The Galapagos Islands have been on my bucket list for quite some time. Ben and I thought long and hard about going to this amazing destination for our honeymoon but alas it was too difficult to make work. That’s why when Jackie approached me about contributing a guest post I couldn’t say no! For selfish reasons I wanted to learn more about the destination as well!
Hello! We are Jackie and Justin from Life Of Doing. We instantly connected with The Restless Worker mostly because of the beautiful photos and similar travel interest but also because we still have our day jobs as working professionals. Which means, we are restless workers ourselves!
The Galapagos islands are definitely a destination you don’t want to miss and had been on our bucket list for quite some time before we made the trip. We wanted to see where Charles Darwin conducted his scientific research on evolution and natural selection. Of course we can’t deny that we especially wanted to see the finches and the tortoises. Being able to wander around with exotic animals and swim in the beautiful clear waters didn’t make the decision hard to make the trip.
We’ve put together a round-up of the top 5 reasons you should consider a trip to the Galapagos islands. As if the pictures weren’t enough to convince you.
Easy To Travel Here
Many people may get intimidated by the travel itinerary to the Galapagos islands. Afterall on paper it seems like quite the trek. You have to fly to either Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador where it’s likely you’ll have to spend the night. You’ll then have to fly directly to Seymour Airport (aka Baltra Airport or airport code: GPS). From Guayaquil, the flight is a short 1 hour and 40 minute plane ride. There aren’t too many flights to Baltra Airport so you’ll have to make sure you plan accordingly.
Amazing Wildlife
If you’re an animal lover, come prepared to “awe” at everything! Because of the Galapagos Island’s conservation efforts, all of the wildlife are undisturbed and in their natural habitats. It really is quite amazing to wander around outside and see so many different types of species just hanging out.
Sea lions were the species that we saw the most, they are everywhere! They basked in the sun on any sunny platform, boats, or canoes all day long. What a great lifestyle.
We also were lucky to see Giant tortoises. They munch on the grass and plants all day, and take their time to travel from one another location so you’ll have plenty of time to take pictures of them!
If you’re on Santa Cruz, take a taxi and go to “Rancho Primicias” to see them in action. Our taxi driver was also our impromptu tour guide and took us the various areas of Rancho Primicias. You won’t be disappointed seeing them.
Blue footed boobies (yes that’s their real name) are probably the most unique of the animlas on the islands. They have the prettiest eyes and blue feet! We saw quite a lot of them on Isabela Island, on our Las Tintoreras tour (more info in #4 below).
There really is no shortage of animals and species that you’ll see in the Galapagos islands. You’ll see anything from, crabs, sea turtles, sharks to penguins, and fish. Make sure to go snorkeling, diving, or on a day trip away from the main islands to really catch a glimpse of the animals in action.
Free Tourist Attractions
The Darwin Research Center is a wonderful place to learn about Galapagos Island’s history and the conservation efforts and definitely one of the best things to do for free on the island. Witness Darwin’s studies in action, and see various different types of animals.
One of the best things you can do at the research center is to take a tour. Nearby you’ll also be able to visit Playa de la Estacion for a beach visit. You’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the baby tortoises and their various growth stages before they are released into the wild. Lonesome George passed away prior to our arrival, so we saw the memorial plaque. We read that Lonesome George was mummified and brought back to the center after our visit.
Another one of the best things to do for free is to enjoy lounging at the beach at Tortuga Bay. Register at the sign in desk with your name and passport number, and take a leisurely 45 minute walk along a flat, paved trail to reach the beach. We passed by mangroves and photographed marine iguanas lounging around the area. When we settled down on the beach, adorable finches flocked to us and wanted crumbs from our sandwiches.
Lastly, go to Las Grietas to swim in the beautiful, crystal clear waters between two cliffs. Take a short boat ride at the pier to cross the island, follow the signs, and walk for 20 minutes to Las Grietas. Wear sturdy shoes as you’ll walk over the lava rocks which are rough and jagged.
Volcanic Formations
Spending a few days on Santa Cruz could get boring after seeing the main attractions, so we recommend exploring other islands. We booked a roundtrip speed boat ticket at one of the tour agency in Puerto Ayora to Isabela as it is a closer island to Santa Cruz. Prepare yourself for a 2 hour bumpy ride.
Once you’re on Isabela or other islands, relax on the beach or book day trips. The top three tours in Isabela are – Sierra Negra Volcano and Chico Volcano (half-day), Las Tintoreras (half day), and Lava Tunnels (all day).
You definitely won’t want to miss the Sierra Negra and Chico Volcanoes. It’s a hiking adventure to see volcanoes with several hills. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. There isn’t a lot of shade along the route.
Las Tintoreras tour has two parts – first half with snorkeling and the second half was walking on an island made of lava to see white tipped sharks (which is “tintoreras” in Spanish) and marine iguanas. It was a neat to swim to swim next to fish, sharks, sea turtles, and sea lions. We didn’t need wetsuits for this tour.
Lava Tunnels was our favorite tour. We saw so much marine life during the snorkeling sessions – penguins, sea turtles, skates, stingrays, giant lobsters, sharks, fish, and more! We also walked on the lava tunnels to see blue footed boobies in their nesting grounds. Because the waters are often cold, it’s recommended that you rent wet suits.
We hope you consider this place as your next travel destination! It’s one of the beautiful and pristine places that you’ll visit. Have you been to Galapagos Islands? What are some of your favorite memories from here?
[…] Have you been to the Galapagos Islands? If not, you definitely need to add it on your travel list. We were invited to share our adventures on The Restless Worker. Check out our top five reasons to visit Galapagos Islands. Continue reading here. […]