shops on the islands with few problems and “reasonably” (cough, cough) cheaply. HOWEVER, there are a few things that are so mind-bogglingly expensive in the Galapagos that I STRONGLY RECOMMEND you bring them with you in your luggage. These include…
- Sunscreen (which you will definitely need, so bring enough for your entire trip),
- Insect repellent (often useful) and
- Toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, body lotion etc.
- Portable phone charger
- It is worthwhile bringing a small flashlight (and spare batteries) if you plan to see any of the underground lava tunnels.
- Polarized sunglasses are extremely useful because you can more easily see the marine life swimming under the water from boats.
- Bringing your own thermos bottle to the islands is a good idea to save some money and to reduce unnecessary plastic waste…
- Clothing - You don’t need to bring much clothing to the Galapagos because laundry services are plentiful, cheap and fast. The best place to do laundry is in Puerto Ayora: you'll pay only about $1 per kilo ($5 should easily do a couple's weekly wash). This will also help you to keep your 22kg luggage limit down (as mentioned in the “Flight” section later in this post).
- At least one pair of good shoes with decent grip
- A very lightweight (thin) waterproof jacket, regardless of whether you plan to do any hiking.
- Seasickness medication.
6. Cheap Meals - Food on the islands can be surprisingly affordable if you’re willing to wander around and check out the different restaurants. It is quite easy to find lunch and dinner deals for only about $5-$7 if you check out the back streets directly BEHIND the main town streets (outside of the “tourist zone”). These meals usually include soup, bread, a main and fresh juice (sometimes even dessert). At this price don’t expect anything too fancy, the main mostly consists of grilled meat/fish, rice, beans and a bit of salad. *Hint - If you add some of the free fresh-made chili salsa they offer, it really ramps up the flavour for even the cheapest meal.
On the days you feel like spoiling yourself, for about $10 you can get a “bruja” fish (one of the tastiest fish on the planet). At a “kiosko” (a higher class of street stand) you can get things like filet mignon or tuna steak in coconut sauce for about $20. In some restaurants you can get grilled lobster tail for under $30.
Water - The tap water should not be drunk by foreigners in the Galapagos. To be safe, it is probably best not to not even brush your teeth with it. Most accommodation places offer water tanks that is fine to fill up water bottles from and deli’s etc sell bottled water. When you shower you will notice that the water is reasonably salty (especially in Isabela). *Note - I also recommend bringing your own thermos bottle to the islands to save money (and to reduce unnecessary plastic waste).
Alcohol - In restaurants alcohol can be a little pricey (especially wine), but smaller places that serve food offer local beers at a reasonable price. However, if you find a supermarket, you can get a bottle of wine for about $15 and small bottles of Ecuadorian rum for only about $5.
7. Wi-Fi on the Islands - Wifi services on the islands vary somewhere between at best “painfully slow and occasionally dropping out” and at worst “basically non-existent”. So prepare yourself for this when you travel there. You can find a few internet cafes in Puerto Ayora, and some accommodation places, restaurants (and occasionally boats) offer free Wifi as part of their service. Santa Cruz has the best Wifi, San Cristobal comes second and Isabela has the worst. *Note - If your phone is unlocked you can get sim cards with data packages for use on the islands (Movistar or Claro are the major phone companies there). These can be bought on the Ecuadorian mainland before you travel, at the Galapagos airports when you first arrive, or in places like supermarkets in any of the islands towns.
8. Snorkelling - If you’re planning to snorkel during your trip (which you definitely should) then I also advise to bring your own mask and snorkel (and perhaps fins) with you. They won’t take up much room in your luggage and although they are easy to hire for a day on all of the islands (about $5/ or $10 with fins), the equipment there’s not what you would call “state of the art”. Wetsuits and fins on the other hand are heavy and/or take up a lot of luggage space. So personally I wouldn’t bother and just rent those when you are there and feel you need them. *Hint - Don’t forget to put sunscreen on your ears, the back of your neck and especially the back of your legs when snorkeling (everyone always forgets). The Galapagos sun is quite fierce.
9. Airport Visitors Centre - When you first arrive at the islands, go to the “Visitors Centre” in the airport to grab any free maps, information or “visitors guides” they have on offer before you start your adventure (they don’t give them out unless you ask for them). Not only are these useful because they give you the latest “up to date” island information, they can give something to read while you wait for transport to take you to the nearest town.
