Settled a few hundred miles off the coast of South America are the famous Galapagos Islands. Each island is extremely unique and holds an enormous amount of biodiversity. They’ve been called one of the worlds ‘last wild places’, so of course we had to go exploring. Here are our top six must do’s when visiting this truly magical place:
1. Take a Hike
A few of the islands are completely uninhabited or have only a few people living on them. What better way to take advantage of completely undulated nature than going on a hike? On Floreana Island you’ll find a pirates cave from the 1600’s amongst a forest and field of wild tortoises–we can’t make this stuff up. Most island’s require a tour guide to enter, but don’t fret–it’s easy to find a guide and a tour that fit’s your needs.
Hiking Near the Pirate Caves
2. Go Out in San Cristobal
You probably weren’t thinking that there’s much of a party scene in the Galapagos Islands, but you can certainly find a thriving nightlife on this island—hey, we even stayed at a place called “Hotel Fiesta”. Local’s and tourist alike indulge in brews after what was sure an intense day of exploration. What’s better? Grab a six pack from a minimart, climb the rocks near the ports and watch the sunset. Amazing.
3. Snorkel and/or Scuba Dive
The underwater life in the Galapagos is unreal and one of the best in the world. Although the water’s too cold for reef, you can see sharks, penguins, sting rays, dolphins and schools of crazy looking fish all in one go.
Snorkels are always a good look.
- Do Some Science-y Things
Visiting Charles Darwin’s research station is a must when on the Santa Cruz islands. Not only are they doing amazing things for the world, but you can also check out giant tortoises and iguanas and learn a bit about the crazy ecosystems that are around you. The station is located on San Cristobal and they also have cool live-abroad volunteer opportunities. We can’t say we didn’t think about it…
- Go Island Hoping
Island hoping is best done by chartering a boat and the boat ride alone is an incredible experience. You’ll be sure to see some a dolphin, sea lion or some type of bird (blue foot boobies are everywhere). And yes—you can drink on the boats.
6. Times-a-ticking
Despite you’re love for travel and exploration, the harsh reality is your visit to the islands will negatively impact the environment there. From the fuel in the plane, to simply flushing the toilet, the delicate ecosystems that make up the island are slowly but surely deteriorating. So visit while you can and give back to one of the amazing nonprofits that are upkeeping the islands–if you can!
