Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A Blue Footed Booby
San Cristóbal Island
Chatham Island, or San Cristóbal as it is more popularly referred to, is the Galápagos'
easternmost and geographically oldest island, weaving together an ecological world un-
touched by time with the contemporary society that inhabits it. The capital of Galápagos
Province, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno , marks its southwestern tip with the archipelago's
second-largest population of 5,600 and a good base for island-wide excursions, as San
Cristóbal offers many. This is where Charles Darwin first disembarked on the island dur-
ing his Beagle voyage in 1835, but while the land has over gone its share of changes, it
still inspires the same awe that drove him to map much of what we know about life today.
As one of the most developed areas of the islands, Puerto Baquerizo harbors hotels, res-
taurants and an airport, where direct flights from Guayaquil and Quito (which stop in
Guayaquil) operate on Avianca, LAN and TAME airlines, while the latter also provides
flights from Baltra. Boats from Santa Cruz (2 hours) are also available. The island never
gets too hot (with a high of 86 ° F, 30 ° C) but the cooler season that runs from June to
November is characterized by oceanic fog and overcast skies while December to May has
periodic thunderstorms punctuating otherwise sunny skies. The tiny city center can be
crossed from end to end in a half-hour, but most of Cristóbal's charms lay beyond that.
While some are possible to visit independently, others are far-reaching and require a guide
or tour operator for assistance.
As for the sites you can see on your own, why not start with Playa Mann , a beautiful but
oft-crowded beach where locals sunbathe next to sea lions. It's just a short walk from Ban-
querizo's main strip and down the road from the Interpretation Center , a must-stop for
informational background on the island. From here you can hike up Las Tijeritas Hill
where a frigate-filled overlook affords incredible views of the bay Darwin landed on
marked by a statue commemorating the spot. On the other side of town, a large sea lion
colony dwells in La Lobería .
To reach the island's other destinations you'll have to bus, hire a pick-up truck or just join
a day tour to visit all three at once: Puerto Chino , La Galapaguera and Laguna El
Junco . The latter is a freshwater lake cupped by the caldera of an extinct volcano which
overflows in times of rain and reaches 2,296 ft (700 m) in height, with spectacular views
all around. Puerto Chino is a soft white-sand beach that's a good alternative to the busy
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