In November, my colleague Alexis and I had the opportunity to experience the Enchanted Islands, also known as the Galápagos Islands.
Located 600 miles west off the coast of Ecuador, we flew by commercial airplane to Baltra Airport, one of two airports that service the region (the other is San Cristobal). Most tourists opt to explore the Galápagos Islands via ship, which can range from 12 to 100+ guests. Here, guests unpack their suitcases and settle into their floating home away from home for as short as 3 nights or as long as 14. The majority of guests spend 7 nights aboard, which provides breadth, depth, and diversity yet still leaves you yearning for more on a future trip. This happened to be my third time visiting this amazing national park, and I can honestly say it doesn’t get old!
First, Alexis and I were able to have a land-based experience where we stayed at Finch Bay Hotel. The hotel is located a five-minute water taxi from Puerto Ayora, the largest city in the Galápagos with approximately 15,000 residents. Puerto Ayora is a charming seaside town on Santa Cruz Island with quaint shops, artsy boutiques and, of course, souvenirs. Its laid back, relaxing atmosphere truly lets you unwind and simply enjoy your surroundings. If you wish to read more about other land-based options on Santa Cruz, be sure to check out Rachel’s blog about her stay at Galápagos Safari Camp and Jennifer’s blog about Montemar Villas or speak to your Travel Consultant who can share additional luxury selections such as Pikaia Lodge.
At Finch Bay, we took part in two excursions. One day, we boarded the hotel’s Sea Lion Yacht with 10 other guests as we headed to South Plaza, a two-hour boat ride away, on the other side of Santa Cruz Island. We disembarked and spent an hour exploring the island on foot.
We admired sea lion pups and various sea birds. Then, it was off to Punta Carrion for our first snorkeling outing. I was impressed by the whitetip reef sharks and hundreds of fish. Next, we boarded a bus for a 45-minute transfer back to Puerto Ayora where we explored more of the town.
The next day, we ventured off to Tortuga Bay. After a five-minute water taxi and a five-minute taxi car ride, we stood at the pathway that led to Tortuga Bay. We chatted with our guide as we walked along a stone path for about 40 minutes. We learned more about the islands’ flora, fauna, and wildlife. Then, we reached the breathtaking Playa Brava, one of two beaches at Tortuga Bay, and I removed my footwear and sunk my toes into the soft sand. We strolled the beach for another 20 minutes or so until we arrived at the calmer waters of Playa Mansa. Here, we rented a kayak, and we paddled out to view sea turtles and black-tipped reef sharks. I thought we’d need binoculars (and/or a snorkel mask), but sea turtles swam right next to or below us. The water was so clear, and I couldn’t believe my eyes that sea turtles were only a few feet from us. It was such an incredible encounter! To return to the hotel, we boarded a boat to Puerto Ayora for a 30-minute ride along the coast.
We rounded out our time in the Galápagos by boarding one of the newest ships, the Hermes, for four nights. The ship has a wow factor with its sleek, modern amenities. The staterooms are gigantic, and the bathroom may be the same size as one of the rooms I stayed in on a previous Galápagos cruise (ha!).
One of the perks of a cruise-based experience is that you can explore the more remote areas of the Galapagos archipelago. Highlight visitor sites on Genovesa, Fernandina, and the western side of Isabela, for example, cannot be reached by day trip from any lodge or hotel due to the long distance. While all the islands in the Galapagos are formed by a volcanic hotspot (with the older islands in the east and the younger, still active, ones in the west), each is different from the next. You can certainly see a lot with a land-based experience, but opportunities to explore a wider range of geology, landscapes and wildlife are especially maximized from a liveaboard ship.
So, which is better, land or boat experience? Why not both? In my opinion, both are worthwhile and genuinely allow you to fall in love and appreciate the Galápagos. On the ship, you generally have a morning and afternoon excursion, with some rest time in the middle of the day. It’s absolutely a more structured itinerary that gets you from A to B to C, so you’re able to see and do as much as possible. Also, you make friends with fellow passengers, and by the end of the trip, you’ve formed a lovely camaraderie. If, on the other hand, you prefer to enjoy the beach or pool and go at your own pace, then a land hotel may be a better fit for you. Either way, there’s so much to encounter and be astonished by that as soon as you return home, you’ll be itching to get back to one of the most extraordinary places on the planet.
