Isabela
The largest (4588 km2) and third most populous island in the
archipelago—is often touted by locals as the gem of the Galápagos.
Although Isabela is a less common island in cruise itineraries, due to
the long passage and fuel use required to get there, the island has
recently gained popularity among visitors due to its spectacular
volcanic landscape and biological diversity, not to mention the relaxed
beach-town atmosphere of its main port town, Puerto Villamil. With the
exception of Puerto Villamil and the surrounding areas, all of Isabela's
visitor sites are on the western side of the island. The following are
the most popular visitor sites on cruise tours:
• Tagus Cove combines natural and human history. Cliff faces are
lined with graffiti from whaling and pirate ships, and waters are
frequented with Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, and other
seabirds. The terrestrial trail leads up the lower slopes of Volcán
Darwin to a look-out point, which offers incredible views of a crater
lake, lava paths, and volcanic formations.
• Urbina Bay , south of Tagus Cove, is characterized by its unique
terrestrial coral reef. Flightless cormorants, pelicans, and marine
iguanas are often seen on land, while rays and sea turtles can be viewed
swimming near the surface of the bay.
• Elizabeth Bay is known for its marine features and creatures: take
a dinghy ride around the bay to look for penguins, sea turtles, and rays
and to explore nearby caves
The wildlife you will see on your Galapagos tour are completely
unaffected by Galapagos travel visitors . For this reason, there is a
restricted number of visitors permitted into the Galapagos each year, as
part of a joint effort to protect the delicate environmental and ecological
equilibrium. The most sensible method of Galapagos travel is via our cruise
ships. The M/V Galapagos Legend provides 3 night, 4 night and 7 night
cruises to select from, which can also be easily merged with Galapagos
travel visits to neighboring South American locations