OVERVIEW
The Galapagos Islands are one of the most remote and diverse places on earth. There are four inhabited islands in the archipelago. Santa Cruz and San Cristobal are the two most populated islands and the locations that I visited. Isla Isabela, another one of the inhabited islands, has the equator run through the top. With the islands almost 600 miles off of the coast of mainland Ecuador, it can be tricky to figure out the best way to get there. Follow along to get the inside scoop on the best ways to navigate this remote, yet beautiful, vacation spot.
FLIGHTS
Getting to the Galapagos Islands can be complicated. There are only two airports that fly to the islands, Quito (UIO) and Guayaquil (GYE). I flew from Quito to Guayaquil for about 40 minutes and remained on the plane at the Guayaquil airport. This stop took roughly 40 minutes to 1 hour. More people boarded the plane who were also going to the Galapagos Islands. Once everyone was on, the flight from GYE to the islands was about an hour and a half. Our plane landed on Baltra island (GPS). There is one other airport on San Cristobal (SCY), and I flew back to the mainland using this one. Your two options for flying in are the GPS or SCY airports. It is very common to have bags be inspected and checked by airport security and drug agents, so do not worry if your bag is pulled to the side. After arriving to the airport, you must take a bus to the dock, take a water taxi to Santa Cruz island, and then you will likely get on another bus to get to your accommodation.
TIP: You can get a passport stamp when you go through customs at the airport, but you must ask for it.
Las Grietas
Las Grietas is a place where the earth literally cracked. This is a secretive and private snorkeling and swimming area. There is a wide variety of fish that you will see here! Some of them were almost two feet long. It is deep enough to jump in, but not so deep that a life jacket is necessary, unless that is your personal preference. The water is cool and refreshing, especially after the short hike to get there. I recommend wearing some type of water shoe or sandals that won’t come off because the rocks to get in and out are slippery. With the unique wildlife and crystal blue waters, you definitely don’t want to miss this hidden gem.
Giant Tortoise Farm
Whenever the Galapagos Islands are mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind are the giant tortoises! And let me tell you, they are HUGE. However, they do not roam around all over the place like you would expect, and you will find them further inland on the island, not so much near the coast. I visited Rancho El Chato to see these creatures on Santa Cruz. The experience was fantastic, there was lunch and then a tour to teach the history behind the tortoises. Although these animals are slow, it is still asked that you remain six feet away and move slowly to avoid scaring the tortoises. There were hundreds of them and watching them move and interact was incredible.
Santa Cruz Pier
Santa Cruz is the island with the highest population. In the center of the shopping, there is a long and beautiful pier where you can experience some great views of wildlife, boats, and the crystal blue waters. From the pier, you are able to see sea lions, iguanas, sea turtles, crabs, and possibly more! Stopping by here is a great way to witness the wildlife and their behaviors.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands is truly a once in a lifetime experience! I have been snorkeling in many other travel locations, but I saw the most wildlife here by far. La Loberia beach is where I saw several sea turtles, varieties of fish, and countless sea lions. The animals will come up inches away from you. I would recommend a wet suit, like the one in the picture, because the water is pretty chilly.
Sea Lion Sunset
On San Cristobal, there is a beach called Playa Mann where there are too many sea lions to count and the best view of the sunset on the entire island. You will also get a fantastic view of the pier and beautiful boats on the water. Be prepared to hear the crazy sounds that sea lions make, it almost sounds like they are throwing up. They are extremely friendly and playful animals, but remember to be respectful, do not touch, and keep a distance of six feet. You do not want to make a mom feel threatened!
FINAL TIPS
Out of the four populated islands, really only two of them are worth visiting: Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. The others have incredibly small populations and are mostly fishermen. Santa Cruz is the best location to do your tourist shopping, but there are still plenty of stores on San Cristobal. I think that San Cristobal has more biodiversity to see than Santa Cruz, and would recommend spending more time there.
It is typical to be required to hire tour guides in the islands for your activities. This is to ensure that people follow the rules as well as remain safe. I would highly recommend booking a guide from the airport, because navigating to your accommodation can be difficult and confusing, especially if there is a language barrier.
I would strongly encourage everyone to try the local seafood dishes, even if you do not normally eat or like seafood. Everything except shrimp and salmon is caught locally! Common dishes are tuna, ceviche, and octopus. I nearly ate tuna for every meal. Finally, the tap water is safe to drink on San Cristobal, but you may notice a slightly salty taste because of the salt pits that it comes from. Safe travels!
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Finally, I would highly recommend trying the seafood while visiting, even if you don’t normally eat it or like it. Everything is caught locally by the fishermen except salmon and shrimp. Tuna, ceviche, and octopus are very common, locally caught dishes. Personally, I ate the tuna for almost every meal while I was there, and it tastes vastly different than the tuna in the U.S. Also, the water on San Cristobal is safe to drink, but you may taste a hint of salt due to how the water is acquired from the salt pits. Safe travels!
SKYE SIGHTS 
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