Tourist Information Centre/Visitors Centre - Once you have found a place to stay and somewhere to stash your luggage, one of the first places you should always go to is the “Visitors Centre/ Tourist Information Centre” in town. These are usually easily found on the main street of whatever island town hub you’re in. There’s always someone there who speaks decent English and will have all the latest information of what is happening on the islands, maps, special events, timetables, weather details and recommendations. Grab the “visitor’s guide” in particular. It is invaluable. *Note - This is especially useful if you’re travelling solo because they can warn you about any recent potential issues you might need to be careful of. *Hint - If you ever run into any kind of trouble during your visit (ie. Lost money, problems with a local businesses, refund issues, misplaced passports etc) these centres are very useful to try and get help. They are eager to assist tourists, speak English and will know who in the islands to get you in contact with to try and sort it out.
10. Day Tours - The price you will pay for “Day Tours” on the islands should range from around $50-$220 per tour (the same tours can be up to $350 or even more if booked online). As a general rule “Land Tours” are usually the cheapest, “Scuba Diving Tours” are usually the most expensive and “Boat Tours” are somewhere in the middle. They usually they have a meal and some drinks included (but ask beforehand to be sure). Tour agencies usually stay open until about 7 or 8pm.
*Hint - People always forget to ask for details about the day trip and ask questions about the boat itself. Ask the tour operator to show you photos of the boat and the maximum amount of people that will be on it during your tour. How long is the tour? Will you need to bring/rent a wet suit or snorkel, need to bring refreshments or food, a towel or warm clothing, or are they are provided as part of the tour? You don’t want to be trapped on an overcrowded small speed boat, miss out on opportunities to snorkel at amazing spots, go hungry or freeze because they don’t provide towels just because you forgot to ask if you should bring your own.
*Additional Hint - The more questions you ask about tours before handing over money the better. Because then if anything they guaranteed you doesn’t happen, isn’t offered or if you are switched to a “lesser quality” boat etc. you should be entitled to a refund of some of the money you paid. If this happens and the tour operator is being stubborn, you can bring the issue to one of the “Visitors Centre/ Tourist Information Centre” on the main street of the island for help.
*Hint - People always forget to ask for details about the day trip and ask questions about the boat itself. Ask the tour operator to show you photos of the boat and the maximum amount of people that will be on it during your tour. How long is the tour? Will you need to bring/rent a wet suit or snorkel, need to bring refreshments or food, a towel or warm clothing, or are they are provided as part of the tour? You don’t want to be trapped on an overcrowded small speed boat, miss out on opportunities to snorkel at amazing spots, go hungry or freeze because they don’t provide towels just because you forgot to ask if you should bring your own.
*Additional Hint - The more questions you ask about tours before handing over money the better. Because then if anything they guaranteed you doesn’t happen, isn’t offered or if you are switched to a “lesser quality” boat etc. you should be entitled to a refund of some of the money you paid. If this happens and the tour operator is being stubborn, you can bring the issue to one of the “Visitors Centre/ Tourist Information Centre” on the main street of the island for help.
**Secret - At the island ports or after finishing a tour, if you can manage to talk to one of the actual boat owners directly (ie. cut out the tour operator completely) you can save even MORE money on tours. Start the conversation by complimenting them on their boat, some basic Spanish is useful for this but not always essential (shhhhh… keep it to yourself).
11. Inter-Island Boats (Ferries) - The “inter-island” boat trips when travelling between the 3 main islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela) are long, loud, boring and unpleasant. They are referred to as “ferries”, but in reality are just speed boats with roofs fitting about 16-20 people.
Remember to charge your music devices, bring headphones, something to read, snacks (but not fresh fruit, veg or nuts/seeds due to quarantine) and anything else to entertain yourselves for a few hours. **IMPORTANT - MAKE SURE that you arrive extra early to get seats INSIDE of the boat. DO NOT get one of the seats at the back of the boat or you will end up miserable, getting saturated by sea spray and sunburnt for 2-3 hours straight.** *Hint - If you suffer from seasickness, don’t eat too heavily before getting on the boat and take a seasickness tablet about 30 minutes before departure. Also sit somewhere in the mid-point of the boat and bring devices that can hold your focus and distract your attention (earphones with loud music or something to read/watch etc.).
Inter-Island Flights - It is possible to catch a small 9 seater “puddle jumper” plane between any of the 3 main islands (San Cristobal, Isabela and Santa Cruz) rather than an inter-island boat. The company that offers this is called “Emetebe Airlines” and it is the only way you can go directly from Isabela to San Cristobal and vice versa (which the inter-island boats cannot do). Once on-board (which can take quite a long time supposedly) the flight itself will take only around 45 minutes or less and is apparently a unique and beautiful way to see the islands. However it is not a cheap option and the company has unfortunately built itself a reputation of being very unreliable. *Note - I couldn’t find any evidence online of anyone successfully negotiating a “cheaper ticket”. Cost - about $195 per adult and about $165 per child 11 years or under (online).
