Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Port Comparison
Given the limitations, which is the best port to head for? Each has its pluses and minuses,
and all are connected by two hour ferry services via the central “hub” of Santa Cruz. Credit
cards are rarely accepted, so most transactions on the islands are made in cash (including
large outlays such as tours). The only ATMs are on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal, where
you will also find painfully slow Internet access.
Puerto Ayora (#1 on accompanying map) on Santa Cruz is the most centrally located of the
four principal ports. As the biggest town, Puerto Ayora offers the widest choice of tours
and general services in the Galapagos. Unfortunately, the anchorage is exposed and usually
very rolly. There are ATMs and Internet cafes, and supermarkets stocking a slightly wider
range of goods than those on other islands (though none offer much more than basics).
There is a bank, hardware store, plus the usual traveler services: laundry, restaurants, post
office, and even recycling points for glass, paper, and plastic. The vast majority of
Galapagos-bound flights land at Baltra airport, making Santa Cruz the best place to meet
friends or exchange crew.
Santa Cruz is surrounded by a cluster of small islands, each with its own endemic species.
This makes Puerto Ayora the best place to stay in terms of covering the most ground by
taking multiple day trips. Daily tours depart for places like Seymour Island, Bartolome,
Floreana, and even Isabela. Local sights on Santa Cruz that can be reached without a tour
include the Darwin Research Station, spectacular Tortuga Bay (a beach and neighboring la-
goon where you can snorkel with sharks), the canyon-like cleft of Las Grietas, and sights in
the highlands ecosystem (giant turtles, sink holes, and lava tubes).
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (map, #2; also known as Wreck Bay), on the island of San Cris-
tobal, is (usually) a more sheltered anchorage with space for dozens of boats. The approach
is straightforward, with a marked reef off one side of the entrance. More sailors choose to
base themselves out of this southeast corner of the archipelago than anywhere else. The
town offers a number of eateries, basic grocery stores, Internet cafes, a post office, ATMs,
and a bank. There is also a daily farmer's market, a hardware store, and the occasional re-
cycling point. A number of tour companies offer local and inter-island trips - but often re-
quire a six or ten person minimum to operate. A number of interesting Cristobal sights can
be reached without a tour, including a turtle reserve, a highlands lagoon, and several nearby
walks. A handful of dive shops offer day trips to the offshore cliff of Kicker Rock, where
hammerhead shark and sea turtles are a common sight. Water taxis operate in both Puerto
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