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San Cristóbal is located on the southeast extreme of the archipelago. It is the fifth-largest (558 km2) and most rapidly developing island in the archipelago. Although the tourist infrastructure in the main town and the provincial capital of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is less advanced than in Puerto Ayora, the socio-environmental milieu is firmly established in the town's colonial architecture, university, and local political bodies. San Cristóbal also boasts organic coffee plantations and other agricultural centers, the only freshwater lagoon in the archipelago, beautiful beaches, amazing snorkeling and scuba-diving opportunities, and some of the best surfing spots in the archipelago. The following are the most popular attractions for cruise tours:
• The Galápagos National Park Interpretation Center , inaugurated in 1998, has a series of interactive exhibits providing information about the history and biodiversity of the Galápagos Islands .
• Cerro Brujo (Wizard Hill)—on the western side of San Cristóbal —has a spectacular, secluded white-sand beach that is the home to Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas, and sea lions. Visitors can swim or snorkel from the shore, hike or run along the beach trail, or enjoy the majestic offshore views of Leon Dormido.
• Leon Dormido , or Kicker Rock, is a rock structure protruding out of the ocean in the shape of a sleeping lion (hence the island's Spanish name). Small vessels can pass through a channel formed between the rocks, snorkel among the colorful coral formations and tropical fish, or scuba-dive with Galápagos sharks.
Punta Pitt , located at the northwest tip of San Cristóbal , is the only site where visitors have the opportunity to see all three Galápagos booby species nesting. Punta Pitt also has Galápagos hawks, sea lions, and interesting volcanic tuff formations.
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