12. Rent Taxis for a Half/Full Day - The Taxis in the Galapagos are white pick-up trucks that cost about $1.50 to go anywhere within any town hub. But if you want to travel somewhere outside of town, it’s a great option to negotiate with the driver for a half day or full day car hire. They will drive you from location to location all over the island, waiting patiently for you to come back each stop and can provide “local knowledge” of things such as obscure fresh food markets, secret beaches and places not on the “tourist brochures”. If you happen to come across a great driver this may possibly lead to some of your most memorable moments of your entire trip. *Note - Remember that you can do a “1 Full Day Taxi Adventure” 3 times (Once on each of the main islands) during your Galapagos trip and if they are done with other people, the cost can be split which makes for a very inexpensive day.
*Hint - Ask the driver to take you to THEIR personal favorite spots on the island and you might discover something that few tourists ever get to see.
*Additional Hint - At the first destination, ask the driver to pose for a photo in front of the taxi (with someone else in your group if possible) and sneakily get the taxi license plate number in the shot. There’s unlikely to be any problems (I never had any), but if you have already paid them in full then it is always a good idea to cover your bases. COST: Around $40-$70 (Negotiable) for half/full day taxi hire.
11. Inter-Island Boats (Ferries) - The “inter-island” boat trips when travelling between the 3 main islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela) are long, loud, boring and unpleasant. They are referred to as “ferries”, but in reality are just speed boats with roofs fitting about 16-20 people.
Remember to charge your music devices, bring headphones, something to read, snacks (but not fresh fruit, veg or nuts/seeds due to quarantine) and anything else to entertain yourselves for a few hours. **IMPORTANT - MAKE SURE that you arrive extra early to get seats INSIDE of the boat. DO NOT get one of the seats at the back of the boat or you will end up miserable, getting saturated by sea spray and sunburnt for 2-3 hours straight.** *Hint - If you suffer from seasickness, don’t eat too heavily before getting on the boat and take a seasickness tablet about 30 minutes before departure. Also sit somewhere in the mid-point of the boat and bring devices that can hold your focus and distract your attention (earphones with loud music or something to read/watch etc.).
Inter-Island Flights - It is possible to catch a small 9 seater “puddle jumper” plane between any of the 3 main islands (San Cristobal, Isabela and Santa Cruz) rather than an inter-island boat. The company that offers this is called “Emetebe Airlines” and it is the only way you can go directly from Isabela to San Cristobal and vice versa (which the inter-island boats cannot do). Once on-board (which can take quite a long time supposedly) the flight itself will take only around 45 minutes or less and is apparently a unique and beautiful way to see the islands. However it is not a cheap option and the company has unfortunately built itself a reputation of being very unreliable. *Note - I couldn’t find any evidence online of anyone successfully negotiating a “cheaper ticket”. Cost - about $195 per adult and about $165 per child 11 years or under (online).
12. Rent Taxis for a Half/Full Day - The Taxis in the Galapagos are white pick-up trucks that cost about $1.50 to go anywhere within any town hub. But if you want to travel somewhere outside of town, it’s a great option to negotiate with the driver for a half day or full day car hire. They will drive you from location to location all over the island, waiting patiently for you to come back each stop and can provide “local knowledge” of things such as obscure fresh food markets, secret beaches and places not on the “tourist brochures”. If you happen to come across a great driver this may possibly lead to some of your most memorable moments of your entire trip. *Note - Remember that you can do a “1 Full Day Taxi Adventure” 3 times (Once on each of the main islands) during your Galapagos trip and if they are done with other people, the cost can be split which makes for a very inexpensive day.
*Hint - Ask the driver to take you to THEIR personal favorite spots on the island and you might discover something that few tourists ever get to see.
*Additional Hint - At the first destination, ask the driver to pose for a photo in front of the taxi (with someone else in your group if possible) and sneakily get the taxi license plate number in the shot. There’s unlikely to be any problems (I never had any), but if you have already paid them in full then it is always a good idea to cover your bases. COST: Around $40-$70 (Negotiable) for half/full day taxi hire.
