Santa Cruz Islands
Santa Cruz is the hub of tourist activity in the Galápagos, since it is
centrally located near the airport at Baltra; it has the most developed
tourist infrastructure—hotels, restaurants, bars, transportation, tour
agencies, etc; and it harbors the highest resident population, concentrated
in the port town of Puerto Ayora. Virtually every cruise tour makes a day
stop here so that passengers can visit the Charles Darwin Research Station
and highland visitor sites and stock up on any supplies running low or
unintentionally left behind. The following are the most popular visitor
sites and attractions for cruise tours:
• The Charles Darwin Research Station is a non-profit investigative
facility that focuses on gathering scientific data to shed light on
conservation problems and solutions. Visitors can learn about the captive
breeding methodologies being utilized to confront the threat of introduced
species, meet a survivor of this threat, the famous Lonesome George, get
up-close and personal with several of the other eleven subspecies of giant
tortoise and land iguanas, and view coastal and arid-zone vegetation.
• El Chato Tortoise Reserve is a popular highland visitor site , where
travelers can observe giant tortoises bathing and resting in their natural
habitat.
• Los Gemelos are giant twin sinkholes located just off the main road in
the highlands. Besides seeing the result of geological activity, this is a
good site for seeing the highland Scalesia vegetation and for bird-watching.
• Bachas Beach , located on the north coast of Santa Cruz , is often the
first destination on a cruise tour, since it is close to the embarkation
point and a relaxing introduction to Galápagos touring. Here visitors can
stroll along the white-sand beach, looking at Sally Lightfoot crabs, green
sea turtle nests, and mangroves. There is also a small lagoon, where
visitors can often see flamingoes.
Black Turtle Cove , also a popular principal or terminal cruise tour
site, is a shallow inlet surrounded by mangroves, which provide protection
for juvenile marine creatures. From the dinghy, visitors can see black- and
white-tipped reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cowrays, spotted eagle rays,
and, on the rare occasion, juvenile hammerhead sharks. Seabirds, like
pelicans and blue-footed boobies, also come here to feed.
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