13. Bike Hire - On any of the islands it is easy to hire a bike in town which not only saves you money on taxi rides, but means you can ride hiking paths that are inaccessible to cars much quicker than you could walk them (I particularly recommend this for Isabela). This not only enables you to explore certain areas quicker, but to also relax and enjoy any beautiful spots you find for longer. With a little planning and a map you can also visit nearby different areas, stop at various points of interest on your route and then just ride back into town when you’re finished (a reasonable level of fitness is recommended if you want to make a day of this and don’t forget to bring snacks and drinks). *Hint - Because the taxis are pick-up trucks, you can chuck the bikes in the back and get them to drop you off at locations. Later in the day you can also hail them down on main roads to take you back to town (if you’re feeling tired after a long day of riding and the ride back to town feels too daunting).
*Additional Hint - If you hire a taxi for a half/full day (above). Then at each stop you can get around quicker and easier in places where cars cannot go, ride back to the taxi, and get them to drive you to the next spot. Then just rinse and repeat all day. If you start early, this is probably the best way to explore multiple locations all over any island in a single day (recommended). COST: about $8-$15 (for day bike hire).
*Additional Hint - If you hire a taxi for a half/full day (above). Then at each stop you can get around quicker and easier in places where cars cannot go, ride back to the taxi, and get them to drive you to the next spot. Then just rinse and repeat all day. If you start early, this is probably the best way to explore multiple locations all over any island in a single day (recommended). COST: about $8-$15 (for day bike hire).
15. THE TOWN OF PUERTO AYORA (ON SANTA CRUZ ISLAND)
Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the Galapagos archipelago. It’s also the most populated and the most central. Santa Cruz offers a lot of activities and sightseeing that don’t necessitate a guide or a special tour, which means that you can actually visit most of the island on your own. Puerto Ayora is the principal town on Santa Cruz Island.
Puerto Ayora is the “capital” city of the islands. Despite this, it’s still quite a small town that appears a bit dusty and run-down in places. The anchorage of Puerto Ayora (also known as “Academy Bay”) is usually quite overcrowded with visitors and locals. This the principal tourist town of all the islands, with numerous tour booking agencies, restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels. Also this is where you have the best chance to haggle for the best deals and last minute discount tickets for Day Tours.
INTER-ISLAND BOAT SERVICES FROM PUERTO AYORA (Santa Cruz Island)
The inter-island boats (ferries) from Puerto Ayora to San Cristobal Island (The town of Puerto Baquierizo Moreno) leaves at 7am and 2pm every day (departure times may vary slightly). The trip takes about 2.5 to 3 hours (depending on the boat and ocean conditions).
The inter-island boats (ferries) from Puerto Ayora to Isabela Island (The town of Puerto Villamil) leaves at 7am and 2pm every day (departure times may vary slightly). The trip takes about 2 to 2.5 hours (depending on the boat and ocean conditions).
There are also inter-island boats to “Floreana” from Puerto Ayora, but they leave on a less frequent basis. **IMPORTANT - There are NO ATMS OR BANKS ON ISABELA ISLAND OR FLOREANA ISLAND and credit cards are useless there. MAKE SURE you bring enough physical cash with you to cover EVERYTHING you plan to do on the island.
All inter-island boats cost between $25-$30 per person (one way), plus a $0.50 to $1 levy per person for each water taxi from the dock to the boat and vice versa (1 at departure and another at arrival). *Note - There’s an additional $10 per person “entrance fee” to pay after arriving at Isabela Island.
*Additional Note - There are several different tour booking agencies that sell tickets for inter-island boats so if you can’t get tickets at one office, just try another. However, there are no “last minute” discounts to haggle for with inter-island boats as the price is fixed, so purchasing tickets days in advance is fine.
For more information about the other islands, read this post:
16. WHAT TO EXPECT (AND WHAT NOT TO)
If you are expecting the Galapagos to be some kind handcrafted tourist tropical resort with bronzed men displaying six-packs and attractive girls in grass skirts serving you cocktails in coconuts with little umbrellas while you get massages and lounge on hammocks between palm trees… then perhaps the Galapagos Islands are not for you.
The Galapagos is one of the last vestiges of a pristine nature park trying desperately to find the balance between leaving the majority of the islands as untouched as possible while also satisfying tourist’s needs, as a means to provide income to the locals who live there and the money they need to protect the numerous endemic species and their habitats. On top of that, they attempt to breed up the numbers of certain local species that are near the point of extinction.
It is also the literal birthplace of an entirely new perspective that forever changed how our own species perceived the very nature and origins of all life itself (which if you pay close enough attention you can see where these insights came from). The animals that you see there are not “tamed” or trained to perform tricks for your entertainment, nor there to pose for your photos. But instead live their lives quite indifferent to our existence seeing humans as neither of particular threat nor benefit to them… and these ARE some of the things that make it such a uniquely amazing and special place to visit.
In some ways this makes the Galapagos Islands probably as close to a genuinely authentic travel experience as many of us are ever likely to have, which also means that it can feel quite “raw” and bare bones at times. It has not been designed by expert marketing teams to be the artificially tailored tourist experience that so many foreigners from wealthier countries have become so used to. So if that is what you are after then perhaps places like Hawaii and Bali are closer to what you are looking for. The Galapagos is something else entirely.
17. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO THE GALAPAGOS?
Honestly, there is no “best or worst time” of the year to visit the Galapagos. There are benefits to visiting throughout the year because all the Galapagos species have different breeding and migration seasons. This means that all times of the year offer something different from every other time of the year. Jan to Feb - Giant Tortoise eggs start hatching and Green Sea Turtles start laying their eggs.
Feb to Mar - Penguins migrate to Isabela and Fernanda from Bartolome and Marine Iguanas nest on Santa Cruz. Mar to Apr - is mating season for Frigate Birds and Marine Iguanas nest on North Seymour and Fernanda. Apr to May - Waved Albatross complete migration to Espanola for nesting, and Sea Turtles, Marine and land Iguanas are nesting. May to June - is Blue-Footed Boobies mating season and Waved Albatrosses lay eggs on Espanola. June to July - Humpback Whales can be seen and in the North might be Whale Sharks. July to Aug - Nesting Season for Blue-Footed Boobies and Flightless Cormorants, and Sea Lions mating season. Aug to Sep - Sea-lions give birth and Giant Tortoises return to highlands after laying eggs. Sep to Oct - Penguin courtships on Bartolome and Sea Lion Pups. Oct to Nov - Blue-Footed Booby Chicks on Isabela and Espanola and Fur Seal Lions Mating Season. Nov to Dec - Green Sea Turtles mating season and Chance to see Whale Sharks in the North West. Dec to Jan - Giant Tortoise eggs hatching and Sea Lions and Fur Sea Lions breeding season.
18. CAN I TRAVEL TO THE GALAPAGOS ON A BUDGET?
The truth is… yes and no. While you can certainly travel there for a significantly less amount of money than the Galapagos tour websites would seem to indicate, the reality is that the islands are still far more expensive overall than if you were travelling to anywhere else in South America on the mainland. For starters, there are 3 costs that are completely unavoidable (or at least cost frequent flyer points).
1) The cost of a return flight to Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador from wherever you are travelling from (Cost: variable per person).
2) The return flight from Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador to the islands (Cost: around $400-$600 return per adult and children 11 or under up to 50% off)
If you are expecting the Galapagos to be some kind handcrafted tourist tropical resort with bronzed men displaying six-packs and attractive girls in grass skirts serving you cocktails in coconuts with little umbrellas while you get massages and lounge on hammocks between palm trees… then perhaps the Galapagos Islands are not for you.
The Galapagos is one of the last vestiges of a pristine nature park trying desperately to find the balance between leaving the majority of the islands as untouched as possible while also satisfying tourist’s needs, as a means to provide income to the locals who live there and the money they need to protect the numerous endemic species and their habitats. On top of that, they attempt to breed up the numbers of certain local species that are near the point of extinction.
It is also the literal birthplace of an entirely new perspective that forever changed how our own species perceived the very nature and origins of all life itself (which if you pay close enough attention you can see where these insights came from). The animals that you see there are not “tamed” or trained to perform tricks for your entertainment, nor there to pose for your photos. But instead live their lives quite indifferent to our existence seeing humans as neither of particular threat nor benefit to them… and these ARE some of the things that make it such a uniquely amazing and special place to visit.
In some ways this makes the Galapagos Islands probably as close to a genuinely authentic travel experience as many of us are ever likely to have, which also means that it can feel quite “raw” and bare bones at times. It has not been designed by expert marketing teams to be the artificially tailored tourist experience that so many foreigners from wealthier countries have become so used to. So if that is what you are after then perhaps places like Hawaii and Bali are closer to what you are looking for. The Galapagos is something else entirely.
17. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO THE GALAPAGOS?
Honestly, there is no “best or worst time” of the year to visit the Galapagos. There are benefits to visiting throughout the year because all the Galapagos species have different breeding and migration seasons. This means that all times of the year offer something different from every other time of the year. Jan to Feb - Giant Tortoise eggs start hatching and Green Sea Turtles start laying their eggs.
Feb to Mar - Penguins migrate to Isabela and Fernanda from Bartolome and Marine Iguanas nest on Santa Cruz. Mar to Apr - is mating season for Frigate Birds and Marine Iguanas nest on North Seymour and Fernanda. Apr to May - Waved Albatross complete migration to Espanola for nesting, and Sea Turtles, Marine and land Iguanas are nesting. May to June - is Blue-Footed Boobies mating season and Waved Albatrosses lay eggs on Espanola. June to July - Humpback Whales can be seen and in the North might be Whale Sharks. July to Aug - Nesting Season for Blue-Footed Boobies and Flightless Cormorants, and Sea Lions mating season. Aug to Sep - Sea-lions give birth and Giant Tortoises return to highlands after laying eggs. Sep to Oct - Penguin courtships on Bartolome and Sea Lion Pups. Oct to Nov - Blue-Footed Booby Chicks on Isabela and Espanola and Fur Seal Lions Mating Season. Nov to Dec - Green Sea Turtles mating season and Chance to see Whale Sharks in the North West. Dec to Jan - Giant Tortoise eggs hatching and Sea Lions and Fur Sea Lions breeding season.
18. CAN I TRAVEL TO THE GALAPAGOS ON A BUDGET?
The truth is… yes and no. While you can certainly travel there for a significantly less amount of money than the Galapagos tour websites would seem to indicate, the reality is that the islands are still far more expensive overall than if you were travelling to anywhere else in South America on the mainland. For starters, there are 3 costs that are completely unavoidable (or at least cost frequent flyer points).
1) The cost of a return flight to Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador from wherever you are travelling from (Cost: variable per person).
2) The return flight from Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador to the islands (Cost: around $400-$600 return per adult and children 11 or under up to 50% off)
3) The “INGALA Transit Control Card” (up to 90 day Tourist Visa) (Cost: $20 per person) and the “National Park Fee” required by all foreigners (Cost: $100 per adult and $50 for children 11 or under).
*Note - I won’t put “Travel Insurance” because it is not technically “unavoidable”, but personally I do think it is pretty foolish to travel anywhere overseas without at least minimal cover (Cost: variable per person).
After those unavoidable costs, it depends on… How long do you want to stay on the islands? What do you want to do/see while you are there? How many luxuries are you ok with living without? Are you willing to arrive there without booking anything online? And are you the type of person who is comfortable haggling face to face for better prices?
Accommodation at $15 solo per night ($20 for a couple) is a little difficult to find, but possible. However, it is easier to find accommodation at about $25-$30 per night ($35-$40 for a couple). Bear in mind, that at these prices the rooms are basically just a place to sleep and to safely leave your luggage.
Food can be found quite cheaply if you go to the smaller places in the backstreets behind the “Tourist Street”. Breakfast ($3 to $4), Lunch ($5 to $7) and Dinner ($5 to $7). These meals are very basic, but filling (you won’t starve).
If you want to visit 1 or 2 of the other main islands, the inter-island boats cost $30 (price non-negotiable one way) per person (+$10 if it is to Isabela). Remember you will have to travel to the island you will catch your plane home from. So to see all 3 will be a minimum of 3 inter-island boat trips (more likely
*Note - I won’t put “Travel Insurance” because it is not technically “unavoidable”, but personally I do think it is pretty foolish to travel anywhere overseas without at least minimal cover (Cost: variable per person).
After those unavoidable costs, it depends on… How long do you want to stay on the islands? What do you want to do/see while you are there? How many luxuries are you ok with living without? Are you willing to arrive there without booking anything online? And are you the type of person who is comfortable haggling face to face for better prices?
Accommodation at $15 solo per night ($20 for a couple) is a little difficult to find, but possible. However, it is easier to find accommodation at about $25-$30 per night ($35-$40 for a couple). Bear in mind, that at these prices the rooms are basically just a place to sleep and to safely leave your luggage.
Food can be found quite cheaply if you go to the smaller places in the backstreets behind the “Tourist Street”. Breakfast ($3 to $4), Lunch ($5 to $7) and Dinner ($5 to $7). These meals are very basic, but filling (you won’t starve).
If you want to visit 1 or 2 of the other main islands, the inter-island boats cost $30 (price non-negotiable one way) per person (+$10 if it is to Isabela). Remember you will have to travel to the island you will catch your plane home from. So to see all 3 will be a minimum of 3 inter-island boat trips (more likely
4) which is a minimum cost of $100 per person (more likely $130 per person).
You don’t HAVE to do Day Tours, but it would be a bit silly to visit the Galapagos without doing at least a couple. Prices can be as low as $35 per person (although I only know of 1 you can haggle that cheap) but they usually range from around $50 to $220 per tour, per person (Land tours cheapest, Boat tours mid-range, Scuba tours most expensive).
Lastly, there are plenty of free activities you can do within walking distance of the 3 main islands towns, but most of the better ones would require hiring a taxi (or at least a pushbike) to realistically reach them.
*Note - This is the most minimalistic Galapagos trip that I can imagine without any luxuries or splurging whatsoever on the entire trip. I did some of these things on my trip sometimes to save cash, but not certainly not the WHOLE time. Treating yourself at least with an upgraded room or a nice meal every now and again during your trip is probably a good idea and having some extra dollars in your pocket while there is advantageous.
If your savings are REALLY bare bones, unless you are already in South America travelling and unlikely to ever come back again… it is at least worth considering waiting a little while longer so you can add a bit more money to your stockpile before doing a Galapagos trip. You are likely to only do it once in your lifetime and if you can wait, you should try do it well.
19. HOW LONG SHOULD I STAY ON THE ISLANDS?
That depends entirely on the kind of person that you are. If you are a person who just loves being in nature, or who loves animals of all kinds. If you find things like biology, history or evolution fascinating, or fantasizes about being in places that feel practically untouched by man. Or if you love to do “outdoorsy” things like hiking and riding… and if “roughing it” occasionally does not bother you at all. Then you are more likely to want to stay longer than a person who prefers to stay in resorts and get foot massages when they travel overseas.
It is just my personal opinion, but I believe that going to the Galapagos for 4 or less days wouldn’t be worth it (cost vs value for money). 1 week would be borderline ok. You could see some pretty cool things in that time and have some great pics and stories to tell your friends, but you would most likely leave wanting more (however, I would still recommend basing yourself on only 2 of the 3 main islands to make the most of your time over a 7 day visit).
At around 14 days I have noticed Galapagos traveler's opinions in forums starting to differ. Some people say that at 2 weeks they were starting to get “bored”, that they were “over it”, that animal sightings were becoming “repetitive” and they would have even been happy to have left a day or so earlier. While other people say they were still having a great time and looking forward to the next day’s adventure. So like I said, I think it depends on the kind of person you are.
I personally travelled there for 16 days (2 of those were half days arriving at or leaving from the airport so I couldn’t do much). So in the 14 full days I had on the islands I had done everything I had planned to do, seen all the animals I had wanted to see and was feeling pretty satisfied about the whole experience... yet I could easily have stayed another week and more done things I still hadn’t done yet and felt a bit sad that I was leaving. But maybe this is because I love walking in nature and I love animals. I find things like biology fascinating and I prefer to “soak in” experiences rather than go to locations just to take selfies and “check them off” my list before moving on. For me, travelling to foreign countries and staying in 5-star hotels without ever “roughing it” is just not my idea of a good travel experience.
But everyone is different. So as I said in the beginning, if you want to know how long is enough time for you in the Galapagos, you need “to know” what kind of person you are.
ANOTHER THING WORTH MENTIONING
There is no problem with wanting to be economical with your money when travelling. Especially when you can see on various websites that many operators there are exaggerating their prices or trying to manipulate people using the “buy now or you’ll miss out” and other crappy tactics etc. So as far as I am concerned, haggling and negotiating to get better prices is fine. Especially when you don’t exactly have money to burn.
HOWEVER, remember that there are also many owners of businesses who you will meet in the Galapagos who are not like that. They are just good people trying to make a living and provide for their families and it is pretty easy to tell them apart from the others. I have always felt that it is somewhat ironic that when you are travelling using the “budget method” that it inevitably means you are more likely to come across those genuinely good souls.
So if you ever cross paths with a particularly amazing guide, or a cool taxi driver, or some really great people who run a little hotel, or a place where you eat regularly where the owners are especially nice. Basically, those rare moments when you meet some locals who go out of their way, or above and beyond to make your Galapagos experience special… even though tipping in Ecuador is not strictly necessary, at least consider slipping them a $10 or $20 note before you part ways as a “thank you”.
Even if you genuinely just can’t spare anything, at the very least take the time to tell those people how appreciative you are of everything they did for you (and perhaps give them an outstanding recommendation on Tripadvisor etc to send some extra dollars their way in the future). It’s the decent thing to do. Being frugal with your money, doesn’t mean you have to be a ***** (insert derogatory word here).
ONE LAST THING I FEEL OBLIGATED TO SAY (UNFORTUNATELY)…
Outside of the main towns on the islands there are very few rubbish bins to put your trash in. This means that any water bottles, chip packets, plastic bags, cigarette butts etc. that you take to these places, you will need to take back with you until you find a proper bin to put them in (sometimes all the way back into town). I found always bringing a plastic bag of some kind with me to put rubbish in was useful.
PLEASE try to remember that the Galapagos Islands are a protected park and one of the last remaining areas left on the planet that has not been trashed by bad human behaviour. The worst part of my entire trip was having to watch the local guides/caretakers carrying bags full of rubbish (sometimes literally as large as themselves) at the end of each day after the tourists had left and gone back to town. I just couldn’t fathom how people could travel to such a beautiful place like this, see what it is and somehow still not understand where they were… and this never failed to make me feel disappointed, angry and ashamed.
That depends entirely on the kind of person that you are. If you are a person who just loves being in nature, or who loves animals of all kinds. If you find things like biology, history or evolution fascinating, or fantasizes about being in places that feel practically untouched by man. Or if you love to do “outdoorsy” things like hiking and riding… and if “roughing it” occasionally does not bother you at all. Then you are more likely to want to stay longer than a person who prefers to stay in resorts and get foot massages when they travel overseas.
It is just my personal opinion, but I believe that going to the Galapagos for 4 or less days wouldn’t be worth it (cost vs value for money). 1 week would be borderline ok. You could see some pretty cool things in that time and have some great pics and stories to tell your friends, but you would most likely leave wanting more (however, I would still recommend basing yourself on only 2 of the 3 main islands to make the most of your time over a 7 day visit).
At around 14 days I have noticed Galapagos traveler's opinions in forums starting to differ. Some people say that at 2 weeks they were starting to get “bored”, that they were “over it”, that animal sightings were becoming “repetitive” and they would have even been happy to have left a day or so earlier. While other people say they were still having a great time and looking forward to the next day’s adventure. So like I said, I think it depends on the kind of person you are.
I personally travelled there for 16 days (2 of those were half days arriving at or leaving from the airport so I couldn’t do much). So in the 14 full days I had on the islands I had done everything I had planned to do, seen all the animals I had wanted to see and was feeling pretty satisfied about the whole experience... yet I could easily have stayed another week and more done things I still hadn’t done yet and felt a bit sad that I was leaving. But maybe this is because I love walking in nature and I love animals. I find things like biology fascinating and I prefer to “soak in” experiences rather than go to locations just to take selfies and “check them off” my list before moving on. For me, travelling to foreign countries and staying in 5-star hotels without ever “roughing it” is just not my idea of a good travel experience.
But everyone is different. So as I said in the beginning, if you want to know how long is enough time for you in the Galapagos, you need “to know” what kind of person you are.
ANOTHER THING WORTH MENTIONING
There is no problem with wanting to be economical with your money when travelling. Especially when you can see on various websites that many operators there are exaggerating their prices or trying to manipulate people using the “buy now or you’ll miss out” and other crappy tactics etc. So as far as I am concerned, haggling and negotiating to get better prices is fine. Especially when you don’t exactly have money to burn.
HOWEVER, remember that there are also many owners of businesses who you will meet in the Galapagos who are not like that. They are just good people trying to make a living and provide for their families and it is pretty easy to tell them apart from the others. I have always felt that it is somewhat ironic that when you are travelling using the “budget method” that it inevitably means you are more likely to come across those genuinely good souls.
So if you ever cross paths with a particularly amazing guide, or a cool taxi driver, or some really great people who run a little hotel, or a place where you eat regularly where the owners are especially nice. Basically, those rare moments when you meet some locals who go out of their way, or above and beyond to make your Galapagos experience special… even though tipping in Ecuador is not strictly necessary, at least consider slipping them a $10 or $20 note before you part ways as a “thank you”.
Even if you genuinely just can’t spare anything, at the very least take the time to tell those people how appreciative you are of everything they did for you (and perhaps give them an outstanding recommendation on Tripadvisor etc to send some extra dollars their way in the future). It’s the decent thing to do. Being frugal with your money, doesn’t mean you have to be a ***** (insert derogatory word here).
ONE LAST THING I FEEL OBLIGATED TO SAY (UNFORTUNATELY)…
Outside of the main towns on the islands there are very few rubbish bins to put your trash in. This means that any water bottles, chip packets, plastic bags, cigarette butts etc. that you take to these places, you will need to take back with you until you find a proper bin to put them in (sometimes all the way back into town). I found always bringing a plastic bag of some kind with me to put rubbish in was useful.
PLEASE try to remember that the Galapagos Islands are a protected park and one of the last remaining areas left on the planet that has not been trashed by bad human behaviour. The worst part of my entire trip was having to watch the local guides/caretakers carrying bags full of rubbish (sometimes literally as large as themselves) at the end of each day after the tourists had left and gone back to town. I just couldn’t fathom how people could travel to such a beautiful place like this, see what it is and somehow still not understand where they were… and this never failed to make me feel disappointed, angry and ashamed.